Lisburn badminton player Paige Woods picks up Mary Peters Trust Award
Local badminton player Paige Wood, a member of Lisburn Racquets Club, has been awarded a Mary Peters Trust funding award at a special Athlete’s Academy event held at Belfast Harbour Commissioners.
Badminton is a family affair for the Woods as alongside Paige, Trevor and Alison’s other daughters, Chloe, Rebecca and Rachael also compete in elite level badminton and Trevor is manager of Lisburn Racquets Club.
The Athletes Academy reception, which also marked the Trust’s 50th anniversary, featured a Q&A chat with former Irish international tennis player Conor Niland who was interviewed by tennis coach Jim Watt, alongside presentations by Swim Ulster’s Mark Stoops, BBC presenter and journalist Claire McCollum and digital creator and coach Louise Brogan.
In total almost 170 young athletes from across Northern Ireland representing 32 different sports, from tennis, judo, swimming and hockey to athletics, sailing and squash have received funding awards from the Mary Peters Trust during 2025.
Athletes are nominated and then selected following a rigorous process and each receive financial and general support to help them navigate and succeed in their sporting careers and ultimately achieve their individual goals.
The current tranche of awards was presented by Lady Mary Peters and athletes were joined by parents and family members as well as sport liaison officers, MPT Board Directors and Awards Team Chair, Will Doggart as well as Eric Rainey, Trustee with the King George VI Youth Awards.
The athletes event also celebrated a third year of the David Magill Coaching Awards. Set up by The Magill Family alongside the Mary Peters Trust, this programme was established in memory of Belfast pole-vaulter, businessman and hotelier David Magill.
These coach specific funding awards enable young sports people to move forward in their sporting career and embark on relevant coaching courses to help other up and coming athletes.