Maxol has signed up to become the title sponsor of Parks Tennis.
The Parks Tennis organisation has been running on a voluntary basis for nearly 40 years and provides tennis coaching at grass roots level to 25,000 girls and boys between 5 and 17 years old.
Its aim is to bring tennis coaching at a very low cost to children from all social backgrounds, and it sets up during the summer at 150 tennis facilities in communities nationwide.
In Dublin, Cork, and Belfast, the Parks Tennis programme operates all year round, and is supported by the Irish Sports Council and Tennis Ireland.
Commenting on the Maxol Parks Tennis partnership, Fergal Harrington, Group Brand Development Manager, Maxol said
“Partnering with Parks Tennis is a unique opportunity for Maxol to support an All-Ireland community sports programme, which since 1977 has focused on fun, participation and social integration – all values important to Maxol,” said Group Brand Development Manager Fergal Harrington.
“Many of Maxol’s 230 service stations and the business people and their families who run them are at the heart of the same communities where the tennis facilities are located and Maxol is supporting Parks Tennis to ensure that as many children as possible get the opportunity to give tennis a try – a sport which can be played throughout their lives.”
“Parks tennis was my first memory of tennis,” said Irish international James Cluskey who helped launch the new partnership.
“I was first introduced to the game through Parks and I loved it. I was quite shy as a kid and the program gave me a great social outlet to make new friends and play tennis. I want to see every child in Ireland try tennis at some point and Parks Tennis gives every them the opportunity to do this.”
The programme is at the heart of what community sport is all about and gives a powerful branding message for Maxol. Topaz is also tapping into local clubs through a high profile ‘Cash for Clubs’ stamps programme currently running through its own 330 stores across the country.
