Stephen Marshall (centre) receives his Jack Petchey Foundation silver scheme award from Dunmow Atlantis club captains Jamie McLaughlin and Rosie Musgrove

A YOUNG member of Dunmow Atlantis Swimming Club has been given an award for his determination.

The club has accepted into the silver scheme award from the Jack Petchey Foundation, and presented its first achievement award to Stephen Marshall.

The 14-year-old, who attends Bishop’s Stortford Boys High School, has been a member of Atlantis since 2007.

Club spokesman Darren Dack said: “Stephen had made steady progress with his swimming but had a major operation on his chest in August 2012 and had to stop swimming for a couple of months. His stamina and fitness suffered and he found the rigorous training difficult.

“He could have given up but decided to try and regain his previous fitness levels - he has worked very hard in training and is always happy to give a little bit more.”

The teenager is determined to become fit enough to attend the club’s swim camp trip to Fuerteventura in October and has decided to give the £200 awarded to go towards the swim camp trip.

• The Jack Petchy Foundation scheme is open to any organisation working with young people aged 11-25 and over £2 million is allocated each year. The scheme is divided into three categories - gold, silver (for medium sized organisations) and bronze.

Participating clubs select six young people to receive an achievement award each year with the winner receiving a framed certificate and a sum of money to be spent on a youth club or community project of their choice.