Friday, January 04, 2019

GatesAir Lends Support to Local UK Football Club

From left: Sarisbury Sparks' Frankie Westerman, GatesAir's Managing Director of EMEA/India Andy McClelland, and Sarisbury Sparks coach Peter Westerman

Company spreads longtime USA community involvement initiatives to international regions

Headquartered in the USA city of Quincy, Illinois since 1922, GatesAir has long supported the community with sponsorships, events and other initiatives that give back to local residents and organizations.

As GatesAir grows its international presence, the company is expanding these initiatives to new regions. Among the first is a sponsorship for the Sarisbury Sparks U7 (under 7 years) football club.

A suburb of Southampton in England, Sarisbury is near the home of Andy McClelland, GatesAir’s recently hired Managing Director for EMEA and India. Andy’s son is a member of the team, and Andy is a former coach of a club within the same south coast league.

“Sarisbury Sparks has a strong reputation as a very professional organization that teaches kids respect for the sport, respect for their elders, and respect for each other,” said McClelland. “The team provides a foundation for kids beyond kicking about the street. This is exactly the kind of organization that GatesAir is proud to sponsor.”

The sponsorship covers three sets of gear for each player for home games, away games and training. Each set includes a branded track suit, windbreakers, a hat, gloves and numbered gear bags.

As McClelland explains, the sponsorship puts a community face to GatesAir, a company that is responsible for bringing sports into homes and businesses worldwide.

“Football remains the most popular sport on earth, and there are kids and families everywhere watching matches delivered from GatesAir transmitters,” he said. “We take our social responsibility very seriously, and this is one way to tell the world that there is more to GatesAir than equipment sales. We want to be invested in our communities and find new ways to give back.”