Whakapapa

Alessandra’s, Daniyar’s and Hannes' Fundraiser!

We are raising money to provide young aspiring athletes with scholarships to join The True Athlete Project's Global Mentoring Program! We would sincerely appreciate your support and donation to this fantastic program, which makes a real impact in the life of a young person.

Our Fundraiser: 

On Sunday 2nd October, we will be running the Cologne ½ marathon. Our goal is to a) survive without any injuries and b) if possible, within the limits of goal, finish around the 2 hour mark and c) raise funds for TAP's global mentoring programme. 

Target Amount: 

Min. £950 (the cost of 1 full scholarship) – we believe in our amazing families, friends and network to raise enough money for more than one scholarship. 

Whoever donates the largest amount will get to name the scholarship(s).

Who we are and why we support TAP:

Hannes is a mindfulness practitioner and trustee of the TAP UK board since 2021. He and Daniyar worked together at the International Paralympic Committee where they became good friends. Alessandra, met Hannes through her boyfriend – now husband – Michael Andrei – who is a professional volleyball player and thus knows very well about the importance of mental health and mindfulness for peak performances on and off the court.

We are all sports enthusiasts, whose lives have been shaped and impacted to a large extent by sport in one way or another. We share a belief in the power of sports to change the world and have witnessed first-hand how sports and mindfulness benefit society. Sports have shaped our lives and personalities in various ways. It has given us a sense of belonging, connecting us with different communities worldwide. It has allowed us to develop great friendships. It has inspired us to follow our dreams and grow in the process. It has taught us about discipline, teamwork, camaraderie, self-esteem, communication, conflict resolution, community, dealing with losses, winning, and much much more. Daniyar, a father of three, and Alessandra, a mom of one, have already started to pass down their passion for sports and mindfulness, and what it can teach us, down to the next generation. 

Together, we are now challenging ourselves to run the Cologne half-marathon. We are hoping that our challenge will inspire YOU to support TAP’s program, to give another young athlete the opportunity to grow and develop under the guidance of a mentor – to ultimately draw some of the great life lessons we have received through sports.

What is Whakapapa? 

Whakapapa is The True Athlete Project's summer fundraising campaign.  When we designed this fundraising challenge, we knew that it needed to be about more than just raising money; it should also bring the TAP community together and build on our shared mission to create a better world through sport. 

To this end, we have been inspired by a Māori concept, which is at the heart of the New Zealand All Blacks culture, called Whakapapa.

Whakapapa says that each of us are part of an unbreakable chain of people, stretching back in time to our first ancestors and forward in time to the end of time. This chain represents our tribe. We share a purpose with these people. We belong. It is a powerful idea that suggests that we will be judged not on our material successes in life, but on what we did for our tribe.

With this fundraising campaign we aim to connect the current cohort of mentors and mentees on our Global Mentoring Programme with next years generation of mentoring pairings.

This is about both giving back and paying it forward, and we envisage it becoming a wave that passes through each cohort, connecting them in an unbreakable chain.

#CommunityResponsibility

Who are The True Athlete Project? 

TAP is a US and UK based charity which aims to build a more compassionate world through sport. We design and deliver a range of creative, mindfulness-based programmes for athletes and coaches at all levels of sport - from primary school children to Olympians and Parlaympians. We work with 40+ sports, in over 15 countries. 

We also deliver a pioneering athlete mentoring programme, pairing world-class athletes with young people in a year-long nurturing relationship. Our aim is to unleash sports true potential to holistically nurture the long-term personal development of each and every athlete.