What were the key reasons behind the decision to sponsor this industry charity football match?

You only have to look at the work done by DEBRA (or attend one of the other fundraising events hosted by Martyn Rowley & Paul Glover) to understand that this charity is special. Their cause is emotionally invoking and you cannot help but be genuinely touched by the situation of the people they are helping. When the opportunity arose to get involved it was a straightforward decision.

How does this sponsorship align with your wider values and commitment to giving back?

We commit to helping a range of good causes throughout the year. It’s part of what we do and an integral part of working at S&G. In the last 12 months, our people have participated in 41 different events supporting 31 different charities. In addition, our people have proudly completed 639 hours of volunteering with an average of £755 raised per FTE.

What impact do you hope our £10,000 sponsorship will have for the charity and those it supports?

If we can help just one person improve their quality of life by supporting this event, then we will have achieved what we hoped.

What are you personally most looking forward to about the match?

We have two of our directors (Nick Stone & Nik Griffiths) playing on the Industry United team on the 31st March. Both were decent players back in their youth (Nick Stone was semi-professional) but that was 15 years ago. It will be interesting to see whether that talent has matured or faded over the years!

How do you think events like this help bring people together across the industry?

Despite the competitive tension sometimes, our industry is a very social environment, and you can’t operate within for more than a few years without knowing a lot of people.

We think that’s reflected in the camaraderie and gentle banter that’s being demonstrated by both NWVA and Industry United on social media in the build-up to the match! There will no doubt by a great turn-out of supporters on the day (and probably the evening before!).

If you had to sum up in one sentence why this sponsorship matters to you as a company, what would you say?

It’s the right thing to do!

How You Can Get Involved

Whether you’re attending the match, cheering from afar, or just want to support an incredible cause, every contribution makes a difference.

You can donate here: https://www.justgiving.com/page/nwva?utm_medium=FA&utm_source=WA

Learn more about DEBRA and their work: https://www.debra.org.uk/

We’re proud to stand alongside Industry United, and the wider industry community in supporting DEBRA, and we look forward to seeing many familiar faces at the London Stadium on 31 March.

Football, fundraising, and doing the right thing. That’s a match worth backing.