Blair to close sports foundation after decade of work in the north east

Tony Blair is to close his sports foundation, one of three charities he set up after leaving office, saying that it has “reached the end of its natural life” after a decade.

The foundation was created to increase the number of coaches working with children across the North East in a range of sports.

“From its early beginnings 10 years ago, even though we were ambitious for the organisation, I could not have predicted that it would turn out to be the amazing success that it has been,” the former prime minister said in a statement.

Blair has been winding down various projects as he seeks to focus on his new Institute for Global Change, a new non-profit studying globalisation.

Last night Blair was accused by the Daily Telegraph of receiving “secret funding” from the United Arab Emirates for his work as a Middle East envoy. A spokesman for Blair said the UAE money did not go to him personally and was “quite separate from the funding of the Office of the Quartet representative”.

Yesterday Blair, a former north east MP, listed the achievements of the sports charity, saying: “The Foundation has recruited, trained and placed 6,132 coaches with sports clubs across the north east, working with representatives from 10 sports. It has organised competitions such as the Tennis Cup Challenge, and in one year, saw 439 schools and more than 3,400 children take part. Working with Concept2, the Foundation introduced the hugely successful Get Going, Get Rowing in secondary schools which has seen thousands of north east pupils taking part over the years.

“When I stood down as MP for Sedgefield I wanted to repay the kindness, generosity and support given to me by the people in the constituency and the wider region. That is why I decided to set up and personally finance the Sports Foundation.”

It was managed by Blair’s former constituency office manager Jeanette Pickard, and he praised the “leadership, passion and commitment” shown by her and other staff member Arlene Ainsley.

Funding over the years has largely come from Blair himself. Accounts show that the foundation’s income has dropped considerably in the last few years.