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Around 3500 capital kids will benefit from almost £50,000 of fresh investment into grass roots sport thanks to the 2010 Balfour Beatty Sports Development Grant Programme Awards with 95.8 Capital FM’s Help a London Child.

Eighteen London boroughs will receive investment to benefit 23 sports, with Barnet, Bromley, Haringey, Hounslow and Wandsworth each being awarded £5000 to develop opportunities for local youth.

The recipients were officially announced at a special reception in Whitehall on Wednesday night (10 February) presented by 95.8 Capital FM and former T4 presenter Margharita Taylor. 

The London Borough of Hounslow received £5000 towards a project aimed at increasing the numbers of girls and disabled youngsters in sports where participation is low. This will include taster sessions for girls in hockey, squash and volleyball and coaching sessions for boccia and disability football. Hounslow's Sport and Community Development Team has formed effective partnerships with local clubs Richmond Volleyball Club, Indian Gymkana Hockey Club and Brentford FC to help deliver this project and it's expected nearly 800 children will benefit.

"The majority of the children to benefit from the sports development grants will be introduced to a particular sporting activity for the first time ever," commented Jo Valks, community sport development manager. "Our aim to to create new opportunities and provide special coaching sessions for disabled young people and hundreds of girls in Hounslow to introduce them to volleyball, squah and hockey. 

Also in attendance were the Mayor of London’s advisor on sport Kate Hoey MP, most London Borough Mayors, four-time Paralympic swimmer Dervis Konuralp and Commonwealth Youth weightlifting champion Zoe Smith, the latter two have both competed at the Balfour Beatty London Youth Games.

This is the fourth year of the awards which has now seen a total of £175,000 invested into grass roots youth sport in London. During this time, the participation in the London Youth Games has risen to a record 47,000 children (including nearly 3,500 children with a disability). At the 2010 Balfour Beatty London Youth Games, 50,000 youngsters aged 7-18 are expected to take part across 30 sports.

Jo Valks said, "We're delighted to have the support of this grant to help raise the involvement of young people in the community through the London Yough Games.  As we move closer to the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games there is a real sense of a growing excitement for sport.

The Balfour Beatty London Youth Games are Europe’s largest annual youth sports event. Former participants at the London Youth Games include 2008 Beijing Olympic Gold medallists Christine Ohuruogu (athletics), Bradley Wiggins (cycling) and Mark Hunter (rowing). Christine Ohuruogu is the 2010 patron of the Games, she represented her borough of Newham in netball and athletics as a youngster.

To get involved in this year’s Balfour Beatty London Youth Games, go to www.londonyouthgames.org or contact the Community Sports Development team on 0845 456 2857.