Sutton skatepark calling for public support to win £100,000 to inspire future Olympians

Asylum Academy for Extreme Sports is representing Persimmon Homes Nottingham in the housebuilder’s Building Futures competition - and is in with a chance of walking away with up to £100,000.

The skatepark has been shortlisted alongside groups from across England, Wales and Scotland in categories targeting grassroots sports, health organisations and arts & education projects.

One initiative from each category will go on to win £100,000, and will be decided on the highest number of public votes, and the skatepark hopes to use the prize funds to create a brand-new 30 metre length bouldering wall as well as double its equipment hire, enabling more youngsters to try their sports.

As well as the £100,000 first prize, there will be a £50,000 second prize and a £20,000 third prize in each category, while a further 87 shortlisted projects will each receive £5,000.

Voting closes at midnight on November 19.

Director of the Academy, Jack Plowman, said: “We have had some fantastic success stories coming through the academy, most recently with Olympic medallists Declan Brooks and Charlotte Worthington.

“This funding will help the skatepark to grow, especially with the climbing wall, and hopefully inspire some more local success.

"We really do have one of the best facilities in the country and, with this funding, it will really push things to the next level.”

Charlotte brought home a gold medal in Freestyle BMX and Declan brought home a bronze from Tokyo this year, and the duo completed 90 per cent of their training at the skatepark.

Building Futures is delivered through the Persimmon Charitable Foundation in partnership with Team GB, the British Olympic Association.

Neil Follows, managing director of Persimmon Homes Nottingham, said: “Building Futures aims to create lasting legacies in communities, and we believe that each of our three finalists would be able to make a huge difference with the £100,000 top prize.

“Your support could change the lives of hundreds of local people so we would urge you to get behind your chosen charity because there’s not long left to vote.”

Online voting runs until midnight on November 19.

For more information visit www.persimmonhomes.com/building-futures/.

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