Children in the North East will have new opportunities to take part and be coached in competitive sport, thanks to a new foundation being launched today.

The Tony Blair Sports Foundation will increase participation in sport by young people, particularly those who are currently socially excluded, by inspiring more adults to become trained coaches; by providing access to high quality nationally-accredited training for those we recruit; and by helping to match coaches with the schools and sports clubs which need them.

The four sports the foundation will initially focus on are indoor rowing, tennis, athletics and football.

Tony Blair said: "The North East gave me the chance to get on and make a contribution to our country. I want to continue to repay that confidence by giving kids the chance to be inspired by competitive sport; to give adults the chance to feel that unmistakable pride that comes from seeing their hard work turned into a child's winning smile.

"I'm delighted one of the first projects we are able to support is indoor rowing, which is an excellent gateway sport to increase fitness for people of all ages."

Visit the Tony Blair Sports Foundation here.

Picture copyright: Reuters