Shorts: Northampton Saints, Tour of Britain, Charlton Athletic

Northampton Saints have partnered with NEO WTR as the club’s official water supplier, providing players and staff with bottled water made from 100% Prevented Ocean Plastic.

The UK-based brand, which launched in June 2024, is Europe’s first drinks company to use bottles made entirely from ocean-bound plastic. It is stocked in Tesco and Sainsbury’s stores nationwide.

Northampton Saints play home matches at Cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens, a 15,000-capacity venue.

NEO WTR bottles are produced using discarded plastic collected from at-risk coastlines as part of a bottle-to-bottle recycling initiative. The brand sources its material from the Prevented Ocean Plastic programme, which invests in recycling infrastructure and offers fair pay to collectors in affected regions.

“Hydration is obviously key for our squad, and we’re excited to agree this new partnership with NEO WTR, who will play an important role in supporting our players with their training and matchday preparations,” said Ulundi Makhanya, Director of Commercial Partnerships at Northampton Saints.

The 2024 Tour of Britain races provided an economic boost of £30m for local economies, British Cycling has revealed.

According to the study led by YouGov, the men’s race generated £17.2m for local areas, while the women’s Tour of Britain delivered £10.4m.

In total, the races accounted for an impact of £21.2m and £11.9m respectively, or £33.3m in total.

The report says that 97% of respondents claimed they would attend a road cycling event again, while more than 85% said that the race had shone a positive light on their local area.

“We are really encouraged to see the huge impact the Lloyds Tour of Britain Women and Men is having across England, Scotland and Wales,” said Jonathan Day, Events Managing Director at British Cycling.

“The figures from the report demonstrate the huge social and economic impact these events have on communities across the UK.

“2024 was a huge success and we are excited to see the impact the 2025 Lloyds Tour of Britain has, and many more editions in thce future.”

League One outfit Charlton Athletic have signed a new partnership that designates Tangobet as the club’s betting partner.

The agreement takes immediate effect, and will run until the end of the 2025/26 season.

Through the new agreement, Tangobet will receive prominent brand visibility, including LED advertising, throughout The Valley, as well as social media promotion.

“Partnering with Charlton Athletic is a fantastic opportunity for Tangobet to connect with one of the most passionate and loyal fanbases in football,” said Kevin Volkan Aktas, CEO at Tangobet.

“We are committed to creating unforgettable moments for Charlton supporters and showcasing our dedication to entertainment, innovation, and fan engagement. Together, we look forward to building something truly special.”

England Squash has partnered with Worker Bee Tea & Coffee as its Official Coffee Supplier, offering members a 15% discount on all products.

Worker Bee Tea & Coffee is a UK-based independent supplier of ethically sourced coffee, tea, and chocolate.

The agreement provides England Squash members with access to a range of products, including decaffeinated and vegan options.

Joey Barrington, Membership and Commercial Manager at England Squash said, “We’re excited to welcome a well-respected coffee brand such as Worker Bee Tea & Coffee into our growing portfolio of partners and provide an authentic coffee experience for our members.

“We know from talking to our members that there’s a strong interest in coffee which makes this partnership a great fit.”

Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) and the MCC Foundation have established the Global Refugee Cricket Fund to support displaced communities through cricket.

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has contributed £100,000 to launch the initiative, which aims to raise £1m through additional funding sources, including corporate sponsorships, government grants, and donations.

The fund will initially support Pitch Our Future, an Australian-led programme assisting former Afghanistan Women’s Cricket Team players who were forced to flee after the sport was banned in their home country.

The MCC Foundation has previously worked with organisations such as Cricket Without Boundaries and Alsama to deliver cricket-based programmes for displaced communities in Afghanistan, Rwanda, Serbia, Lebanon, Italy, and the UK. The new fund will expand these efforts, with a focus on empowering refugees, promoting women’s participation in cricket, and advocating for global inclusion in sport.

Dr Sarah Fane, Director of the MCC Foundation, said, “The cricket community must take action, to support the brave Afghan women, and to give hope that cricket can be a sport for any woman or girl. We hope the launch of the Fund will inspire other cricketing organisations to support this cause, and to unlock cricket’s power to unite communities around the globe.”

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