The Tony Blair Sports Foundation passed an important milestone today, when the first batch of local teachers were inducted into the Concept2 indoor rowing programme.

Nineteen teachers, drawn from 15 schools, were put through their paces at Sedgefield Community College by triple world rowing champion Tom Kay.

Kay, Master Instructor with Concept2, the world’s largest distributor of rowing machines, is overseeing the introduction of the activity into all 31 School Sports Partnerships in the North East. The aim is to eventually involve 70,000 children in more than 250 schools.

“Today’s group are the pioneers for the project “said Kay. “ We’ve been training them to deliver indoor rowing to children as a safe, healthy activity. It is about getting fit, and having fun.”

The project was launched in the Sedgefield SSP. Partnership Development Manager Diane Snowshill, who organised the training day, commented: “There is a real feeling that this is the start of something big. The children really relate to the challenge of indoor rowing, and the teachers have all enjoyed the insight Tom has given them.”

Jeanette Pickard, chief executive of the Tony Blair Sports Foundation, summed up: “It’s exciting to see our plans come to fruition. The beauty of this programme is that it creates a volunteer culture.

“In addition to the coaching roles the teachers undertake, Concept2 can train parents to assist them, or work with employees of local companies, who wish to give something back to their local communities.”

Indoor rowing is one of the four constituent sports of the TBSF. The other three are athletics, tennis and football.