Ahmad Saleh, a member of the CKI martial arts club, has been granted a £300 Inspire Award to help him fulfill his ambition to represent Team England at the World Karate Championships in Portugal this month (Oct).

Inspire Awards are handed out to deserving young people by the Joe Humphries Memorial Trust (JHMT), a local charity set up in memory of Rothley teenager Joe, who collapsed and died of sudden arrhythmic death syndrome (SADS) while out on a training run.

Since the Inspire Awards' inception in June 2014, a total of 56 small grants – of up to £500 – have been handed out to deserving recipients.

Six of these have been second awards to existing recipients, making Ahmad the fiftieth young person to benefit from the grants scheme.

Ahmad's award comes as the JHMT marks SADS Awareness Week (1-8 October), a week of activities to help promote better understanding of sudden heart deaths.

Ahmad shared a love of martial arts with Joe Humphries, who was also a member of the CKI club.

Ahmad said: "This £300 grant will help me to represent and hopefully win a medal for Team England at the world championships.

"I trained with Joe for many years. He was a very enthusiastic and talented sportsman, who always supported us and was an inspiration to us all.

"The grant will give me a chance to inspire other people to do their best, in the same way that Joe inspired me."

Yusuf Saleh MBE, Ahmad's father, said: "The Inspire grant will help Ahmad to continue to represent the English national karate team at an international level. Last year, he won three medals at the world championships and this has contributed to others trying to emulate him and follow in his footsteps."

Ahmad added: "At our martial arts school, we already actively raise awareness of sudden heart deaths and promote the work of the JHMT.

"Earlier this year, we took part in the JHMT's Mini HeartStart for Sports programme. We learned CPR and how to use a defibrillator."

Inspire lead Simon Taylor said: "This is an excellent application from a very talented and committed young man. That this is the 50^th individual to whom we have made an award and also a member of Joe's former club is very significant to us and something we are absolutely delighted to support. We very much hope Ahmad achieves his medal hopes."

Martin Johnson, former England rugby captain and patron of the JHMT, said: "Ahmad is a credit to his club and we're very proud to support him, as we are all the young people who have received Inspire Awards from the Joe Humphries Trust.

"It's fantastic news that 50 local young people have benefited from our scheme to help them fulfill their ambitions.

"We all want the best for our kids and for them to reach their goals. Sadly, this is something Joe Humphries was unable to do, but thanks to initiatives like the Inspire Awards and SADS Week, we can really make a difference to people's lives, in Joe's honour."

SADS Awareness Week events have included a series of public-access lectures, CPR training sessions and the launch of an annual photography competition in memory of Joe.

To find out more about the JHMT and its work, visit www.jhmt.org.uk

You can also follow SADS Awareness Week events and activities on Facebook and Twitter: www.facebook.com/jhmtorguk or @jhmt.org.uk

and on the JHMT website at jhmt.org.uk/sads-week

http://www.loughboroughecho.net/news/local-news/50th-grant-awarded-joes-charity-12006772