Pictured at the launch which took at Ravenhill Stadium are Ulster Rugby players Jared Payne, Iain Henderson and Robbie Diack with Brian Donaldson, Chief Operating Officer of The Maxol Group and Primary 7 children from Elmgrove Primary School, Beersbridge Road, Belfast (left to right) Gemma McCullough (10), Joshua Fisher (11) and Kym Mitchell (11).
The Maxol Group has today announced its sponsorship of the Ulster Mini Rugby Programme. The partnership will see leading forecourt convenience retailer Maxol hold the title of the official sponsor of Ulster Mini Rugby until 2015.
Mini Rugby is the introductory level of the sport throughout Ulster in which boys and girls aged 6-12 gain their first taste of the sport and begin to learn the basic skills.
The sponsorship deal over 2 years includes 32 Mini Rugby Festivals which are expected to involve more than 4,000 children from over 44 local rugby clubs and 200 rugby-playing primary schools across Ulster. It marks a major investment by The Maxol Group in local sport across the region and is an ideal fit with the brand , reinforcing its brand ethos 'at the heart of' local communities across Northern Ireland.
Speaking at the announcement, Brian Donaldson, Chief Operating Officer of The Maxol Group, said:
"We are delighted to be the new title sponsor of the Ulster Mini Rugby Programme. This is an excellent opportunity for Maxol and our retailers to demonstrate our commitment to grassroots rugby and really deliver on our brand position to be 'at the heart of it' across all of the local communities in Ulster. Maxol is one of the oldest family owned businesses in Ireland and today we offer a modern network of some 100 service stations in the province, all of which are independently operated by local people and we are all looking forward to building closer relationships with many of our customers who are huge rugby fans. We are thrilled to be associated with such a recognised and well established brand like Ulster Rugby. We have a fantastic programme of events planned for the next 2 years and look forward to playing our part in developing the next generation of top rugby players in Ulster......... let the games begin!"
The partnership was welcomed by Phillip Polack, Business Development Manager of Ulster Rugby, who said:
"At Ulster Rugby we really want to give kids a taste for the sport at an early age and help to develop and nurture their relationship with the sport. Maxol really supports local communities through its extensive network of service stations, so it is a great partner for our Mini Rugby Programme."
The Mini Rugby Festivals supported by Maxol will kick off on 30th November at Newry and Limavady Rugby Clubs, where children from surrounding clubs will take part in a series of rugby games. Each Festival will be attended by some well-known names from the Ulster Rugby squad who will meet and greet the young fans.
You can find out more about the Ulster Mini Rugby Programme by visiting www.ulsterrugby.com or visit www.maxol.com