OLYMPIC gold medallist Darren Campbell is backing Tavistock Athletic Club to scoop a national competition prize of £50,000 ? and is calling on West Devon residents to help by taking part in an online vote. The athletic club, in partnership with Tavistock College and Kelly College, will battle against sporting initiatives from across the UK for the next two months in an attempt to secure much-needed funding to build a new athletics track on the grounds of Tavistock College. The partners hope to gain a grant from the Norwich Union?s Join Our Team scheme. They are appealing to everyone in the Tavistock area to help by voting for the project to improve the town?s sporting facilities ? and maybe even unearth a future Olympic champion from West Devon. There are bronze awards worth £1,000, silver awards of £12,500 and a single £50,000 gold to be won ? all residents have to do is vote for Tavistock on http://www.joinourteam.com">www.joinourteam.com Darren Campbell said: ?When you are trying to make it, you need support and that needs to come from the community. ?Join Our Team basically gives communities the opportunity to pick which scheme they would like to see funded in their area. ?When all is said and done the people of Tavistock know what is best for their area and they know what can make a difference. ?We need to build an infrastructure that enables kids to get on the ladder and start dreaming of reaching 2012.? Tavistock Athletics Club needs to raise £100,000 towards the cost of providing the new track and create a lasting legacy in West Devon. The proposed project will provide athletics facilities to the whole of the West Devon and North East Cornwall areas that currently do not have access to track facilities. Martin Exley, of Tavistock Athletic Club, said: ?We?re delighted that the athletics bodies and Darren Campbell recognise that Tavistock is in much need of upgrading sports facilities and in particular that the community needs a track. ?The athletics club, which is well organised with 29 qualified coaches and over 200 active members, promotes fitness and well being for juniors and seniors alike, as well coaching athletic skills. ?The people of Tavistock were fantastic in getting behind the Bedford Mile initiative to raise money for the track, and I sincerely hope they will go online and vote for us and help us win this much needed award.? Colin Eves, principal at Tavistock College, said: ?We are delighted to hear this bid has been taken forward, along with all the other fundraising efforts that are taking place. ?We are so grateful for the support so far ? if people get behind this, log on the website and make their voice heard, we could bring the project to fruition even more quickly.?
