Sainsbury’s announces a sponsorship deal that could secure England’s hopes for its youngest Olympic athletes in 2012.
Through a grass-roots deal, the supermarket will support the English Schools’ Athletic Association (ESAA), the English Schools’ Championships and its long established Awards Scheme for the next 3 years.
As part of its Active Kids schools programme, Sainsbury’s will ensure that the Association, and in particular the Championships, will have a secure and optimistic future. It is a further move by the supermarket to promote active and healthy lifestyles amongst children.
In recent years, the English Schools’ Championships have been hampered by lack of funding and the ESAA has faced an uncertain time in its financial ability to run competitions next year and beyond. A British sporting institution, the Championships have, with few exceptions, been the launch pad for all of the country’s athletics stars in past and recent times including Jonathan Edwards, Steve Cram, Sally Gunnell, Paul Dickenson, Kelly Holmes, Jason Gardener, Steve Backley and Darren Campbell.
The Minister for Sport, the Rt Hon Richard Caborn MP, has welcomed the sponsorship: “I am delighted that Sainsbury’s has agreed to sponsor The English Schools’ Athletic Association. This valuable partnership is essential in the drive to ensure that our young people continue to have the opportunity to participate and compete in a high quality environment. Many of our past Olympic medal winners were English Schools competitors and we look forwards to seeing our future 2012 champions first taking part in these national schools events”
Justin King, Sainsbury’s chief executive adds: “We are pleased to announce our partnership with the English Schools’ Athletic Association. The deal underpins both the English Schools’ Championships and the ESAA’s Award Scheme for children. This further extends Sainsbury’s commitment to school children and the promotion of active and healthy lifestyles. As part of our Active Kids initiative launched this year, a first for any supermarket in the UK, Sainsbury’s hopes to ensure that children will have many more opportunities in sport at every level well into the future.”
Jill Wright, Chairman of the ESAA also expressed delight at the new deal: “We welcome Sainsbury’s as a partner to the English Schools’ Athletic Association. It is a company that shares our heritage and we look forward to the future with them and continuing the work we have been doing at the heart of the community for the past 75 years.”
Former, Chairmen, Roger Blades and Edna Beveridge, still officers of the ESAA echo these words: “We are delighted that Sainsbury’s have come on board with the ESAA and look forward to working with them on some exciting plans to develop the programmes over the next three years.”
Enquiries:
Hannah Chance, Sainsbury’s Press Office
T: 020 7695 7295
