The SPAR Stay in the Game campaign aims to be a catalyst for teenage girls to sustain their sports participation, fostering confidence, providing life skills and lifelong wellness among young female athletes.
Irish boxer and SPAR Brand Ambassador Kellie Harrington has once again teamed up with SPAR for the launch of the SPAR Stay in the Game campaign as part of SPAR’s Community Fund 2024. As 1 in 5 young female teens quit sport at post primary school level, and only 11% meet physical activity guidelines[1], the ambition of this campaign is to encourage young females to develop a lifetime engagement with sport, experiencing all the positive benefits that this continued involvement will bring.
The SPAR Stay in the Game Campaign, which will run until the 30th June 2024, encourages the public to nominate a post-primary school or club in their community that is doing great work in fostering the continued participation of girls in sport. Nominated clubs and schools will be in with a chance to win one of five €2,000 prizes and a unique opportunity to meet and engage with Kellie Harrington in an interactive SPAR Stay in the Game workshop. To nominate a post-primary school or club please visit www.spar.ie/communityfund
The SPAR Stay in the Game campaign is the fourth collaboration between Kellie Harrington, who has been a Brand Ambassador since 2021, as part of the SPAR Community Fund Programme. With more than 400 SPAR stores rooted in communities all around Ireland, SPAR and its nationwide network of local community retailers have always been a major supporter of sport at national and local level. This campaign is an extension of the ongoing commitment that SPAR has to the communities in which it operates.
SPAR created the Community Fund Programme in 2021 with the purpose of providing funding for local clubs, groups, and associations across the country, which has amounted to nearly €100,000 over the three years to date.
SPAR Sales Director, Colin Donnelly said: “The statistics for the dropout rates of girls from participation in sports in their teenage years are stark. This year, as we launch the SPAR Stay in the Game campaign, we hope to encourage young girls to stay involved in sports and to showcase the important role sports can play in their development into adulthood. Kellie Harrington is the perfect partner for us in this campaign as she is an amazing role model for girls. Kellie is so open about her own journey and all the positive outcomes that have resulted from her participation in sport.
“This is the fourth year of the SPAR Community Fund and we’re delighted to continue to support local communities. We encourage people to nominate their sports clubs or schools for this year’s SPAR Stay in the Game campaign to be in with a chance of winning one of the fantastic prizes on offer.”
SPAR Brand Ambassador Kellie Harrington added: “I am proud to be a brand ambassador for SPAR in this Stay in the Game campaign. This is an initiative that is very close to my heart as it encourages young girls to stay with sports throughout their teens and into their adult life. Sport can have such a positive impact on their lives, and I have experienced this positive impact first-hand. I have had the privilege of representing Ireland at the highest level in boxing and this would not have been possible without the support of community funded sports clubs and boxing gyms.”
[1] Adolescent Girls Get Active//2022 Children’s Sport Participation Physical Activity Study
