TALENTED young athletes working towards their future as the next generation of British Olympians and Paralympians are reaping the benefits of £75,000 worth of charitable donations.

More than 80 sports stars have received financial backing from the Teesside Philanthropic Foundation over the last three years in a bid to help them chase their dreams of a competitive career.

The Foundation set up its Financial Assistance for Sportspeople (FAST) Fund to provide grants to sporting achievers who have the talent but not always the finances to excel in their chosen field.

A whole host of Teesside sports stars have reaped the benefit of FAST Fund cash since it was set up in 2016, including runners, swimmers, boxers, martial artists, wheelchair rugby players, rowers, and tennis and badminton players.

Alisdair Beveridge, of Philanthropic Foundation patrons The Build Directory, said the charity remains happy to help the region’s most promising sporting talent, as a group of FAST Fund recipients gathered for a celebratory event at the Cycle Velodrome next to Middlesbrough Sports Village.

Fitness enthusiast Alisdair, who boxed for Middlesbrough club Wellington ABC in his younger days, said: “Teesside has always been – and always will be – a hotbed of sporting talent.

“As a charity we’re only too happy to help give gifted athletes from the region a financial kick in the right direction if they need one as they go for gold in national and international competitions.

“And we remain firmly committed to giving Teesside sportspeople who need a bit of financial help to nudge them in the right direction in future."

Great Ayton brother and sister Ben and Betty Bergstrand were among the most recent FAST Fund grant winners, having recently starred at the Home Countries International Mountain Running Championships in Ireland.

Ben, 18, won an individual silver medal and led England to team gold, as 15-year-old Betty ran well to claim 19th place overall as the eighth England finisher on her national debut.

The siblings’ father Robin, a former world class mountain and fell runner, said: “I think the FAST Fund is excellent.

“Ben and Betty received £700 between them, which they used to buy things like running shoes and head torches, which are really important when they are out training on dark nights.”

Stockton weightlifter Kelly-Jo Robson finished sixth in her division on her Commonwealth Games debut this summer after receiving a second grant of more than £1,000 from the FAST Fund.

Ms Robson said: “It was amazing to compete at the Commonwealth Games after all of the FAST Fund’s help and I’m really aiming to win a medal at the next Commonwealth Games now after getting more valuable experience at the World Championships.”

For more information, visit fastfund.org.uk