The Seeds of Yorkshire helping local potential Olympians and Paralympians for London 2012
Last updated 10/6/2008 11:42:46 AM
The Seeds of Yorkshire helping local potential Olympians and Paralympians for London 2012
A new scheme, "The Seeds of Yorkshire", to help local potential Olympians and Paralympians for London 2012 was launched on Thursday by Sports Minister Gerry Sutcliffe.
It was part of the celebrations to welcome home Yorkshire's medal winners from the Beijing Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Yorkshire Icons, which celebrates the region's successes, hosted the event at Headingley Carnegie Stadium where the guests included Gold medallists sailor Paul Goodison and rower Andy Triggs-Hodge from the Olympics with archer Danielle Brown and cyclist David Stone from the Paralympics.
The event was attended by around 30 of the athletes who took part in China along with family members and coaches.
The new scheme is designed to help provide financial support for Yorkshire's top sportsmen and women in the build-up to 2012 and 2016 and Sutcliffe, an MP for Bradford South, said: "It's going to be fantastic to celebrate the success of these athletes along with their coaches, families and friends - the people who have supported them in achieving their goals.
"Many of the athletes have used Yorkshire's fantastic facilities and support services to help them with their training, for example, the English Institute for Sport in Sheffield, the facilities at Leeds Metropolitan University and the John Charles Centre for Sport in Leeds.
"We have a lot to be positive about, looking ahead to 2012."
Nigel Larkman, of Yorkshire Icons Community Initiative, said: "In honour of the success the two teams have had, and indeed the inspiration and pride that they have brought to the county of Yorkshire, we felt it imperative that this should be recognised."