The Variety Club, one of UK's longest running charities dedicated to sick, disabled and disadvantaged children and young people, hosted the inaugural Reach for the Stars fundraising dinner on 26 November at The Plaisterers' Hall in London.

The event was organised by The Variety Club Disability Sports Committee in partnership with SportsAid and was attended by a glitterati of Paralympics sporting stars, who converged to applaud the potential future winners of Great Britain. The official 1948 Olympic Torch from the last Olympic Games to be held in London, was also on display, to encourage and unite the athletes in their quest to achieve their Paralympics dream.

Triple Paralympics Gold Medallist Giles Long, Olympic Swimmer and Strictly Come Dancing contestant Mark Foster, and Cricketing prodigy Owais Shah, launched the new grants programme which aims to support in providing equipment, training and travel costs for young, disabled athletes looking to enter the 2012 Paralympics Games in London. Other sporting talent in attendance included Tom Aggar, Rowing Paralympics Gold Medallist; Ian Rose, Judo Paralympics Bronze Medallist; Vicki Hansford, Rowing Paralympics Bronze medallist.

As Government funding for young disabled athletes has been severely reduced post the Beijing Paralympics, leaving many of the highest standard athletes who meet SportsAid's challenging criteria of athletic prowess without the necessary financial support, The Variety Club Disability Sports Committee has been working relentlessly to raise funds for specialised equipment, training, and the resources needed to support these special athletes through months and years of preparation towards the 2012 Paralympics Games in London.

Anne Wadsworth, Chairman of The Variety Club Disability Sports Committee, commented: "Reach for the Stars is an event with one aim - to help deserving young people, who are already giving everything that is within their power to give, to "Reach for the Stars" in 2012. Each dream that comes true, against all the odds, is such an inspiration to all of us, and most of all to those who face the challenge of living with disability and nurture dreams of overcoming the barriers which they face. The Variety Club has been helping sick, disabled and disadvantaged children and young people for 60 years. In partnership with SportsAid, we continue that proud tradition and write a new chapter, looking ahead to the London Paralympic Games."

The Variety Club Children's Charity has been helping sick, disabled and disadvantaged children and young people for 60 years. Celebrating its Diamond Jubilee this year, the charity has raised over £200 million and improved the lives of more than a million children and young people since its inception. Among its tireless work, the charity provides Sunshine Coaches, Easy Riders electric wheelchairs, exciting and educational trips, equipment for children's hospitals and life enhancing equipment.