St Mary and St Margaret's CofE Primary School are excited to be hosting an inspirational workshop with 4X Freestyle Kayaking British Champion Ottilie Robinson-Shaw. Ottilie needs your help to raise funds for vital training, medical and competition costs. This money will also help your school and other athletes across the country, find out more below!
"They are a busy but friendly school, with lots going on! The school also aim to provide a happy, caring and secure Christian environment in which children can grow in confidence, develop their individual abilities and realise their full potential."
How I started
I have always loved the water and being outside. When I was 11 I visited an open day at a rowing club and whilst there saw about 30 kids in brightly coloured kayaks having a massive amount of fun. I quickly forgot about rowing, began kayaking with local clubs, and just fell in love with the sport.
In the early days, I paddled every week in the swimming pool with Tendering Canoe Club and enjoyed exhausting adventures on local rivers in the summer.
At Sudbury Canoe Club, I was very lucky to enjoy paddling with young members of the GB Freestyle Kayaking team every Saturday and was introduced to the world of competitive freestyle kayaking and white water paddling at the Lee Valley White Water Centre (Home of the 2012 Olympics) and Nottingham’s Holme Pierrepont National WaterSports Centre.
I first competed when I was 12 and the sport quickly became a huge passion. I paddled as much as I could and at 14, I was selected for Team GB to compete at the 2016 European Championships in Germany. As the youngest competitor at the event, I was delighted to take home a bronze medal but I knew I could have done more and a competitive fire was fully lit as a result.
Ever since I have dedicated most of my time to training, pushing my limits and seeing how good I can become but still foremost enjoying the water, the outdoors and having fun.
My Greatest Challenge
In 2018 I tore my ACL (a ligament in my knee) wakeboarding a week before the British Championships.
I could barely walk and my knee was double its usual size but I couldn’t resist the desire to compete and managed to retain my title.
I then took some time to rest and rehab to try to avoid surgery. My physio looks after rugby players and convinced me I could function without the ACL if I put in the work to build up strength in the knee. I really wanted to avoid the surgery as some of my kayaking involves getting into ridiculously tiny boats and any long term knee issues would spell disaster.
I worked hard on my knees for 12 months in the Gym and when I fully returned to paddling I made my biggest ever progression landing new big tricks and was just so grateful to be back on the water, fit and healthy.
Check out my podcast to learn more about me and my career. Maybe it will inspire you to write some questions for me ahead of the event!
I love most sports but especially weightlifting, wakeboarding, climbing, skiing and really enjoyed team sports at school especially netball, hockey and rounders.
I am passionate about food and eating healthily is a big part of my life. A few of my favourite random things include Apples, Cheese, Sardines, Chicken, Yogurt and Chocolate covered raisins.
2020 – Kayak Session Magazine, U21 Paddler of the Year. 2020 – Qualified as an Associate of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors following two year Professional Apprenticeship with the University College of Estate Management. 2020 – Galway Fest Freestyle Champion. 2019 – BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year 2019 Shortlisted. 2019 – ICF Freestyle Junior World Champion. 2019 – ICF Squirtboat Senior Bronze Medallist. 2018 – Essex junior Sports Personality of the Year 2018. 2018 – World Paddle Awards Junior Paddler of the Year. 2018 – ECA European Junior Champion and double ICF World Cup Champion. 2017 – ICF Freestyle Junior World Champion. 4 x British Champion
Who are Sports For Champions?
Great news! Sports For Champions UK (CIC) will soon visit your school! Your young people have been invited to join a sponsored fitness circuit led by a Professional athlete, who will educate, enable, and empower participants with a view to inspiring them to be the champions of tomorrow.
While we're not all athletically inclined, we strongly encourage participation, all young people have talent and require inspiration to pursue their dreams - whatever they may be!
After 12 years of success we have perfected our inspirational events and they are guaranteed to deliver for your school and pupils!
Sports For Champions events are held in support of schools, which keep 60% of the funds raised to spend on resources that will enrich young peoples education/experience. Professional athletes in need of support are the only other beneficiaries from the remaining 40%. Sports For Champions is an audited organisation that is voluntarily registered with the Fundraising Regulator. Meaning you can support the initiative with assurance.
What will happen on the day?
During the assembly, Sports For Champions athletes show medals and tell their story, hard work, lessons, and insights shared to capture the imagination of all and inspire healthier active lifestyles. Athletes discuss challenges on the road to success, with resilience, nutrition, diet, and dedication forming key topics. Fitness is essential for every young person’s general wellbeing in physical and mental health. It is also proven to be a strong booster of learning potential or brain power. By inspiring children as champions of tomorrow, Sports For Champions envision young people developing in all walks of life as healthy, [pro] active community-minded participants in society.
Alongside Team Sports For Champions, athletes engage in invaluable work within local communities to support their training-related costs (e.g. physio/travel). Most world-class athletes train a rigorous 35hr week and struggle to find reliable work that fits their schedule. This is how the funds we raise enable athletes and your school/club to realise their potential. Many pro athletes are unsponsored, lose support, or cannot find it.
Sports For Champions offers schools the benefit of an additional funds to go towards resources/facilities, whilst helping athletes with the funds required to sustain their journey with a contribution towards training and competition fees, medical costs, equipment, and more.
St Mary and St Margaret's CofE Primary School will be receiving an inspirational visit from renowned 4X Freestyle Kayaking British Champion Ottilie Robinson-Shaw on the 19th of February 2024 and we need your support!
The pupils will benefit from physical activity through our fitness circuit, an inspirational talk including medal display and a Q&A session.
Where does the money go?
When parents and guardians offer their support to a Sports for Champions UK (CIC) fundraising event, they are nurturing not only their children's immediate environments but also the bright futures of many rising athletes. Here is a breakdown of how your contributions make a significant difference:
For each fundraising event Sports For Champions looks to raise enough money to cover the costs that it takes to provide such an excellent service nationally. Once that goal is reached, surplus funds are allocated in a way that benefits both the school and our passionate athletes – 60% for the school’s continued growth and 40% contributing to the athlete fund.
At the core of the Sports For Champions UK (CIC) initiative is the Athlete Fund. Primarily, the fund aids schools in less economically privileged areas that might struggle with costs, ensuring that the administrative fee isn’t a barrier to vital opportunities. Additionally, it assists our dedicated athletes in moments of pressing need, whether it’s recovering from injuries, procuring advanced equipment, or embarking on warm-weather training camps. Our fundamental belief remains unwavering: no school should be compromised for its economic stance, and every promising athlete deserves a fair shot at excellence. Our commitment ensures no child or school is left behind due to circumstances beyond their control.
Challenges Athletes Face: Our partnering pro athletes and Team GB Olympians have a world of responsibilities on their shoulders. They juggle between a rigorous training schedule that demands over 35 hours a week and their personal commitments. This often leaves them with limited time and resources to focus on their careers, leading to financial constraints. Expenses for equipment, training, coaching, travel, and more pile up, making it a challenge for these athletes to perform at their best and represent Great Britain.
Why is this important?
St Mary and St Margaret's CofE Primary School is promoting health and wellbeing throughout the school and with the help of a visit from Ottilie Robinson-Shaw, this will be enhanced across all year groups and staff, they are also focussing on encouraging diversity and raising the aspirations of the pupils through sport.
St Mary and St Margaret's CofE Primary School will benefit from the money raised as they will be able to provide new equipment, fund opportunities for the children, and more.
How can you help?
We're asking all parents to help make it a memorable event for the pupils with the help of 4X Freestyle Kayaking British Champion Ottilie Robinson Shaw and to raise funds for key resources for St Mary and St Margaret's CofE Primary School.
If you are a local business or a friend of the school and would like to contribute to help us get to our target then please do make a donation and share our project as far as you can.