Pictured above: (l-r) Rob Kendall, managing director at
HB&O, Rhys Walker, and Phil Ewing, director at
HB&O
A budding Olympian is aiming to serve up more success after
landing a major sponsorship deal with a leading Midlands
accountancy firm.
Nuneaton badminton star Rhys Walker has just secured financial
support from Coventry and Leamington-based financial experts and
chartered accountants Harrison Beale and Owen (HB&O).
The promising 16-year-old has been crowned national singles
champion in his age group for three consecutive years, most
recently taking the national under-17 singles champion title as
well as representing England at international competitions.
He now hopes to build towards fulfilling his ambition of
representing Great Britain at an Olympic Games and the donation
from HB&O will go towards funding personal coaching and fitness
costs.
Rhys is coached and mentored by Coventry-born Steve Butler, an
ex-England international who has coached the senior national
squad.
Walker, who attends Higham Lane School, said: "I was delighted
when I heard HB&O had decided to sponsor me.
"We had been searching and searching for sponsorship, because
the costs of competing add up with training, equipment, travel and
so on.
"But we kept coming up against brick walls, so to finally make a
breakthrough gave me a huge sense of relief.
"When you are searching for support and you keep coming up
against resistance, it can make you start to doubt your own
ability.
"But support like this really inspires me to carry on and become
the best I can be and hopefully it will take me one step closer to
achieving my goals and ambitions."
Walker is also part of Team Coventry and Warwickshire, a project
run by the Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership for the 2012
Games, which aims to nurture the region's aspiring sporting talent
and support them through bursary funding and assisting with finding
and pursuing opportunities to develop their talent.
Rob Kendall, managing director at HB&O, said: "We have a
proud history of supporting local teams and talented sports people,
so we are delighted to continue this tradition by offering our
support to Rhys.
"There is no doubt he is a very talented young man and a great
role model for youngsters in the area, so we are pleased to have
been given the opportunity to help him advance his career.
"The commitment it takes to get to the level Rhys is at, and
hopes to reach, is nothing short of astounding and it was that
attitude and enthusiasm which prompted us to pledge our
support."
Sponsorship opportunities, to help the development of members of
Team Coventry and Warwickshire, are available. For more information
contact Will Bastin at the Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership
for the 2012 Games on 07545 440 783 or email
will.bastin@cswp.co.uk.
For more information on Rhys or to keep up to date with his
achievements visit www.rhyswalker.com.
For more information about Harrison Beale and Owen, please visit
their website here: www.hboltd.co.uk