20-year-old Michaela, a resident at Dove Cott Foyer in Basildon recently took part in Dame Kelly Holmes Trust’s Get on Track programme with former Commonwealth Gold Medallist fencer and Trust Athlete Mentor Claire Bennett.
Residents at Sanctuary Supported Living in Basildon deliver social action projects to engage their wider communities
Programme Manager Max shares her thoughts on a visit to Sheffield Children’s Hospital with Athlete Mentor Kelvin Batey
Kelvin Batey, BMX champion and athlete mentor, visited our partner Great Ormond Street Hospital to meet healthcare professionals and young people
As the needs of our beneficiaries become ever more complex, we are delighted to be partnering with funders Jacobs Futura Foundation to provide our athlete mentors with a wide range of specific training and personal development opportunities so they can better support these young people.
We hope you didn’t miss the action out in Milano Cortina, as the Winter Paralympians ‘sent it’ as our very own Athlete Mentor, Anna Turney would say! As a two-time Winter Paralympic Athlete – we thought there is no better person than Anna to share her thoughts on the action and her experiences and memories of when she competed. So, sit back, switch on some highlights from the Games and enjoy this blog from Anna.
A high energy trio of AQA Unlocking Potential mid-point events took place in Milton Keynes, Reading and Manchester recently as students from different parts of the country took part in a Dame Kelly Holmes Trust style Dragon’s Den to pitch their social action projects.
To mark International Women’s Day, we decided to sit-down with Ruth Mwandumba to discuss all things motherhood, working full-time and being a professional athlete.
For Alyvia, a 12-year-old at King Ethelbert School in Kent our Enhanced On Track to Achieve (OTTA) programme, funded by the Lawson Trust, with athlete mentor Claire Bennett represented a shift in resilience, trying out new sports and increased confidence. The programme features one-to-one mentoring as well as our standard OTTA group sessions, offering young people the opportunity to go into greater depth with our athlete mentors on their own personal development plans, teamed with the essential teamwork and collaboration of the group sessions.
Dame Kelly Holmes Trust and Sanctuary Supported Living are marking the fifth year of their partnership, continuing a shared commitment to supporting young people to build confidence, resilience and wellbeing through the Trust’s bespoke Get on Track programme.
Students at Folkestone Academy found the On Track to Achieve programme, funded by Virtual Schools South Kent, and working with former Commonwealth Gold medallist fencer, and Trust Athlete Mentor, Claire Bennett a catalyst to improved stability and behaviour in school.
With another academic year upon us, we’ve had a brilliant few weeks launching the AQA Unlocking Potential programme, now in its 15th year, and final year of our fantastic partnership with education charity, AQA.
Dame Kelly Holmes Trust programmes puts world class athletes shoulder to shoulder with young people, equipping them with a winning mindset and shaping their futures – and for Amalie at Cambourne College, our AQA Unlocking Potential programme, in partnership with AQA, offered her an inspirational role model in her athlete mentor and improved her confidence.
At Dame Kelly Holmes Trust we know that the best way to understand the impact of our programmes on young people is to see it in real life! As such, we encourage our whole team to visit programmes whenever they can. Senior Income Generation Manager, Kellie Ormond joined the team in September and was excited to visit the AQA Unlocking Potential launch event in Milton Keynes recently.
Dame Kelly Holmes Trust is thrilled to announce its partnership with St George’s Hospital, as the charity continues to expand its transformational one-to-one mentoring programme for young people.
Aleksander’s Story Boosting confidence and encouraging teamwork: over the course of the On Track to Achieve programme at the Winstanley School in Leicester, Aleksander’s confidence grew as he became an integral part of the group. We caught up with him to hear about his experience working with athlete mentor, Kelvin.
St Edwards School, Montpelier High School, Lutterworth and Kingsbury Academy students all delivered exceptional social action projects which benefited their local communities - find out more today.
After launching the One-to-One Mentoring Programme, funded by Sport England, at Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust earlier in 2025, Lexie has been one of the first patients to work with our world class athlete mentors. Read more about her story.
Thanks to Deloitte’s 5 Million Futures initiative we were able to work with them to support local young people in Nottingham. Find out more about how impact stretched over three years.
In our third instalment of our Social Action Project spotlight articles we look back at how Wymondham College and Bourne Academy impacted their local community.
Chatham Grammar and Kings Leadership are our next Social Action Project spotlight. Find out what these schools in Kent and Manchester did to make a difference in their local community.
Students and teachers from the 30 schools from across the UK, participating in AQA Unlocking Potential were invited to join their athlete mentors at London Zoo for a celebration of their achievements.
Across the UK, schools have been busy delivering their social action projects. In the first article of our summer series will look at what Nicholas Chamberlaine and Sir Thomas Boughey got up to.
Annie Moody will become Dame Kelly Holmes Trust interim CEO following Martin Talbot’s departure on the 11th July.
We sat down with CEO of Lazarus & Maverick, Alex Lazarus to discuss the blossoming partnership between her global leadership coaching and advisory firm and Dame Kelly Holmes Trust.
12-year-old Naomi suffers from a rare skin condition Epidermolysis Bullosa Simplex (EB), which causes her feet to blister as the skin is missing essential proteins which bind the layers of the skin together. She took part in our one-to-one mentoring programme with athlete mentor Gabby Marshall, find out more about her story.
Participants on a Get on Track programme in Kent recently completed a scavenger hunt around Gillingham to test their local knowledge, encourage them to work on their English language skills and to mark the end of what has been a fantastic programme.
Head of Income Generation and Fundraising, Annie Moody went to visit Montpelier High School to see how their On Track to Achieve programme with athlete mentor, Liz Johnson has been going.
The Get on Track programme with partners Sanctuary Supported Living concluded with celebration events for the Brighton and Essex cohort.
5 reasons to fundraise
Five reasons why you should join us on our Lake District Triple Challenge in April!
Our Health Programmes
Victoria’s story showcases the great work Dame Kelly Holmes Trust health programmes are doing in children hospitals across the UK.
Showing their Resilience
A successful social action project at a local Ramsgate elderly care home marked the end of the Get on Track programme for Ruby and Owen.
A Note from the CEO: Nov 24
In his first CEO blog, Martin Talbot discusses how Dame Kelly Holmes Trust is helping elite athletes transition into the next phase of their careers.
Introducing our CEO
Martin Talbot will lead Dame Kelly Holmes Trust after a successful year which has seen the Trust grow.
Obex Foundation Making a Difference in Luton
Dame Kelly Holmes Trust is thrilled to announce its 2nd year of partnership with Obex Foundation; continuing the On Track to Achieve (OTTA) programmes.
Cognizant to fund On Track to Achieve programmes in 2025
Dame Kelly Holmes Trust announces Social Value partnership with Cognizant, which will see them fund On Track to Achieve programmes in 2025.
Hard Work Leads to Success
Working alongside partners Swale Leisure Trust, Dame Kelly Holmes Trust caught up with Kane who was part of a recent Get on Track programme to see how his experience with athlete mentors, Claire Bennett and Tre Whyte helped him.
Tyrone’s story - Overcoming adversity
Helping to transform young people’s lives in the Kent area, working with partners Swale Leisure Trust
Machu Picchu - A trek of a lifetime
In the 20th anniversary year of her Double Gold Olympic win, Dame Kelly joins a group of fundraising explorers in Peru!
Cameron’s Journey to his dream job
Working with athlete mentor Liz Johnson on our Get on Track programme, Cameron is now pursuing his dream job in the horse industry.
Partnership’s Fourth Year Launches
Dame Kelly Holmes Trust is pleased to announce our extended partnership with Sanctuary Supported Living for 2024-25.
Supporting Sheffield’s Young People
Sheffield businesses unite to support local young people. We celebrate with schools from across Sheffield at Bramall Lane.
Our Olympians
Congratulations to athlete mentors Joe Clarke and Yona Knight-Wisdom for their incredible performances at Paris 2024
A Wild Celebration!
Students and teachers from the 30 schools from across the UK, participating in AQA Unlocking Potential were invited to join their athlete mentors at London Zoo for a celebration of their achievements.
Building Confidence in Young WOmen
Two groups of young women from years 9 and 10 in Woodchurch High School have been delivering the culmination of their hard work on On Track to Achieve with athlete mentor, and former world champion Inline Skater, Jenna Downing.
Paris 2024 awaits
As Yona Knight-Wisdom prepares for Paris 2024, we catch up with him about the Games and being an athlete mentor for Dame Kelly Holmes Trust
Confidence is Sky High!
Their confidence is Sky High! Students from St Georges School visit Manston Airfield.
Treetops, teamwork and tracks
Students at schools in Southampton had the chance to put the confidence, resilience and teamwork skills to good use!