Grampian Institute of Sport hockey player, Leigh Fawcett, from Aberdeen, will benefit from an initiative between Warburtons and sportscotland to support young athletes.

Launched in August 2009, Warburton's Rising Star Fund is a new grant-based initiative, which aims to help provide cash to aspiring young athletes aiming to be selected for major competitions, including the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow 2014.

Using the sportscotland Area Institute of Sport Network, Warburtons is to provide a one-off bursary of £750 to help one aspiring athlete in each of the six area institutes; Highland, Central, East, West and Tayside & Fife. The Area Institute Network gives talented athletes access to essential support services locally in sports medicine, sports science, strength and conditioning and career and lifestyle guidance.

Fawcett commented, "My key targets for 2010 are making the Scotland outdoor team that will participate in both the World Cup Qualifiers in April (Santiago) and Commonwealth Games in October (Delhi). This award from Warbuton's will be very helpful towards supporting those targets.

"The GIS continues to offer me the best possible chance of competing at the highest level. Colin Gallacher, the GIS Performance Lifestyle Advisor, has helped me work closely with my employers to ensure that I am able to balance full-time employment with training/competition commitments.

"I benefit from weekly contact with several GIS strength and conditioning coaches and the opening of the astro pitch at Aberdeen Sports Village allows a central venue for individual coaching sessions with Murray Carnie. I know that without this support and expertise I would not have achived my ambition of making the senior squad this past year".