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Balfour Beatty plc has today announced a six year association with Europe’s largest annual young people’s multi-games competition, The London Youth Games.
The international engineering, construction and services group will support the London Youth Games and local grass roots sport development, investing £1.7 million from now until 2013.
Ian Tyler, Balfour Beatty Chief Executive said, “Balfour Beatty’s role is to create and care for physical infrastructure on which we all depend. Wherever we operate we seek to add social benefits to the physical improvements our work delivers.
“Our commitment to sponsor and support the London Youth Games through to 2013 reflects both the enormous amount of work we carry out in the Capital and our recognition of the benefits that sports participation can bring, in terms of personal well-being, social cohesion and opportunities to grow.”
The London Youth Games, which celebrated its 30th anniversary this year, invites over 25,000 young Londoners from all over the city to compete in over 30 different sports, providing them the opportunity to represent their local Borough or school.
British 400m world champion Christine Ohuruogu showed her continued support for the event that acted as a stepping stone to her international success, “Having taken part myself in the London Youth Games, I know how exciting and positive they are for athletics.
“This type of investment towards the London Youth Games is great news for the sport and the city. With such strong backing the games are sure to develop even further, nurturing some of the most promising talent the city has to offer.”
Former World Indoor 800m medallist and London Youth Games participant, Jo Fenn was also on hand to give her support to the games and their new backing, “To receive support of this kind for a further six years is outstanding for the event and for up and coming young athletes.”
Anthony Kendall, Chairman of the London Youth Games added, “This announcement represents a seminal moment in the history of the London Youth Games, which has at its heart the ethos of involving as many young Londoners as possible in competitive sport.
“Balfour’s investment will allow us to fulfill our objectives of doubling participation in the London Youth Games by 2012.”
The annual London Youth Games are open to anyone aged between seven and 17. Each of the 32 London Boroughs and the City of London enters teams in as many of the 30 sports as possible. More details about the games can be found at www.londonyouthgames.org
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Notes to editors;
Balfour Beatty
In addition to its general support for the London Youth Games, Balfour Beatty has created a Sports Development Grant scheme in association with Help a London Child. Under the scheme all Boroughs applying receive £1,000 towards plans aimed at improving local facilitation and participation. Two special awards of £5,000 are made to outstanding applications, won last year by Lambeth and Hounslow.
Balfour Beatty is the UK’s leading construction company and London is an important area of operation. The company has recently completed modernisation work at Moorfields and Great Ormond St Hospitals and completed the construction of the new University College Hospital.
In the education sector, the company has refurbished schools in Tower Hamlets and is the concession company for Islington’s Building Schools for the Future scheme. It is building and upgrading affordable housing in a number of London boroughs, including Lewisham, Hackney and Hammersmith and Fulham.
The company maintains the roads in Westminster and all the premises and facilities for the Metropolitan Police in the northern part of the Capital.
Balfour Beatty has also started work on the upgrade and extension to the East London Line as part of the preparations for the 2012 Olympic Games.
London Youth Games
- The London Youth Games (LYG) is the largest youth sports event in Europe
- More than 25,000 young Londoners (ages 7 to 17) competing for their boroughs in more than 30 sports.
- Next year is the Games’ 31st anniversary and previous competitors include England footballers Ashley Cole and Ledley King, Olympic cycling gold medallist Bradley Wiggins and former javelin world record holder Steve Backley.
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