Dame Mary Peters has been given a power surge in her Race to a Million.
Dame Mary will return to fund-raising in the New Year after her full recovery from heart surgery in October, determined to celebrate her 80th birthday in June by crossing the finish line in her legacy project to raise £1m in future funding for young sportsmen and women.
Her Mary Peters Trust team are two thirds of the way to their target. And now they have been given a boost for the final third in a partnership with PowerNI.
The energy supplier will support the fund-raising effort in a campaign involving Trust-aided athletes and will also be the headline sponsor of Dame Mary’s star-studded 80th birthday gala ball in Titanic Belfast next May 31.
Power NI’s Gemma Louise Bond said: “With almost half a million domestic customers, community spirit is at the heart of everything we do.
“The Mary Peters Trust’s commitment to supporting young athletes throughout communities across Northern Ireland is admirable and an inspiration to many.
“Every athlete has a wonderful story to tell and we’re really looking forward to following their journey and sharing it with our valued customers.”
Delighted Dame Mary – 1972 Olympic gold medalist – responded: “To date, the Mary Peters Trust has funded thousands of talented athletes, both able-bodied and disabled.
“I am aiming to raise £1m by my 80th birthday next year in order to secure the Trust’s investment in future champions.
“The fund-raising efforts have been incredible since the Race to a Million campaign was launched. We are just over two thirds of the way there and I will be working really hard to make sure we reach that £1m mark by my birthday next year.
“I want to say a huge thank you to everybody who has supported the campaign because they are supporting the dreams of young, aspiring athletes across NI.”
