Emerald Life, the award-winning insurance provider that focuses on diversity and inclusion, has just announced a major partnership with gay-friendly London Falcons FC. Here’s the story from the people in the know.
It’s not unusual for an insurance company to do a sponsorship deal with a football team, but when both parties have a reputation as totally LGBT friendly then it becomes much more of a story of interest to Boyz readers.
London Falcons, who last month were crowned London Unity League champions, will benefit from this exciting deal in many ways. They will debut new 2017/18 strips and players from the club will be part of Emerald’s Family and Friends Program which opens the doors to discounts across Emerald products and access to special offers. Emerald will also work with the Falcons to continue to raise funds for important causes close to the team’s hearts. We spoke to key people on both sides about this special partnership.
Heidi McCormack, CEO of Emerald Life said: “Supporting grassroots, equality-facing initiatives that have a measurable impact addressing under-representation is what we do at Emerald. When the opportunity to support the Falcons came our way, we saw this as a great way to work with an organisation that embodies those values. We are proud that they are league champions and very excited to be supporting the Falcons as they enter their 12th year of driving change in sport.”
Peter Ransom, Manager, London Falcons FC added: “Sports and social groups are at the heart of any community. We started up London Falcons in 2006 with the aim of creating a diverse, inclusive space where gay and bisexual men feel comfortable to play football in a mixed, welcoming environment. Eleven years later we’re stronger than ever and were proud to lift the league title in 2016/17. However, running a club does cost a lot of money — be it pitch hire, referees, training equipment and, of course, the kits. I was delighted to meet Steve and Heidi at Emerald Life who have shown real enthusiasm to get involved and not just to sponsor the Falcons but also to help us push on and succeed with our aim of developing an additional team and entering a mainstream Saturday league in 2018/19.”
Brady Kingston, Captain London Falcons FC: “I had been out of football for seven years. Learning about the Falcons team came at the right time last year summer and I couldn’t wait to attend the first training session. From the first few minutes I knew I found a team full of characters and good players. As well as playing football I’ve always had an interest in coaching which the club have supported me with. Not only has my love for the game come back but being a Falcon introduced me to many great people who I’m lucky enough to now call friends. Outside of football we meet up regularly for nights out and socials which lead to quite a few sore heads! I’d encourage anyone looking for a team to attend one of our training sessions to meet up with the lads and see what we’re all about. I did this time last year and haven’t looked back since!”
If you’re interested in joining the Falcons or finding out more about the team, you can either visit their website, or pop along to their training session for free at Kennington Park on Tuesday, 11 July at 8pm.
emeraldlife.co.uk
londonfalcons.co.uk
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