Dragons Rugby Toasted by Warburtons for Sixth Year Running
Warburtons is the toast of Newport Gwent Dragons as they extend their sponsorship of the community department’s Gateway Rugby and Second Half schemes for a sixth consecutive season.
The Gateway Rugby Scheme is a sports education project where community development officers visit schools across Gwent to develop a variety of educational, social and behavioural skills among pupils.
The Second Half project invites schools to Rodney Parade where they can experience the stadium tour – to include the impressive ‘changing room experience’ – and a meet and greet with Dragons players within a comprehensive educational schedule.
The family baker’s sponsorship package also includes the Warburtons Gateway Challenge Trophy, a tag-rugby tournament between more than 100 primary schools in Gwent, as well as sponsorship of team-building days for children.
Also, healthy living posters featuring individual team player stickers and nutrition advice are handed out to youngsters during home matches and players will be attending a number of Warburtons healthy sandwich workshops, which take place in primary schools across South Wales to teach children about the benefits of a balanced diet.
Education officer at Newport Gwent Dragons, Phil James, said:
“Having Warburtons on board for the sixth season in a row is great news for the club. Clearly, there is a synergy between our businesses – both have a proud heritage and have a fundamentally strong core family ethos. The partnership has developed considerably since 2002 and has been the springboard for even better family-driven and family-friendly efforts on our part.”
David Williams, general manager of Warburtons bakery in Rogerstone, said that the partnership had worked well since the original agreement was signed in 2002. He said:
“When we embarked on the sponsorship trail, we were looking for a club that epitomised everything that Warburtons stood for.
“Warburtons is a family baker, still run by the fifth generation of the Warburton family, and Newport Gwent Dragons is very much attuned to our core values. The Dragons are family and community focused and are well known internationally as the family region. As a company, we are keen to promote the significance of exercise to children and educate them about healthy eating and active lifestyles. And with the Dragons on the doorstep of our Welsh bakery, there was no question of us continuing our support of the side’s ground-breaking schools’ projects, which are so highly regarded by other sports clubs across the UK.”
Warburtons is also sponsoring grass roots rugby activity with the Ospreys and Cardiff Blues.
