North East Times and GiveToLocal agree new partnership

North East Times has announced a major partnership agreement with community sport organisation GiveToLocal.

The business publication will be working closely with GiveToLocal to publicise its new corporate offering to businesses across key sectors throughout the region.

John Duns, director at North East Times, is delighted with the new partnership and said: “GiveToLocal provides businesses and individuals with a unique platform to help sports clubs and organisations across a wide range of activities including football, cricket, rugby, basketball, athletics, tennis and many more.

“North East Times is an independent regional publishing business that sees the value of a close relationship between business and sport.

“Many sports clubs could not survive and thrive without local business support. This partnership is a great fit.”

Neil Gardiner (pictured), founder and CEO at GiveToLocal, shares John’s enthusiasm for a partnership built to benefit both parties and boost the support for grassroots sport across the region.

“We’re a national organisation with ambitious growth plans that is headquartered right here in the North East,” he explained.

“We’ve developed a unique corporate package that allows firms to combine their business development activity and corporate social responsibility objectives by supporting sports clubs and organisations and the great positive social impact delivered by those clubs within our communities.

“We are here to offer tangible help and guidance to clubs, while growing a network of like-minded corporates keen to make a difference to community sport and the wider community in general.

“We’re already supporting thousands of clubs nationally and want to help many, many more.

“We’re fortunate that the nature of our work enables us to continue to forge fantastic links with leading athletes and coaches at the very top of their game and these relationships can add genuine value to our corporate network.

“Once lockdown restrictions are eased further we have exciting plans to stage a series of corporate events backed by some of our biggest supporters.”

Les Ferdinand (football), Steve Harmison, Mark Wood (both cricket), Denis Betts (Rugby League), Stephen Miller (athletics) and Savannah Marshall (boxing) are among a whole host of well known names in North East sporting circles supporting GiveToLocal’s mission to put an additional £10m of funding into grassroots sport annually.

London-based, Google-backed payment provider GoCardless and premium sports equipment supplier Kitlocker have both entered into ambitious national partnerships with the Tyneside organisation.

And corporate supporters based in the North East who have agreed a national partnership also include fintech software firm Fintegrate and NHS-approved sleep service Sleepstation.

Neil feels North East Times can help GiveToLocal build on its growing reputation within the region’s business community and he added: “John and the team have lots to offer and we love their enthusiasm.

“We began to work with the North East Times earlier this year and it has gone so well that we have now entered into a partnership.

“It’s particularly good timing as we have recently made a senior hire with the appointment of David Broom to head up our new corporate relationships department.

“In addition, our media manager, Simon Rushworth, is a regular contributor to the North East Times and so there is already a strong link there and a recognition of the partnership’s obvious potential.”

Over the coming months, there will be a number of high-level announcements, both online and in print, through North East Times channels that will demonstrate the impact that GiveToLocal can make to bolster a corporate client’s marketing and business development objectives while also giving back to their community.

The partnership will be further boosted by marketing activity with North East England Chamber of Commerce publication – CONTACT. The magazine is published by the North East Times team and reaches the entire Chamber membership regionwide – more than 2,000 businesses.

“We have a close relationship with the Chamber and it makes sense for the GiveToLocal team to get their positive message out to members,” added John.

“Many already support local sport and will be interested to find out how GiveToLocal can support them.”

To find out more about GiveToLocal visit: www.givetolocal.com