J Tomlinson operations manager selected to compete in World Transplant Games

Added by Love Business East Midlands | 11 March 2019

UPDATED: 11 March 2019

J Tomlinson operations manager Dave Fisher has been selected for the first time to represent Great Britain and Northern Ireland in the World Transplant Games.

Dave, who received a kidney transplant in 2015 from his wife Kelly, has been picked to represent his country in the 50m and 100m freestyle swimming, volleyball, table tennis and ten pin bowling.

He has previously taken part in three British Transplant Games – winning many medals – but this is the first time that he has been selected to compete in the World Transplant Games.

Dave, who is operations manager in repairs and maintenance and facilities management at Nottingham-based building services company J Tomlinson, said:

“To compete in sport and carry on as normal is amazing, but to be picked to represent Great Britain will be the icing on the cake. I am thrilled to be chosen and will be training as hard as possible to ensure I can do my very best against the best competitors from all around the world.”

Dave was announced by Transplant Sport UK (TS) as being part of the squad that will be representing Great Britain and NI at the World Transplant Games in 2019, taking place in Newcastle Gateshead this summer.

The team is the largest ever with more than 330 transplant athletes, who have all survived a heart, lung, kidney, pancreas, liver, small bowel or bone marrow transplant. 40% of the team are new members and all have been selected following their success at last year’s Westfield Health British Transplant Games in Birmingham.

Dave, who lives at Makeney in Derbyshire, will be one of 3,000 participants from 50 different countries taking part in the event from 17th to 24th August. The World Transplant Games take place every two years and are supported by the International Olympic Committee. It represents the largest organ donor awareness event in the world, featuring a week of 17 sporting events.

Lynne Holt, team manager, said:

“We are thrilled to announce our team and welcome the new faces to our squad. We aim to exceed the Gold medals won at the World Transplant Games in Malaga in 2017, and to win the Trophy for the best team! They certainly deserve the same recognition as the Olympic and Para Olympic Games.

“It is always a little daunting competing at the World Transplant Games for the first time, but with the help of those who have been before, together with the coaches, captains, management and medical team, the experience will ultimately be a rewarding one for the athletes!”

Dave underwent his kidney transplant at the City Hospital, Nottingham. He’d been diagnosed with a rare kidney disease as a teenager, but his condition deteriorated in February 2015. In a one-in-150,000 chance, his wife proved to be a suitable match.

He has worked at J Tomlinson, which provides a range of integrated building solutions including construction, refurbishment, repairs and maintenance, mechanical and electrical services (M&E), and facilities management, for almost 15 years.

In July, Dave will compete in the British Transplant Games again, and is hoping to take part in a number of disciplines, including swimming and volleyball. Ahead of both the British Transplant Games and the World Transplant Games, he is training with several local sports clubs, namely Belper Marlin Swimming Club, Belper Hammers Volleyball Club and Nottingham Rockets Volleyball Club.

He is looking for any companies, organisations or individuals to sponsor him to take part in the World Transplant Games, as it costs £2,200 per competitor to compete, which includes training, kit and accommodation. Anyone interested in sponsoring Dave – with the potential for publicity that it brings – should contact him on dfisher@jtomlinson.co.uk

As well as its head office at Beeston near Nottingham, J Tomlinson has two main regional offices in Canwell in the West Midlands and in Wakefield, Yorkshire.

For more information about J Tomlinson, visit www.jtomlinson.co.uk

For more information on the World Transplant Games in Newcastle, Gateshead 2019, visit http://www.worldtransplantgames.org

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