Duchess of Cambridge praises SportsAid after 40 years supporting British athletes

Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cambridge has praised SportsAid's contribution to British sport as the charity celebrates 40 years of supporting the next generation of athletes.

For the last three years, The Duchess has been a patron of the charity which helped fund and support 47 of Britain's Olympic and Paralympic gold medallists at London 2012 at some stage of their careers.

Household sporting names - Jessica Ennis-Hill, Mo Farah, Bradley Wiggins and Steve Redgrave - are among SportsAid's alumni, receiving assistance from the organisation at the critical early stages of their careers - long before they were widely known by the British public.

"In the last 40 years, SportsAid has given a helping hand to talented young sports people across the United Kingdom," The Duchess said in a special birthday message to the charity.

"I have been fortunate enough to meet many current and former athletes who have benefitted from the charity's support. It is always incredibly clear how the help and recognition these athletes receive at such a crucial, formative stage of their sporting lives gives them that all important boost they need to fulfil their potential.

"As patron, I would like to wish SportsAid a very happy 40th birthday, and offer my best wishes to everyone who has played a part in their success. Thank you to those who have, and are, supporting SportsAid. Your efforts make a huge difference to thousands of young people and their families.

"Everyone involved in this great cause should be incredibly proud of the impact SportsAid has had on the success of British sport over the last four decades."

Established on April 8, 1976 - as part of a plan from the UK's first Sports Minister Denis Howell to improve performance - SportsAid now supports 1200 athletes across more than 60 different sports.

Tim Lawler, chief executive of SportsAid, said: "Today marks quite a milestone in the history of the charity. To think of how much has changed in day-to-day life since 1976, let alone in sport, perhaps underlines the significant and essential role SportsAid has played, and is playing, in British sport.

"In many ways, this role has been behind the scenes, away from the spotlight. The 40th anniversary year in 2016 provides a wonderful opportunity to shine that spotlight directly onto SportsAid to ensure many more people know about the charity, the impact of its work and how to get involved and directly support young talented British athletes.

"It's been said that SportsAid feels like a best kept secret in sport - we're hoping to change that."

The charity has announced the launch of the inaugural SportsAid Week, designed to raise awareness of the next generation of athletes with aspirations of competing at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

Four-time swimming Paralympic gold medallist Ellie Simmonds is supporting the initiative, scheduled to commence the week after the Rio 2016 Olympics and Paralympics.

"The support SportsAid gave to me when I was younger made a real difference so early on in my career," said Simmonds, who holds 10 world records in the sport.

"They recognised the potential I had and helped contribute towards covering the costs a young athlete and their family can face when training and competing.

"SportsAid Week is a great way for people across the country to show their support for the next generation of British athletes straight after the Rio Olympics and Paralympics.

"There will be lots of fun and exciting activities going on to help increase awareness of SportsAid and raise funds for the sports stars of the future. It's an exciting new initiative to get involved in."