Spar has once again teamed up with two-time Olympic gold medallist Irish boxing legend Kellie Harrington to announce the winners of Spar’s ‘Stay in the Game’ competition.
Spar officially launched the competition – a key initiative of the Spar Community Fund 2024 – in May and it aimed to empower teenage girls in sports while addressing the challenges they face while sustaining participation.
Led by Harrington, the competition invited the public to nominate a local club or school making a difference in the participation and empowerment of young girls in sport.
Entrants had the chance to win one of five €2,000 prizes and a unique opportunity to meet and engage with Harrington in an interactive Spar ‘Stay in the Game’ workshop.
A total of 279 clubs entered from all over Ireland and the winning clubs are Aglish Boxing Club, Co. Mayo, Flesk Valley Rowing Club, Co. Kerry, Kildallan LGFA, Co. Cavan, Kevins Hurling and Camogie Club, Dublin and Rathdrum Girls Rugby Club, Co. Wicklow.
Each club will receive a prize fund, and two members of each club took part in the interactive workshop with Harrington.
Serving as an ambassador since 2021, Harrington and Spar have now worked together on four Community Fund projects.
With more than 400 Spar stores rooted in communities around Ireland, the retailer has always been a supporter of sport at a local and national level.
This campaign is an extension of Spar’s commitment to communities, with the Community Fund having distributed nearly €100,000 to local clubs, groups and associations across the country since the fund’s establishment in 2021.
‘Creating Real Change’
The sales director of Spar Colin Donnelly said of the initiative,
“It has been fantastic to see the engagement from schools and clubs in the Spar ‘Stay in the Game’ competition and to hear about and see the work being done around local communities.
“The deserved winners are creating real change for teenage girls in sport in their local areas.
“This is the aim of our campaign here at Spar, and to see such positive impacts on lives across Ireland from sport this summer has been special.
“We are so proud to have Kellie Harrington as our ambassador – she is a real role model for teenage girls across Ireland.
“To be able to give young girls across the country an opportunity to meet her and interact with her will inspire them and show the possibilities of sport if you stick with it and work hard.”
Harrington added, “I am incredibly proud to work with Spar as a brand ambassador and to support the ‘Stay in the Game’ competition.
“The work that is being done in local communities is remarkable to see and to be able to play even a small part in that is a privilege.
“Investment and support given to community funded sports clubs is something that is very important to me and it is a huge part of why I am where I am today and why I get to represent Ireland on the world stage.”
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