Sainsbury’s Pledges School Games Package
The UK’s Olympic and Paralympic sporting legacy was given a huge boost on Tuesday when Sainsbury’s pledged a £10 million package to support the new School Games Competition over the next four years.
A further £14 million from the Department of Health plus £8 million from Sport England will extend funding for School Games organisers from two years to four years, up to 2015.
Sponsorship from adidas also means that the 1,600 young athletes will be provided with sports kit.
Sainsbury’s recently announced David Beckham as the new ambassador for its Active Kids programme and future activity to encourage sport in schools.
The funding package, which aims to ensure that the School Games has a lasting legacy beyond 2012, was announced by Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport, Jeremy Hunt and Sainsbury’s Chief Executive Justin King.
To mark the announcement they were joined at Sainsbury’s Store Support Centre by Olympic Silver medallist Gail Emms, Paralympic hopeful Andy Lapthorne, Sport England Chair Richard Lewis, Youth Sport Trust Chief Executive Baroness Sue Campbell, British Paralympic Association Chief Executive Tim Hollingsworth and children from the City of London Academy in Southwark.
Mr Hunt said: ‘We are absolutely determined to leave a real and lasting legacy for young people fromLondon’s Olympic and Paralympic Games, and the Sainsbury’s School Games will help do just that. The fantastic funding package – from Sainsbury’s, adidas and the Department of Health – shows the commitment to completely transform competitive sport in schools. I want to thank Sainsbury’s and adidas for their generosity in helping to secure the future of the School Games beyond 2012.’
Sainsbury’s was previously headline sponsor of the UK School Games and the new sponsorship sees the supermarket build on its involvement in school sport.
Justin King, Sainsbury’s Chief Executive commented: ‘We are thrilled to announce our support for the School Games over the next four years. It will complement our Paralympic Games sponsorship perfectly and will add extra weight to our hugely successful Active Kids Scheme which is now in its 8th year.’
‘We have promoted a healthier and more active lifestyle for all for many years now and this new sponsorship will see us continue to build on that in 2012 and beyond.’
Meanwhile, Sainsbury’s has also launched its public nomination process for torch bearers of the Paralympic Torch – the last of the three campaigns run by the Presenting Partners.
The campaign will give customers in its stores across the UK an opportunity to nominate a team or individual from their local community who they feel has inspired them. The campaign will run until Tuesday 14th February.
