A POLE vaulter from Canvey paid a visit to the Canvey Rotary Club to speak at its club meeting.

Shannon Connolly, a recipient of a bursary from the Furtherwick Park Legacy Fund came to the club’s meeting earlier this month.

Shannon, who studies at Bath University, has used the bursary to fund travelling to events in several countries as well as the equipment which she needs to compete. The fund was estimated to have handed out about £50,000 to help young sporting talent on Canvey since the closure of the Furtherwick Park School in August 2011.

It has also helped Shannon to recover from injuries she has suffered throughout her promising career.

Shannon also had the opportunity to travel to New Zealand to compete thanks to the Furtherwick Park fund.