PARALYMPIAN Claire Cashmore MBE has joined a host of other stars in pledging her support for a new foundation called DFY Sports.

The foundation is the brainchild of International Sports Consulting (ISC) and has been created to engage with young disadvantaged and disenfranchised children who don’t have access to the springboards that give others a head start in life.

The Team GB triathlete, who was born in Redditch, joins the likes of Team GB weightlifter Zoe Smith and rugby stars Joe Cokanasiga, Freddie Burns, Jacob Umaga, and Elliott Stooke as ambassadors for the foundation.

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DFY recently announced its fundraising launch and can only be backed if it hits the initial target of £10,000 in donations by September 18.

Founder Nick Robinson said: “We’re delighted to have the backing of Claire and a number of other ISC athletes as we aim to level the playing field for the next generation.

“Using some of the best sporting talent in the country as our DFY ambassadors and role models, we are bringing children unrivalled leadership, mentoring and coaching into the classroom and out on the field.

“We cannot make this happen without the support of our donors though and we are therefore appealing for people to give whatever they can.”

A seasoned paralympian, Cashmore made the switch to triathlon in 2016 after winning eight swimming medals across four Games and claimed the ITU Triathlon World Championship title last year.

Cashmore was awarded an MBE for her services to swimming after the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games and she remains a great ambassador for disability sport, as well as regularly giving motivational talks to children and adults.

As part of DFY’s fundraising launch, Cashmore is offering donors the chance to ‘Train with a Triathlon Paralympian World Champion’, and there are several other rewards available to those that donate including personalised video messages and signed memorabilia from DFY’s ambassadors.