European Women's Wheelchair Basketball Championships

The FSB has been given a ringing government endorsement for sponsoring the European Women's Wheelchair Basketball Championships.

Sports Minister Gerry Sutcliffe, welcomed more than 100 athletes and staff from seven nations to Stoke Mandeville in Bucks, and said: "To the FSB I would say it's a great pleasure to see how supportive this organisation that helps small businesses around the country has been. Thank you very much - it's important that sport is inclusive as we look forwards to 2012 for the Olympic and Paralympic Games."

Germany - the No.1 seeds - Holland, Spain, Italy, France, Turkey and hosts Great Britain are competing in the event which drew 11-th hour sponsorship from the FSB.

The sponsorships mirrors that of 25 years ago, when FSB members rallied around and raised the cash to fund the first modern Paralympic Games at the same venue.

Mr Sutcliffe added: "Paralympic sport is growing at a fantastic rate and we are delighted to see the success of our Paralympians such as in Beijing, which is down to tournaments like this."

MP Kate Hoey, England's first ever female Sports Minister and vice president of the Great Britain Wheelchair Basketball Association, added: "This tournament has taken many, many hours of work, particularly by the GBWBA supported by so many people.

"There is no doubt that without the FSB this competition would not have taken place."

Speaking at the official opening, FSB national chairman John Wright said: "The FSB stepped into the breach to sponsor these games  25v years after we did it the first time."