We are delighted that Jess has joined our BRIT Ambassador family.
Jess is a Paralympic archer and the current Paralympic Champion and a World Record Holder. She has amassed six World, Paralympic and European medals and is focussed on training to represent Great Britain at the 2021 Paralympic Games in Tokyo.
“As a former student, and training and competing with young athletes, I know that many young adults suffer with mental health challenges. COVID-19 is having an impact on the lives of many young people and it is vital that they receive timely help to look after their wellbeing in order to avoid long-term effects. Mental health services have become stretched during the lockdowns in 2020 and 2021, and this means more young people are struggling to access the help they need. One in four young people were unable to access the mental health support they need.
The British Inspiration Trust’s BRIT 2021 Challenge is an exciting UK-wide opportunity for students and young adults to unite wherever they are (at home or on campus) and take part in a fun and feel-good challenge to raise vital funds for charities who support young adult mental health; PAPYRUS – Prevention of Young Suicide, Nightline Association, Student Minds, The Charlie Waller Trust and BRIT. This means that all donations raised by the BRIT 2021 Challenge will be shared equally between the five mental health charities.
I am thrilled to be joining the BRIT Ambassador family to support and improve young adult mental health throughout the UK. At a time when we need to come together to support as many students and young adults as possible, I hope every UK university, college and students’ union embraces the BRIT 2021 Challenge and encourages their students and staff to participate.
I am excited to champion the opportunity to join the BRIT Ambassador family with my fellow Great Britain athletes, so that we can come together and support young adult mental health in universities and colleges throughout the UK.
I look forward to encouraging and supporting students and staff at Longdean School, Oaklands College, Hertford Regional College, West Herts College, North Hertfordshire College and the University of Hertfordshire as they take on the BRIT 2021 Challenge”.
Jess was educated at Longdean School in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire. She became involved in archery after attending a Wheelpower Junior Games camp in 2012.
She, competing in the Women’s Individual Compound W1 category, made her international debut in 2015 and won bronze at the World Para-Archery Championships in Donaueschingen, Germany.
In 2016, Jess set a new World Record and also won silver at the Fazza International Para Championships in Dubai and silver at the 2016 European Para-Archery Championships in Saint-Jean-de-Monts, France.
Jess made her Paralympic debut at the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where she won gold at the age of 16. She became Great Britain’s youngest ever medallist in archery. Her fellow team-mates, Jo Frith and Vicky Jenkins won silver and bronze. This was the first time since 1996, that either Team GB or Paralympics GB had secured a clean sweep on the podium.
In 2017, Jess won individual and team gold at the World Championships in Beijing, China. That same year, Jess was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2017 New Year Honours list for services to archery.
In 2018, Jess won gold at the 2018 Para Archery European Circuit 2nd Leg World Ranking Tournament.
Jess switched her division from W1 to the Compound Women’s Open category in 2019, and went on to win an individual silver and women’s team silver at the 2019 World Championships in Hertogenbosch, Netherlands.
Jess’ career best ranking is No.1 in the World (2019) and she is currently ranked 2nd in the World (22nd February 2021).
Outside of archery, Jess is an avid reader. She is currently training in preparation for the 2021 Paralympic Games in Tokyo.
For more information about archery in the UK, please visit the Archery GB website.
For more information about Jess and the Paralympics GB team, please visit the Paralympics GB website.
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