Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

Hi my name is Stokely Sawyers and I am competing in my very first Powerlifting competition on the 27th October 2024, thus ticking an item off my bucket list.

My inspiration comes from my four grand-children ranging from 2yrs to 16yrs old who keep me humble, engaged & learning and also my partner who is a national champion and GB international masters powerlifter.

My motivation and aim for this page is to support and champion a worthy cause, as I may never compete again! Therefore, this event presents an opportunity to promote and support a foundation which is very close to me, as it was established by a longtime friend’s sister.

The foundation, named ‘Smile Of A King’ aka SOAK was inaugurated in June 2022 by the king’s mother Denise and sister Patrice. Subsequently they have engaged a respected and notable patron in Charlene White (Loose Women, ITN News, GoggleBox). The foundation’s principle objective is to support young men to reclaim their agency through funding initial talking therapy sessions.

My personal journey includes benefiting from talking therapy, ergo I am a strong advocate for talking therapy as an approach. Although fitness has also been a therapy providing me with structure, consistency and healthy challenges. Nonetheless there is an important distinction in that physical health is more visible and is more acceptable, whilst mental health is invisible and stigmatised.

Therefore, we are asking for donations to this valuable cause and offer thanks on behalf of whoever benefits from your donation, in advance. ‘Every King deserves to smile’. Let’s make it happen 😄

Please support my efforts on the 27th October 2024 and donate what you can either via my JustGiving page or directly via https://www.smileofakingfoundation.com/