Norwich Union, the number one sponsor of UK Athletics since 1999, is sponsoring Channel 4’s brand new show, Ian Wright’s Unfit Kids from the beginning of September to showcase its support for grassroots sport to a wider audience.
Norwich Union, the number one sponsor of UK Athletics since 1999, is sponsoring Channel 4’s brand new show, Ian Wright’s Unfit Kids from the beginning of September to showcase its support for grassroots sport to a wider audience.
Arsenal football legend Ian Wright attempts to improve the health of eight out-of-shape north London teenagers. Over six months, Wright works intensively with the exercise-shy youngsters to encourage them to adopt more active, energetic lifestyles. Throughout the series, Ian also explores the wider cultural issues that have contributed to the alarming rise in childhood obesity; a trend that medical experts suggest is a health disaster waiting to happen for the nation’s children.
Norwich Union recently announced that it is to extend its partnership with UK Athletics until 2012 with a Ł50 million investment that will help revolutionise the sport. By trebling its investment in grassroots athletics, it is estimated that by 2012 over 10 million children, 1.5 million families and over 100,000 teachers in nearly every school in the country will have been engaged in Norwich Union initiatives.
Tanya Veingard, head of sponsorship and corporate social responsibility at Norwich Union, said: “Our grassroots athletics schemes already engage over a million children each year and continue to grow. We already work with Kelly Holmes and other high profile athletes to educate, inspire and facilitate more sporting opportunities for children across the country inside and outside school hours. The sponsorship of Ian Wright’s Unfit Kids is a natural extension of this and an ideal vehicle to help take our support for school sport to a much wider audience. We hope it will make a real difference to the way people view the importance of school sport and an active lifestyle.”
The deal includes broadcast sponsorship of three x 60 minute episodes on Channel 4 and repeat episodes showing on More4. The sponsorship also includes red button interactivity within the sponsorship bumpers, viewers can request a brochure which features advice for parents on how to help and encourage their children to exercise both in and out of school.
OMD Fuse negotiated the deal with Channel 4 sponsorship.
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For more information contact:
Becky Oxley at Channel 4
Telephone: 0207 306 3751
E-mail: boxley@channel4.co.uk
Tanya Veingard at Norwich Union
Telephone: 0207 662 3616
E-mail: tanya.veingard@norwich-union.co.uk
More information can be found on Norwich Union’s website at www.norwichunion.com/sponsorship/