Wigan wheelchair curling star meets royalty at Team GB training camp ahead of Winter Olympics
A Wigan wheelchair curling athlete enjoyed a memorable week as she met the Prince and Princess of Wales during a visit to the Team GB training camp.
The royal couple paid a visit to the facility in Stirling earlier this week to wish athletes well as they prepare for the 2026 Winter Paralympic Games in Milan and Cortina.
The team is currently in intensive training as preparations continue for the games in March.
Karen Aspey, who is widely regarded as one of Britain’s leading wheelchair curlers, described the visit as relaxed and engaging.
She said: “It was great meeting them.
“It was all very informal. We got to have a chat and they even had a go at curling themselves.”
Aspey is among a number of elite athletes who have received support from the Be Well Wigan Believe Talent Fund, which helps local sportspeople compete on the international stage.
Other beneficiaries include Commonwealth bronze medallists Harry Coppell and Charlie Bowling, Women’s World Cycle Speedway champion Emily Burgess, and Olympic champion Keely Hodgkinson
Sponsored by local businesses JJH Building Contractors Ltd and Fielden Factors, the fund offers grants of up to £500.
Funding is open to athletes who are deemed by their sport’s national governing body to be of national standard, or have the potential to reach national standard within a year of applying for support.
The awards are designed to help cover essential costs such as travel, accommodation, competition and training fees, and specialist equipment, enabling Wigan athletes to pursue success at the highest level.