Team Mintridge Impact
Team Mintridge Impact
Here are some heart warming stories of our successful and impactful mentoring programmes at the Mintridge Foundation.
We hope that you enjoy reading as we have enjoyed supporting these programmes.
In February 2017 Mintridge Ambassador and Channel 4 News reporter Jordan Jarrett-Bryan led a Silver Programme at a primary school. It was here that the former wheelchair basketball player met two sisters, in Year 5 and Year 2, who were both left paralysed after a car accident. Up until this point both girls had participated in mainstream PE lessons at school with limited capacity and ability to join in with the rest of their peers. The Mintridge Foundation brought in a number of sports adapted wheelchairs and Jordan ran a session with all children using the chairs. Not only did this level the playing field for the sisters, but one teacher said it was the first time she had seen the older of the two smile in years. That wasn’t all, Jordan continued to mentor the sisters for the next six months. As an amputee and former wheelchair basketball player the girls were thrilled to be receiving advice and help from a relatable role model. At the end of the six months the old of the two girls was so pleased with her experience with The Mintridge Foundation that she joined an inclusive sports club outside of school where she practices archery. The girls have both grown in confidence and seen their self-esteem rocket. The Mintridge Foundation returned to the school in April 2018 with Paralympic archer Danielle Brown MBE and we were thrilled to see the girls’ progress had continued. Danielle also had the opportunity to offer a few last pieces of advice before the older of the two moved up to high school.
In March 2017 a budding 18-year-old modern pentathlete was nominated by her school to take part in one of The Mintridge Foundation’s Silver programmes with Olympic silver medallist Heather Fell. In her last year of school she had six months receiving mentoring advice from Heather and flourished under her guidance. At the end of the mentoring programme she was selected for the Great Britain team and also for the Laser Run World Championships in Cape Town, South Africa.
The student said the biggest impact Mintridge’s programme had on her and her sporting career was the ability to believe in herself. She learnt vital techniques such as goal setting which enable her to know exactly what she wanted and qualifying for Team GB was a big part of that. The budding star is now studying at Loughborough University on the ‘talented athlete’ programme and her current aim is to be selected for the GB senior team.
In March 2017, The Mintridge Foundation took ambassador Pamela Cookey into a prep school to run a training session. At the end of the session the ex-England Netball captain selected one of the Year 8 girls she believed showed exceptional promise to be her mentee. While this pupil showed obvious natural talent she struggled with her confidence on and off the court and was shocked to have even been chosen by the sports star. Shortly afterwards this pupil joined a netball club outside of school, a choice that her mother says she wouldn’t have made if it hadn’t been for Pamela’s help and advice. She went on to go to county trials. Despite not being successful at first, this budding netball star persevered and was later selected to represent her county. Again, her family said they were sure she wouldn’t have had the confidence and resilience to do this without Pamela’s guidance.
In May 2018 The Mintridge Foundation took Olympic swimmer Lizzie Simmonds to work on a whole school programme at a local primary school. Lizzie ran a session initially with all the pupils before working on a smaller scale with the school’s gifted and talented group. It was during this session that Lizzie selected one Year 3 girl to support and work with as her mentee. During the six months a visible difference was seen in the pupil who had had confidence issues in the past. At the beginning of the programme she struggled to even look at Lizzie on the Skype screen but as time went on she grew in confidence and got to a point where she would come to each Skype session prepared with questions. Her parents have noticed a marked difference in her behaviour and believe her involvement in the programme has really brought her out of her shell.
The Mintridge Foundation
Unit 4, Shieling Court
Northfolds Road
Corby
Northants
NN18 9QD
Tel: +44 (0) 1536 447106