Mcdonald’s Extends Grassroots Support

McDonald’s UK has renewed its partnership with the football associations that will see the global brand extend its commitment to improving the standard of grassroots football.

According to McDonald’s the new four-year programme will focus on supporting accredited grassroots clubs and their volunteers to raise the standards of grassroots football across the UK and improving the grassroots experience for young aspiring footballers.

As part of the new programme McDonald’s will be giving over 7,000 accredited clubs with a junior team, the opportunity to order a brand new strip every year for the next four seasons with the potential for over 250,000 kits to be distributed to clubs across the UK.

The new accredited club kit scheme is launched today (Tuesday) in England and will be rolled out in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland later in the year.

To celebrate the announcement, McDonald’s programme ambassador Aaron Ramsey joined players from Northolt-based Larkspur Rovers Football Club at Wembley Stadium connected by EE where the halfway line was transformed into a washing line full of new football kits for grassroots clubs.

The Arsenal and Wales midfielder commented: ‘I am really excited about being a part of the new McDonald’s football programme. It was a lot of fun launching the kit scheme today with Larkspur Rovers, one of the many fantastic FA Charter Standard clubs which operate across the UK. Grassroots clubs and their volunteers offer an incredible amount of time to providing local communities with footballing opportunities and it is so important that we support them in as many ways as possible to help them raise the standards of football that they offer.’

The FA’s General Secretary Alex Horne added: ‘The FA Charter Standard kitemark for grassroots clubs has been a priority for The Football Association over the last decade so we’re delighted that McDonald’s is renewing its commitment to supporting the programme for a further four years.’

‘FA Charter Standard provides great development opportunities for clubs whilst ensuring that boys and girls get to play football in a safe and friendly environment.’

‘McDonald’s has been a long-term advocate of the grassroots game in England and we look forward to building on the great work that’s already in place.’

McDonald’s UK managing director, Mark Hawthorne said: ‘McDonald’s has worked alongside the UK FAs for the last 12 years and during this time has helped thousands of UK clubs, enabling over 4 million kids to play good quality football. Our new partnership focuses on raising the standards at grassroots clubs from better safety, and better advice, to better kit and better recognition for volunteers. Over the next four years, each year we will work with the four Home Nation Football Associations and their official kit suppliers to give away brand new kits to every accredited club with a youth team across the UK.’