2 Aug 2012
Inspirational Leeds local rewarded with Premier Training scholarship
Local Leeds resident Tom Shaw has been selected by leading health and fitness training provider, Premier Training International, as a winner of the company’s nationwide scholarships competition. The competition began in March and asked people across the UK to nominate friends, family or loved ones, explaining why they deserved a place on Premier’s prestigious Diploma in Fitness Instructing and Personal Training.
Having been nominated by his partner Gemma Thornton, Tom was one of only 20 nationwide winners selected from over 2000 entries. The competition judges were impressed by the way Tom’s passion for the health and fitness has helped him overcome some extremely challenging personal circumstances, making him a truly deserving candidate of a chance to become a fully qualified personal trainer with the company.
When Tom was a child he suffered the loss of both his father and then his stepfather to ill health. As he grew older and learned more about health and fitness, he realised that both causes might have been preventable, or at least manageable, by a better understanding of exercise and nutrition. Driven by this possibility, Tom endeavoured to learn as much as he could about the ways that exercise can improve people’s physical and psychological health.
Over the last 18 months, Tom has used his passion, knowledge and expertise to help his mother, who was diagnosed with clinical depression. Tom encouraged his mother to stay active and use exercise to improve her condition, contributing to a significant improvement in his mother’s confidence, esteem and quality of life – meaning she no longer requires medication. In the meantime, Tom has continued his studies, completing an undergraduate degree in Sports Sciences and is currently studying for a Masters degree in the same discipline.
Tom commented: "I’m absolutely delighted! Health and fitness has always been my passion and I’ve seen first hand the way that exercise can improve people’s lives. This is a fantastic opportunity and will hopefully give me a platform on which I can build a really successful career within the industry. I just can’t wait to start!"
Victoria Branch, Sales and Marketing Director at Premier Global, commented: "Tom’s story is inspirational and he is a truly deserving winner. This competition was designed to allow people across the country to embark upon a career journey that would reflect their enthusiasm, talent and compassion. Tom absolutely epitomises this, particularly in the way that he has balanced his education with helping his mother. I’ve no doubt that he will become a fantastic personal trainer - and we are delighted that he will learn with us."
