Huddersfield Town’s partnership soars to the next level!

Wed 11th May 2011 | Marketing & PR

Huddersfield Town today announced that the Club’s ground-breaking partnership with independent charity, the Yorkshire Air Ambulance has been extended for a third year.

Both parties intend to build upon an impressive, and record-breaking first two years.

Town’s announcement comes days after the completion of the ‘Pink Link Pedal for Pounds 2’ fund raising bike ride, which saw 168 riders including Town Chairman Dean Hoyle, cycle 260 miles to Brighton from the Stadium in Huddersfield.

The first year 2009/10

The Yorkshire Air Ambulance’s link with Town began back in 2009 when the pioneering ‘Keep it Up’ campaign was established.

The Campaign aims to establish sustainable income for the Yorkshire wide charity which has to raise £7,200 per day to continue their life-saving service. Half of the money raised through the campaign goes to YAA and half towards improving and developing the Club’s Academy.

During the first year, Town donated their main front of home shirt sponsorship package to the life-saving charity and the iconic red YAA logo adorned Town’s blue and white stripped kit.

By the end of the season the Club had smashed their initial target and raised £120,000 for the campaign.  The highlight was when 23 riders, including Dean Hoyle and Club Ambassador Andy Booth, cycled 242 miles to the Club’s first away game of the 2009/10 season at Southend, and in doing so raised over £50,000!

Town received fantastic support from fans of the Club during the inaugural year of the “Keep it Up” campaign, and as a result Town launched its new fundraising scheme for the 2010/11 season.

Current year 2010/11

The 2010/11 season heralded the launch of the “Knights of Yorkshire”.

Town and the YAA sought 100 heroes who were willing to go above and beyond the call of duty to raise at least £1,000 for the ‘Keep It Up’ campaign.

Within a few months 100 “Knights” had put themselves forward for the challenge; with many raising more than the suggested £1,000 since the launch of the initiative.

Following on from the success of the first bike ride, Dean Hoyle launched “Pedal for Pounds 2 – With Dean to the Withdean”

The Club received a massive amount of interest from willing cyclists and in the end had to limit the number of entrants. In the end 168 riders completed the gruelling 260 mile ride to Town’s last regular away season fixture at Brighton.  They are expected to have raised around £200,000.

Town’s Chief Executive Nigel Clibbens paid tribute in saying:

“Our partnership with the Yorkshire Air Ambulance has been a massive triumph and has gone from strength to strength during the first two years. The pioneering ‘Keep it Up’ campaign has highlighted the success of the partnership – by the end of this season we hope to have raised over £375,000 in total for the life saving charity and our Academy.

“The Yorkshire Air Ambulance provides a life saving service and as “The Yorkshire Club” we will do everything we can to help support the work they do.

“The 2010/11 ‘Keep it Up’ Campaign will be a very hard act to follow but I am sure the third year will prove even more exciting and successful that the last.”

Paul Gowland, Director of Fundraising at the YAA commented:

“When we entered into the partnership with Huddersfield Town two years ago, we were entering the unknown – nothing like this had been done before.  We knew the partnership would be a success, however, back then I don’t think we could have anticipated just how successful our partnership has been – it really has been a fantastic triumph not only for the YAA, but also the football club too.  We are delighted that Town wish to extend our partnership into a third year and would like to pass our grateful thanks to Dean and his team for all the hard work and effort they have put in over the last few years in making the ‘Keep It Up’ campaign so successful, working alongside our own colleagues.

“We would also like to extend our thanks not only to our own supporters, but also the Town fans, that have been so supportive too.  The recent success of the’ Pink Link Pedal for Pounds 2’ bike ride highlighted for us just how loyal and supportive the Towns fans are.  Hopefully we’ll have picked up a few more YAA fans along the way too!”

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