Cerebral Palsy Sport has announced Thomas Stamp as a Young Sporting Ambassador.
Thomas is a T35 sprinter running 100m, 200m and 400m distances and is a member of South Gloucestershire A.C and on the parallel success pathway.
He is a regular participant and medallist at Cerebral Palsy Sport Athletics events and was selected to take part in the BBC Children in Need Rickshaw Challenge in 2019.
Thomas has cerebral palsy, autism and ADHD. Throughout his life bullying has been a persistent issue. Thomas was slow to develop as a toddler and over the years has needed operations and regular physio. He has always been a keen sportsman and playing sport has provided him with an escape from the difficulties in his life.
Thomas has been supported by Cerebral Palsy Sport which receives funding from BBC Children in Need to give young people with cerebral palsy the chance to access training and regular sporting events. Through his involvement with the charity he has competed in the CISPRA Games and won silver medals in 100m and 200m running. Thomas says being involved with the organisation has been life changing. Tom has overcome many hurdles, including bullying.
During the Rickshaw Challenge, Thomas, along with five others travelled from Holyhead to London in a week, finishing at the BBC Elstree Studios during the BBC Children in Need Appeal Show. He was nicknamed ‘Night Rider’ for enjoying taking on the late shift, and also rode up the steepest street in the world, in Harlech, a seaside resort within the Snowdonia National Park. The Rickshaw Challenge alone raised £8.5 million for the Children in Need Appeal.
Thomas helped to spread the word about Cerebral Palsy Sport through his involvement in the Rickshaw Challenge which led to numerous enquiries from young people and parents, and gave the charity a great amount of coverage, building awareness.
Cerebral Palsy Sport are very much looking forward to working with Thomas in his new Ambassadorial role. Thomas said;
“I accepted with great honour the invitation to become a Young Sporting Ambassador for Cerebral Palsy Sport and am looking forward to inspiring generations of children and adults of now and generations to come.
I also humbly thank everyone for their support and CP Sport for nominating me for the Rickshaw challenge. Thank you to those who came out to support me and the team, in such awful weather! It really helped and made a huge impact on our morale.
The challenge has changed our lives for the better. The confidence, independence and friendships made are amazing. But, the most wonderful and amazing moment was the monies we raised. This money will make a huge impact to children’s lives all over the UK.”
Young Sporting Ambassadors are young people between the ages of 16 – 25 who have developed themselves as athletes through Cerebral Palsy Sport programmes and as a result have made huge changes to their lives.
Young ambassadors have been chosen to use their sporting journey to positively encourage others, sharing their ups and downs along the way to achieving their own sporting potential.
Interested in Athletics or other sports? Find CP Sport's list of events here
Find out more about their Young Sporting Ambassadors here
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