A British Summer of Sport

The Rayner Foundation was recently invited to the Ambassador’s Residence in Brussels for the occasion of His Majesty The King’s Birthday, bringing together partners from Britain and Belgium. 

The theme of the evening celebrated a British Summer of Sport, from the Premier League Trophy and Simon Mignolet to the next generation of Belgian-British Cycling, to the unmistakable presence of the Welsh Guards And it wouldn’t have been complete without a very British twist: steady rain from start to finish… but not a moment lost. Conversations continued, connections strengthened, and the atmosphere carried on regardless. 

Sport also gave us a powerful way to reflect what underpins the UK‑Belgium relationship - a shared commitment to innovation, inclusivity and values, and the partnerships that turn those into real impact. The “Belgian British Cycling – Next Generation” theme was specifically a showcase for the Rayner Foundation and its work helping young British riders get the experience of living and racing in continental Europe.

The Foundation itself describes its purpose as giving young cyclists the means to travel abroad, establish themselves and function day-to-day in Europe, with financial assistance alongside advice, mentoring and support. 

The event celebrated the work of the Rayner Foundation and its contribution to British cycling and describes Belgium as “at the heart of European cycling” and the evening as a recognition of the riders, supporters, volunteers and donors behind that work. We were very happy to be able to highlight the connections between British riders and the longstanding Belgian Team Lotto Intermarche. Over the years many British riders, some supported by the Rayner Foundation, have been part of this team. Charly Wegelius, Lizzie Deignan, Dan McLay, Adam Blythe, James Shaw, Josh Giddings and Abby Mae Parkinson spring to mind. The team was represented at the Party by 19 year old Samuel Greenwell who currently races for the Lotto U23 squad.

Samuel Greenwell

The underlying message was essentially: If Britain wants to continue to develop world-class cyclists, young British riders need the opportunity to experience the European racing environment.

For 30 years, the Rayner Foundation has done just that having supported hundreds of

British riders racing across Europe, in countries including Belgium, France, Italy, Austria and Spain. In addition, the Gateway project supports Junior Riders by funding the amazing junior teams that regularly travel to Europe to expose themselves to continental racing.

The Rayner Foundation would like to thank the Ambassador Anne Sherriff and all the staff at the Embassy for their invitation to the event, their amazing hospitality and the opportunity to showcase our work.