A PRINT firm is donating £2,000 to an annual Tees Valley awards scheme.

Mawers Talbot Print, in Darlington, will co-sponsor the Arts Achiever Award, one of 14 Celebration of Learning Awards designed to recognise and reward the achievements of young people aged 13 to 24.

This year's awards were launched by Olympic gold medallist Tessa Sanderson in July.

She visited Centre North-East, in Middlesbrough, to address some of last year's winners and representatives from the Tees Valley learning community.

Mawers Talbot Print director Mike Challands said: "The Arts Achiever Award is a natural choice for us to sponsor and we are delighted to be involved with the Celebration of Learning Awards 2004.

"These awards are an all-too-rare chance for the achievements of young people to be recognised and rewarded.

"Businesses like ours are dependent on the next generation of talented young artists and designers and we are keen to do everything possible to encourage achievement in the arts."

Learning and Skills Council Tees Valley, Connexions Tees Valley and JobCentre Plus have jointly organised the awards, which are now into their second year following a highly successful inaugural event in 2003.

Nominations have begun in earnest within schools, colleges and learning providers throughout the region.

A shortlist will be drawn up by a panel of judges, including Mawers Talbot Print, and the winner will be announced at a ceremony at the Tall Trees Hotel, in Yarm, on November 26.