I have been fortunate throughout my fighting career to have had some great support from local companies and charities which have helped me to compete at the highest level. I would like to publicly acknowledge and thank these people on this page. I am currently looking for sponsors for my competitions in 2014 if you would like to help please get in touch with me via my contact page - I'd love to hear from you.
SPONSORS
The Swivel Club are a Northants based charity that raises money for the local community. They do some really amazing work and have been extremely helpful and supportive providing me with sponsorship which enabled me to attend both the World Championships in Canada in October 2012 and the Irish Open in 2013.
Please check out their website and get involved if you can.
The Ashgrove Clinic were kind enough to sponsor me in 2011 for the WKC World Championships. In addition to financial support they also gave me free osteopathy and sports massage treatment up until the competition which enabled me to go into the tournament in the best possible shape. Without their help and support I do not feel I would have been as successful at the World Championships. They are great people who provide a great service.
I have been taking pilates classes with Northants Pilates for several years (with breaks) and would recommend it to anyone involved in a sport like mine and even people who don't do sport. My pilates instructor Karen Grinter has been both supportive and accommodating of me in lesson with regards to both my kickboxing aspirations and my Asperger's Syndrome. She is a truly wonderful person and her lessons are of the highest standard, working you hard in a relaxed, friendly atmosphere. She will go the extra mile for her clients and she has been a great help to me. Anyone looking to take up pilates due to injury problems / rehabilitation or just for general exercise, 100% get in touch with Karen, I recommend her classes wholeheartedly.
RUSHDEN MAYOR'S CHARITY FUND
Christian Baker used to train in kickboxing with the BCKA and I have known him since I was 13 years old. Chris has helped me with my confidence and focus in competitions regularly over the last couple of years and in conjunction with the Ashgrove Clinic supported me with free hypnotherapy sessions before the World Championships. Chris is completely professional and can help with a variety of different problems and situations. He has helped me immensely and has also appeared on television and radio numerous times including an appearance on Blue Peter. I would recommend him to anyone who wants to change their life for the better.
I have been a patient at TG's Dental Suite in Higham Ferrers since they opened and have never had a bad experience there. In fact I have actually almost enjoyed going to see the dentist. In 2012 when trying to get funds together for the World Championships to be held in Canada I approached TG's for assistance and they kindly donated two £500 teeth whitening vouchers to be auctioned off for my cause. I would recommend TG's Dental Suite to anyone as they offer a high quality, professional service with friendly staff.
In 2012 I had the fortune of meeting Janet Pinnock who was the Mayor of my hometown Rushden at the time. I was fundraising to find money to go to Canada for the World Championships and she kindly apportioned some of the money she had raised over her year as Mayor to go toward my trip. Since meeting Janet she has become a friend who I am able to sound out ideas to and discuss some of the struggles my Asperger's presents with (her grandson has Asperger's too). Janet has encouraged me to take up raising awareness of Asperger's and also inspired me to help others as she continues to do with the Swivel Club. I am very grateful for her support.
I was introduced to Geoff Major through Twitter by Tina Boden. Tina was helping me to find a way to raise enough money to go to the World Championships in 2013 and knew that Geoff fundraises regularly for charitable causes and thought he might be able to give me some ideas and suggestions on how to successfully raise the funds. Geoff not only told me he would put together a list of suggestions but as he could see time was running out he kindly donated a sum to help me reach my target.
Please check out Geoff's website or find him on Twitter @hashtagINVOLVE and get INVOLVED.
I met Anna Kennedy through Twitter in April and have since gone on to become a patron of her charity, Anna Kennedy Online. Anna and her team at AKO have been nothing but good to me and were determined to help me raise funds to go to the World Championships in 2013 and without them I would never have been able to raise the funds. They shared my fund page and the local group in my area, headed by Austin Hughes and the Cordwell family, put on a fundraiser for me which raised a substantial amount.
Anna and her team do incredible work campaigning for those affected by autism and their families, please have a look at their website.