Tom Barrett posted on November 23, 2010 11:09
The Saints Foundation received a high profile endorsement recently when it was gifted the opportunity to display the Charity’s logo on the Club’s home shirt. The Foundation logo had pride of place at the home fixture v Peterborough on Saturday 20th November 2010, where the Saints ran out 4-1 winners.
The game is the first of five fixtures this season carrying the Saints Foundation brandwhich will help raise the profile of the charity and provide another boost to the Foundation’s ambitions of leaving a lasting legacy in the local area through its fund raising efforts.
First Team Manager Nigel Adkins (pictured) has given the idea his full support, explaining: “Southampton FC has a great reputation for its work in the community. Giving the Saints Foundation the home shirt as a platform to promote their brand is an excellent idea and I look forward to supporting their ambitions going forward.”
The scope of the Club’s work in the community has developed over the past 6 months and the Foundation has specific ambitions to become a fund raising charity as well as operating a successful sports delivery and education programme. It aims is to reach a £1 million fund raising target year on year and introduce a number of specific projects to help the needs of community groups less fortunate than most. The initial landmark and first project is to raise £150 000 which is required to build a Multi Use Games Area for the local St Marys Community just a stone’s throw from St Marys Stadium
Head of Saints Foundation Mark Abrahams explained the significance of the sponsorship opportunity: “To have the Saints Foundation brand visible on the home shirt is an incredible gesture by the Chairman and clearly demonstrates the importance he places on the Club’s work within the local community. We are working outside the traditional boundaries of the football industry, and it’s proving successful. We need to raise the profile of what we are doing and there’s no better place to do this than on the front of the first team shirt.”
Further games where Saints shirts will be carrying the Saints Foundation logo are:-
1st January 2011 v Exeter City
8th March 2011 v Yeovil Town
16th April 2011 v Bristol Rovers
25th April 2011 v Hartlepool United