Small grants, generally for under £500, are available to provide financial support for talented young able and disabled athletes in the UK aged between 15 and 23, ideally while they are still in education. Grants for athletes aged over 23 can also be made in exceptional circumstances.
The Ron Pickering Memorial Fund was founded in memory of Ron Pickering OBE, a teacher, athletics coach and television commentator. In particular, Pickering was an advocate of the ethics of sport, the aspirations of the young and for the belief that sport could enhance lives in more ways than just physically.
The main purpose of the Ron Pickering Memorial Fund is to provide financial support for talented young athletes across the UK aged between 15 and 23, ideally while they are still in education. Grants for athletes aged over 23 can also be made in exceptional circumstances.
The Fund is designed to assist young athletes with their training and equipment costs and encourage them to continue participating in sport in order that they can reach their potential and learn the ethics of fair play.
Grants should have an impact on an athlete's ability to develop with a view to helping recipients make the difficult transition from junior to senior level through:
- Support for equipment
- Specialist coaching
- Travel, and
- Helping build an athlete's confidence and self-esteem through recognition.
The charity also assists coaches, athletic clubs and the Schools Athletics Associations and in the past has supported the development of Sports Hall Athletics around the UK in order to introduce more young children to the fun of athletics.
The application process normally opens in October/November annually, with grants awarded in December to January.
The Fund's website has yet to announce the opening of the 2026 grant programme, although an announcement is expected imminently. Please check the Memorial Fund's website for updates. If the application deadline follows the same pattern as in previous years, it is likely to fall on Monday 30 November 2026.
Further information, guidance, Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) and an application form is available on the Fund’s website.