A FUND-RAISING dinner to launch a new awards scheme for young people has raised more than £6,000 for charity.

The dinner, (on 11 June), which was hosted by local solicitors Gateley, took place at Leicester Tigers in aid of local charity the Joe Humphries Memorial Trust.

The money raised will be used to fund the Inspire Awards, a new venture by the Joe Humphries Memorial Trust to help young people in Leicester and Leicestershire achieve their ambitions.

The Inspire Awards encourage city and county young people aged 13-19 to apply for small grants and/or specialist support and advice to help them develop their talents.

Grants of up to £500 are available for young people who live in Leicester or Leicestershire and are either training for a competition in a significant sporting activity that is recognised by the Trust, or pursuing a project to benefit their local community.

Applications will also be considered from young artists or musicians looking to develop their talents.

The Trust will also encourage the sharing of knowledge and practical experience, helping young entrepreneurs to develop their ideas. In these cases, rather than a financial reward, young people will benefit from mentoring, contacts and specialist advice.

The Joe Humphries Memorial Trust (JHMT) is a charity set up in memory of Leicester teenager Joe Humphries, who collapsed and died while out jogging. Joe was a victim of sudden arrhythmic death syndrome (SADS) – a group of lethal heart diseases which can cause sudden cardiac death in young people.

Steve Humphries from the Joe Humphries Memorial Trust said: "The fund-raising dinner was a great success, and we're so grateful to Gateley for supporting us in this way. This money will go a long way towards helping young people locally to fulfil their potential – something which, tragically, Joe and other victims of lethal heart diseases don't get to do."

The £6,000 figure raised by Gateley was a result of generous donations, a raffle and a silent auction on the night.

Simon Taylor, a partner from Gateley, said: "I'm so pleased that we managed to raise such a substantial amount for this very worthy cause. The Joe Humphries Memorial Trust is an inspirational charity, and we're delighted to be able to contribute to an awards scheme that will make such a big difference to young lives."

The dinner was also made possible with the kind support of Leicester Tigers, who have made the Joe Humphries Memorial Trust one of their charities of the year.

As well as running the Inspire Awards, the Joe Humphries Memorial Trust works to raise awareness of SADS and provides vital life-saving training for sports clubs, under its Joe's Mini HeartStart 4 Sport scheme.

Applications for the Inspire Awards are now invited. To apply, go to www.jhmt.org.uk/inspire , where full terms and conditions are also available.

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