The Mark Lees Foundation

The Mark Lees Story

Many people will have known Mark Lees personally while others may have only heard of his name. In the last year of his life (1994) Mark established the Mark Lees Foundation (MLF) to assist athletes on a pathway to success at international level and who had no financial assistance to achieve their aims and aspirations. The Rufford Foundation, a charitable trust, established the MLF with a grant of £100,000 over 5 years.

Mark was the first professional coach at Nottinghamshire County Rowing Association in the early 1980’s and established the NCRA squad as a major force in British rowing. He moved to London University in the mid 1980’s and on from there to Cambridge University where he established a new system which lead to the revival of CUBC’s Boat Race fortunes in the early 1990’s. Throughout this 10-year period Mark coached at international and Olympic level with several of his crews winning medals.

Mark was Chief Coach for the Lightweight men’s squad for several years, as well as Performance Director to GBR senior teams in 1991 & 1992 period, which covered the Barcelona Olympic Games. Mark was well known and liked throughout the rowing world and it is typical of his devotion to the development of good rowing and his affection for the athletes he coached, that he was determined to establish the MLF to put back something tangible into the sport he loved and was so passionate about.



	The Mark Lees Story Many people will have known Mark Lees personally while others may have only heard of his name. In the last year of his life (1994) Mark established the Mark Lees Foundation (MLF) to assist athletes on a pathway to success at international level and who had no financial assistance to achieve their aims and aspirations. The Rufford Foundation, a charitable trust, established the MLF with a grant of £100,000 over 5 years. Mark was the first professional coach at Nottinghamshire County Rowing Association in the early 1980’s and established the NCRA squad as a major force in British rowing. He moved to London University in the mid 1980’s and on from there to Cambridge University where he established a new system which lead to the revival of CUBC’s Boat Race fortunes in the early 1990’s. Throughout this 10-year period Mark coached at international and Olympic level with several of his crews winning medals. Mark was Chief Coach for the Lightweight men’s squad for several years, as well as Performance Director to GBR senior teams in 1991 & 1992 period, which covered the Barcelona Olympic Games. Mark was well known and liked throughout the rowing world and it is typical of his devotion to the development of good rowing and his affection for the athletes he coached, that he was determined to establish the MLF to put back something tangible into the sport he loved and was so passionate about.