The bursary, sponsored by SkillsActive, is aimed at paid or volunteer coaches and leaders who work with children and young people in the active leisure and learning sector. The grant will enable Smith, a level four swim coach and development officer at Mansfield City Council, to undertake a program of coaching sessions with the British Swimming Head Coach Ian Turner at Loughborough University.

Smith is delighted to receive the bursary:

“I’m very pleased to be one of just four people in the country to receive this award, I feel very lucky,” he said. “The bursary will cover the cost of a coach to lead my home programme when I am shadowing Ian. I hope to visit Loughborough two or three times a month to gain from Ian’s vast knowledge and work with senior international swimmers.”

SkillsActive's chief executive, Stephen Studd said; "We were absolutely delighted to sponsor the bursary for the Nancy Ovens Trust. By supporting the award, I feel that we are helping people to continue their professional and personal development in an environment that perhaps takes them away from their comfort zone and really pushes their skills to the next level.

"The fact that so many people applied for this initial bursary was very encouraging, and it will be interesting to follow our first awardees progress. SkillsActive certainly intends to make sponsoring the bursary an annual affair."

A former SPRITO Board member (the national training organisation and SkillsActive's predecessor), Nancy Ovens MBE was an enthusiastic supporter of education, training and development of skills in the active leisure and learning sector. Nancy championed the development of work-based skills in the sport and leisure industry, and contributed significantly to improvements in services for many years.