My name is Aaron Hussain I am 26 and from Torbay in Devon.

I entered the comp in hope to win a bursary (but never thought I actually would!!!) to help fund a trek up to Uhuru Peak (5785m), Kilimanjaro, to raise awareness for Multiple Sclerosis and its sufferers. My Mother has suffered with the illness since I was 4, nearly 23 years, and I wanted to bring to light the emotional turmoil sufferers and their family’s deal with on a daily basis and to just make more people aware of the illness.

How has the bursary helped you with your passion since the awards?

Well where do I start!!! First was the purchase of some much needed equipment and training aids such as a new Berghaus pack and new sticks… it has paid for a trip to Scaffell Pike in the Lake District in January 2011 to carry out a week’s training and to summit of course, and has helped with a six month membership to my local pool where I can train no matter what the weather. The cost of the trek is £2000 which thanks to BIOB was easily met… and the fact that I didn’t have to worry about that meant I have been able to concentrate on raising even more funds with the help of Bridgwater College!!!!

What are your plans for the future?

I plan to summit Kilimanjaro in April 2011, after that will be a busy year for me , I have just completed a National Diploma in Animal Care and Management at Paignton Zoo with Bridgwater College and plan to go to university next year to get my Degree in Zoology, who knows you may see me on T.V one day chasing exotic animals !!! Lol

What advice would you give to other people out there with passions who may be struggling to achieve them?

“No one can make you feel inferior without your consent” don’t be beaten… the world is your oyster, if you believe you can do it, then trust me YOU CAN !!!

T.E Lawrence once said

“All men dream but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds wake in the day to find that it was vanity;

but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act their dream with open eyes to make it possible.”

If people want to find out more about your passion where should they go?

Visit my Facebook Page and add me, all details regarding the trek will be added to my Facebook page, there will also be a website constructed soon. Details will be posted on my Facebook page which is :-

http://www.facebook.com/aaron.hussain1

Any final thoughts on how you have found the whole experience?

Totally overwhelming, I never thought I was in for a chance.. but thanks to you guys at BIOB and to all the people involved with the voting and so on .. what was once a dream has now become a reality.. I get the chance to “BRING IT ON “… and to raise awareness for millions of sufferers of Multiple Sclerosis and their families.

Bex (Rebecca) Yates. I entered the Bring it on awards on behalf of the Sussex University Fencing Club. We had dreamt of going to America to visit a fellow fencer and I thought that the Bring it on awards might be able to make that happen!

How has the bursary helped you with your passion since the awards?

I have booked flights for 11 fencers from the club to fly out to Massachusetts in March next year for a week to fence against Mount Holyoke College and a few others in the same area.

What are your plans for the future?

We have big plans for the club this year, the tour to America, resurrecting the Brighton Open fencing competition, establishing a fencing club for teenagers at a number of local clubs alongside just having a great time!

What advice would you give to other people out there with passions who may be struggling to achieve them?

Things happen for a reason and if you imagine something to be possible you subconsciously act to make that thing happen! I entered the awards on a whim after hearing about it on the heart FM radio show at work. With the support of a group of brilliant friends saw us win!

If people want to find out more about your passion where should they go?

Check out the Sussex Uni Fencing Club Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/pages/Sussex-University-Fencing-Club/111137072280566

Any final thoughts on how you have found the whole experience?

The whole experience has been fantastic and everyone can’t wait to go on the tour, thanks to Bring it on Britain for making it happen!

How has the bursary helped you with your passion since the awards?
Becoming a stunt performer is quite complicated and a very long process. To become a member of the stunt register you have to be county/competitive level in 6 sports/disciplines in the following categories and have 60 days paid work in front of a camera.

1) Fighting – example: Karate (Brown belt and above)
2) Falling – example: Trampoline and High Diving Stunt Test
3) Water – example: Padi Dive Master
4) Strength and Agility – Example: Gymnastics Stunt Test
5) Riding and Driving – Example: Competitive Motocross

Prior to the award I had attended the Australian Stunt Academy, learning how to fall, how to get blown up and how to fight safely. I have completed four of the above areas (Gymnastics, scuba diving, swimming, high diving) but needed to complete trampolining and martial arts. Since obtaining the award I have joined a trampoline club and a Taekwondo club. I was a trampolinist when younger and already had quite a bit of Taekwondo experience (English Blue belt Champion is 2007). The funding has also enabled me to join several extra agencies, the normal way potential stunt performers achieve the required days in front of a camera. Without the bursary I would not have joined both clubs and as many extra agencies. I also needed to film each area for the Stunt committee. The Flip camera has been amazing. I will let you see the film soon!

What are your plans for the future?
To get onto the stunt register – keep going, completing the requirements and finally becoming one of only a few stunt women in the UK!

What advice would you give to other people out there with passions who may be struggling to achieve them?
Do not give up, life is not a dress rehearsal – live without any regrets so don’t put those dreams off. All dreams begin with one small step so take that first step! Also being part of a community that believe in your dreams help.

If people want to find out more about your passion where should they go?
http://www.britishactionacademy.com For further information on the entry requirements for stunt performers email Equity www.equity.org.uk or email: info@equity.org.uk .

Any final thoughts on how you have found the whole experience?

The awards have not only given me a massive boost financially, but helped with motivation and enthusiasm. The BIOB wall community spirit has helped so much too. Before the award I was very close to thinking that I may never get there! The award has given me confidence and the determination to succeed. The other award winners are so inspirational that being part of this community and sharing their dreams has been a real privilege too.

The bursary has enabled us to cover the cost of the trip and Accommodation, we have also been able to get him the team GBR fighting suits and the training suits and he now has all the equipment he needs to train and compete in the world championships.  Also the competition fees themselves.

I really hope Kieran does well in the championships and that he earns Great Britain a medal, i hope that he continues in martial arts and competing  to the standard that he has set himself, from his 1st comp he has brought home 1sts and has never come home with out being placed and this is a great achievement especially as he is only 6 yrs old.

If there are people out there struggling to achieve their passions my advice is never give up, there is always someone or something out there that will help you, look down every path and something will come your way, that’s what we did and we were struggling and almost gave up, but thanks to walls and the bring it on awards we will be living our dream in jan 2011, and really glad that we were one of the winners, i still can’t really believe it.

If people are interested in our passion you have the wcoaa website or Kierans club website from Feb 2011 when we know the results.

The whole experience has been amazing, its been exciting, worrying, nailbiting, all emotions really, but amazing and i have also met some lovely people, but what i really liked about this competition was the fact we all supported each other, it was great. So all i have to say now is BRING IT ON !!!!!!!!!!!

My name is Marco Gianetti from Plymouth and I entered the Bring it on Britain awards to win funding to do my FA coaching badges so i can be qualified to work with disabled footballers.

The bursary has helped me by not only paying for the courses but also helping me to purchase training clothing and footwear essential to coaching and football. It has also provided me with freedom to travel to various places for the courses and to attend disability football league matches.

My plans for the future are to take up a voluntary position within a disability football club as a volunteer coach to enhance and improve my skills as a coach. I also will be attending various courses and ability counts league matches to further enhance my knowledge and education by watching experienced coaches in action. I also plan to return to the gym to improve my overall fitness and one day after a long period of experience getting I hope to one day be able to manage my own disability team.

My advice to people would be NEVER GIVE UP. Sometimes when it may seem like nothing is working out and things are not happening you must stick in there and keep that passion burning because eventually you will get where you want to be. Also SEEK SUPPORT from other people who already are successful in what it is you want to do and ask their advice too. For example if like me you want to work with disabled footballers contact your county FA’s disability football officer and chat to them because they can give you a lot of help and support and open a lot of doors for you.

If people would like to know more about disability football in Devon they can click this link and find out more http://www.devonfa.com/Development/DisabilityFootball/. There is a nice photo of Dai Carpenter who was on BBC Radio Devon with me. Alternatively you can contact your local County FA and ask to speak to the disability development officer who will give you loads of info. Another good link to click on to find out more about Disability Football is http://www.disabilityfootball.co.uk/ where you can look for your local disability football club.

Overall its been a good experience although on occasions I have found the process difficult due to my being autisitic but I would definitely recommend people to BRING IT ON !!!!!

Well it’s been a few weeks since the Awards were handed out and people began the journey to realising their dreams. A lot of the winners have been updating us with their progress. I thought I would highlight just a few of them and what they have been up to.

Crowned as “Most Bring it on Brit”, Marco Gianetti’s dream of becoming a football coach has already come true! He has passed his level 1 coaching and has been offered a position coaching with Plymouth, dubbed “The Real Madrid of Disabled Football” by Marco himself. Currently Marco is suffering from an ankle injury but hopefully soon he will be fighting fit and ready to help more people change their lives. You can watch a video of Marco’s coaching assessment here and here

Caroline King has been using her award to help support and grow the Dundee Destroyers Roller Derby team. It has been great to see awards that have not only helped our winners but are making a difference to wider communities. You can read more about Caroline and the gang here and check out their lovely thank you message . While we are discussing Roller Derby you can also see one of our other winners Sharron Mooks has been featured on Newsround and is working very hard to help increase the awareness of this great sport.

Anna Dockery has been working very hard on her dancing in preparation for her big competition (Best of luck Anna!). Check out these videos she has posted of her practicing here and here.

We will be covering more of our winners over the coming weeks. So stay tuned

Keep it up everyone and keep Bringing it on!

Award Winners:

Joe Coyne – Brighton Pier Jump

Sharon Sheridan – Roller Derby

Maryann Morriss – Candle Making

Aimee White – Dance and Performing

Gaynor Brown – Light Room

Robyn Osborne – Trampoline

Aaron Hussain – Raise Awareness

Anna Dockeray – Ballroom Dancing

Bex Yates – Fencing

Jack Stubbs – Lacrosse

Marco Gianetti – Football Coaching

Jen Whelan – Stunt Woman

Julia Solocombe – Martial Arts

George Wood – Ate’th Wonder

Becca Thurston – Pies

Helen Russell – Field Archery

Jessica Smith – Trampoline

Caitlin McLaren – Trampoline

Jessica Ali – Roller Derby

Caroline King – Roller Derby

Tony Jay – One Man Balloon

fancy seeing some this bank holiday at Ecclestone? event flyer

August Bank Holiday

SATURDAY 28 – 6PM FLOOD LIT EVENT

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TH SUNDAY 29 - 11AM

Congratulations to our shortlisted entrants and make sure you give them all the support you can on the Facebook page and in your own communities.

Bring it on!

Check out the shortlist here and get voting!