Sport central to future prosperity, says Tony Blair

Tony Blair today visited Northumbria University’s new £30m Sport Central complex as his Sports Foundation launched a new scheme to get North East businesses working to improve access to sport for all.

The University Vice-Chancellor, Professor Andrew Wathey, accompanied Tony Blair as they met staff, coaches and young people who will all benefit from Sport Central’s state-of-the-art facilities for swimming, netball, basketball, volleyball, badminton, fencing and other indoor sports.

Founder and Patron of the Tony Blair Sports Foundation, Tony Blair, said: “There is no doubt that Sport Central will have a hugely positive impact on thousands of young people in the North East and beyond. I have met some incredibly impressive and committed staff, volunteers and coaches today. And when an ambitious University like Northumbria puts these people in state-of-the-art facilities like this, you can create a sporting legacy of success and achievement that, not only the region, but the country can be proud of.”

Professor Wathey added: “We are delighted that Tony Blair is able to assess for himself our investment in Sport Central, and are especially pleased to welcome young people and coaches who are being supported by his Foundation. I hope Mr Blair gains a clear sense of the talent, energy and commitment of students and staff at Northumbria University across the broad range of academic and sporting endeavour.”

Earlier today, Tony Blair was in Sedgefield, Co. Durham to launch his Sports Foundation’s Corporate Membership Scheme. As part of the charity’s drive to get the North East ready for the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, the Sports Foundation is looking to partner with businesses across the region to create a legacy that will make the North East a beacon of sporting success for many years to come.

Speaking after the launch event in Sedgefield, Co. Durham, Tony Blair, Patron of the Tony Blair Sports Foundation, said: “I have always been passionate about sport and its capacity to change people's lives. It is often the best public health policy, the best way to bring people together. When North East businesses sign up to my Sports Foundation’s new scheme, their employees will have the opportunity to volunteer as sports coaches and officials, and in the process they will open up sport to even more young people in their local communities.

Talking about the progress of his Sports Foundation, which was only founded in late 2007, Tony Blair said: “This scheme is yet another example of the Foundation taking its activity to the next level. I’m so proud of the progress we’ve made in such a short space of time. And that progress won’t stop here. We need to build on this early success to improve access to sport for young people across the North East so that this region becomes a beacon of sporting success. The 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games are less than two years away and we need to use that to inspire and motivate children to get into sport, so that it becomes the healthy habit of a lifetime.”

For more information about Northumbria University's sport facilities, visit:  http://teamnorthumbria.com/home2/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1707&Itemid=1258 and http://www.northumbria.ac.uk/sd/development/sport/