BLAIR MAYNE BURSARY WINNERS ANNOUNCED

Three awards have been made in the latest round of Blair Mayne Bursaries, with a talented swimmer, a promising gymnast and an exceptional flautist receiving £500 to fulfil their ambitions.

Sixteen year old Andrew Douglas from Comber has been awarded the bursary for academic study. Andrew has been playing the flute for 10 years, has passed music exams with distinction and is currently the principal flautist with the City of Belfast Youth Orchestra, with which he has played venues from the Royal Albert Hall to the Waterfront Hall. He is also a member of Ballygowan Concert Flute Band, where he also teaches a learners' class. Andrew is studying for GCSEs and plans to continue to pursue music academically. He will use the bursary to help fund the purchase of a new instrument.

Curtis Coulter, a swimmer, aged 17 and from Comber, received the bursary for sport. A member of Ards Swimming Club since the age of 9, Curtis has been swimming competitively since he began at the club, winning medals in his first years, including various Ulster and Irish titles, qualifying at the age of 13 to train and swim for the Ulster squad. More medals followed and in 2010 after the British Youth Championships he was named the UK's fastest 15 year old 100m freestyle swimmer. His success continued in 2011, setting new championship records, including one previously held by Olympian Andrew Bree, and he was selected to represent Northern Ireland at the Youth Commonwealth Games, where he won 2 golds and a bronze. His season was rounded off with excellent GCSE results, despite a gruelling 7 day a week training schedule.

Also receiving a bursary for sport was the youngest of this year's recipients, 12 year old Rhys McClenaghan from Newtownards. He has been recognised for his achievements in gymnastics and will use the bursary to support his costs as he works to be selected for the British Gymnastics Squad. Rhys is currently on both the Northern Ireland and Irish Elite squads and is the reigning National Irish Under 14 champion, a title he has held for two years. In 2010 he took silver in the Scottish Open and in 2011 was 6th in the British Championships.

"This year's recipients are more than worthy of their awards and I'm delighted that the Blair Mayne Bursary is once again helping to support and encourage the talent of some outstanding young people from the Ards," said Alderman Ronnie Ferguson, Chairman of the Blair Mayne Bursary Committee. "l hope their success will inspire others to aspire to excellence and to take advantage of the funding opportunity available through the 2012 bursary".

Each bursary recipient receives £500 from the fund which was established in memory of Lt Col Blair Mayne, and offers bursaries to young people from the Ards Borough who aspire to excellence in the categories of Academic Study, Adventure Training and Sport. Anyone who would like further information about the Bursary should contact Ursula Mezza at Ards Borough Council, Tel: 028 9182 4021.