Olympic gold medalist Chris Hoy and Olympic bronze medalist Alison Williamson are new members, alongside Steven Scott and Shaun Sewell who are exciting talents in shooting and adaptive rowing.

 

Jo Kenrick, the marketing and customer proposition director from B&Q said: “It’s great that these new athletes come from a range of different Olympic and Paralympic sports. 

 

"We hope to play a part in supporting the country’s most promising sporting talents as well as encouraging our staff and customers to be active and enjoy sport and embrace our ‘can do’ culture.”

 

Team B&Q was initially set up as part of B&Q’s partnership with the BOA and the team is now made of nine established Olympians and Paralympians and 13 up and coming athletes, from 15 sports disciplines. 

 

Hoy from Edinburgh, who won a gold medal in the track 1km time trial and silver at the team sprint cycling events atht 2004 Athens Olympics, will join Williamson from Shropshire who won bronze in the individual archery event at the Athens Olympic Games.

 

The pair will play a key role in helping to pass on their experiences to the team’s younger generation of athletes.

 

Hoy said: “It’s really important that we use our existing knowledge of the Games to prepare for the next and it’s great to see that B&Q is taking an active role in making sure some of our brightest prospects get the opportunity to lean on people like myself and Alison.

 

"I’m also really looking forward to being part of B&Q’s community events. 

 

"People are interested in hearing what it takes to win an Olympic medal and hopefully by passing on our stories and giving them the chance to have a go, more people will be encouraged to get involved, enjoy sport or be inspired to try something new.”

 

The up and coming athletes are hoping Beijing will be their first Olympic or Paralympic Games. 

 

Each of these athletes work at a B&Q store as a customer advisor benefiting from a full-time employment package with flexible, part-time hours fitted around their sporting schedules. 

 

Both Sewell and Scott will take on roles in store. 

 

Scott is already well equipped to start his new job, having worked at B&Q’s Bexhill store for the past year.

 

As a talented athlete, currently ranked number two in the country in double trap shooting, he is joining Team B&Q to enable him to focus on his Olympic goal.

 

Sewell also adds a new dimension to Team B&Q as the squad’s first aspiring Paralympian. 

 

The East Londoner from the NewhamSports Academy, only took up adaptive rowing two years ago and has already won a bronze medal at last year’s World Championships. 

 

He will be putting on his apron and joining staff at B&Q’s Leyton store. 

 

Sewell said:  “All my attention is on the Paralympic Games and I’m just so pleased that B&Q believe in me and have given me a great opportunity to focus on my goal. 

 

"Working at B&Q will give me something to focus on when I’m not rowing and could even lead to a career for me in retail once I retire from my sport.”