Newton Turton, a young engineer and aspiring rugby player, has been awarded the Douglas Clasper Elite Sports Scholarship, which supports elite young sportspeople.

The 19-year-old University of Sunderland student who is in the first year of his BEng Mechanical Engineering degree has been selected as only the third-ever recipient of this prestigious scholarship.

On receiving this scholarship, Houghton-le-Spring-born Turton said: "Thanks to the Douglas Clasper Elite Sports Scholarship, I can afford to do more training. I can focus on rugby as well as study without having to think about earning money. I’ve always tried to be very well balanced between sport and study, and this award will really help.”

The Douglas Clasper Elite Sports Scholarship is ‘designed to help a talented student athlete fulfil their potential whilst studying at the university and has been funded and supported by Sunderland-born Mike Clasper CBE in memory of his father, Douglas.'

Alongside specialist support, including mentoring, sports massage and physiotherapy as well as gym access, athletes with this scholarship receive £2,000 each year of their study alongside a 20% discount for their tuition fees and a 20% discount on any university-managed accommodation.

The impact the scholarship will have on his career, Houghton Rugby Club and for Durham County Rugby Football Union player Turton said: “I used to go out to work with my dad when I was a kid. What he did really intrigued me, and I've always enjoyed getting hands-on. It was the same with rugby; Dad used to play, and I started when I was a kid and really enjoyed it. A friend of mine went to Durham University and moved to Hong Kong to play professionally, and I thought, "Why not me?”

“My uncle works offshore on wind turbines, and that’s really what I aspire to do: see the world as an engineer and continue to play rugby, and the Douglas Clasper Elite Sports Scholarship is a big step in the right direction for my ambitions.”

This scholarship is one of numerous awards given by Mike Clasper, the chairman of BIOSS (a global consultancy company), in memory of his late father, as earlier this month first-year physiotherapy student Ava Worthy was awarded the Douglas Clasper Sports Opportunity Award.

This award will help to support the launch and delivering of the University of Sunderland’s new Youth Futsal Development Project, in partnership with England Futsal, with the funding contributing to Worthy’s coaching and refereeing qualifications.

Ava, a 19-year-old from Guisborough, is an international-level futsal player, and this scholarship will allow her to ‘assist in delivering futsal tournaments, community sessions, and youth development camps’.

On the impact these awards will have on the two students, Mike Clasper said: "My father would have been delighted to support these two ambitious students furthering their interest in their chosen sports. My father loved all sorts of sports as I do, but particularly football and rugby."

‘The University of Sunderland offers scholarships to applicants, undergraduates and graduates to improve their opportunities, studies and professional career aspirations.'

To find out more about what is available go to: https://www.sunderland.ac.uk/scholarships-and-bursaries