Triple Olympic champion Pete Reed OBE has backed London Youth Rowing’s Active Row programme to be among the winners at November’s National Lottery Awards.

This year’s ceremony marks the 25th Birthday of the National Lottery and will celebrate the success of the UK’s favourite National Lottery-funded programmes and people.

Active Row – who train at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in London – are finalists alongside nine other projects in the Best Sports Project category.

The scheme was launched in October 2017 with the mission to get 8,000 more young people active within four years and have received £1.3 million of National Lottery funding through Sport England.

Active Row currently works with over 70 state secondary schools across the capital, and Reed, 37, believes they are deserving of the £10,000 prize.

He said: “Active Row changes lives because of the effect it has on so many young people.

“There’s a real emphasis on reaching out to kids from all walks of life – whether it be that they haven’t got access to sport, they’re disabled, they’ve got learning difficulties or whatever – everyone is included.

“I believe rowing is the ultimate team sport and it gives them an opportunity they might not otherwise get to find their strength and be part of a team.

“Of course, I’m passionate about the sporting element of the project, but the knock-on effects of Active Row on confidence, fitness and health – mental health as well – is amazing.”

While recognising the importance of opening doors to those less likely to participate in sport, Reed explains how London Youth Rowing have increased the access of the sport generally compared to when he first picked up a pair of oars.

“I remember being particularly poor at sport when I was at school and it wasn’t until I was at university that I got introduced to rowing and found out I was good at it,” he said.

“I’ve been a friend of London Youth Rowing for many years because they’ve increased the opportunities to get involved in the sport – rather than it being quite an elitist sport 15 years ago, we’re reaching out to everyone in the UK now.

“The access now that these children have to such a wonderful sport is amazing - it could be a case that they try and it and find out they’re really good at it.

“I didn’t start until I was 20 so they’re already ahead of me, and there’s no reason why some of the kids Active Row help can’t be an Olympic champion at Paris 2024 or Los Angeles 2028.”

With the National Lottery having raised over £40 billion for good causes since its launch in 1994, Reed says the awards – at which there are eight other prizes besides Best Sports Project – is an exciting chance to reflect on the success across the country.

“It’s going to be a huge celebration for all of the finalists and there are some great causes.

“I’m really excited to hear all of the different projects that the National Lottery have contributed to, because it’s transformed sport as we know it.”