SPAR, the UK’s leading convenience store group, has been announced as a National Partner for the IAAF World Indoor Championships Birmingham 2018. As part of the agreement SPAR will provide the workforce and volunteers with packed meals and will also supply SPAR own label wine at the hospitality events associated with the Championships.
SPAR join Birmingham Airport and Toyo Tires as a National Partner for the Championships, which will be held at Arena Birmingham from the 1 to 4 March. The Championships will be the biggest indoor sports event to be held in the city for 15 years and it will be the first time any country has held the outdoor and indoor world championships back to back, following London’s successful staging of the IAAF World Championships last year.
SPAR recently announced a three year sponsorship deal with British Athletics that provides wide-ranging support to athletics, through to the end of 2020. As part of that agreement, SPAR became the title partner of the British Athletics Indoor Championships for the next three years and the 2018 edition of this event was held in Birmingham earlier this month.
Championships Director, Joan Durose, said: “We are delighted to welcome SPAR as a National Partner for the IAAF World Indoor Championships, as they have such a strong track record in supporting athletics. It is important that our workforce and volunteers are fed well, while on duty, so we are especially grateful to SPAR for providing healthy meals for those people working at the Championships.”
SPAR started with one Dutch store in 1932 and is now the world’s largest food retail voluntary chain with over 12,500 stores worldwide. In the UK alone, SPAR has more than 2,600 stores, employs over 40,000 people and has a combined turnover in excess of £12billion.
Debbie Robinson, Managing Director SPAR (UK) Ltd, said: “We are proud to be part of such a prestigious event and fully support the Great Britain and NI team as they compete on a global scale. It gives us the chance to work hand in hand with British Athletics providing healthy and nutritious SPAR brand products alongside sports and activity – everyone’s a winner!
“Being a National Partner for the IAAF World Indoor Championships is also a great opportunity to show our support to all athletes in the communities our stores serve, as well as those who’ve coached, supported, volunteered and cheered them on.”
The IAAF World Indoor Championships Birmingham 2018 is jointly organised by Birmingham City Council and British Athletics on behalf of the IAAF (the International Association of Athletics Federations).
Tickets for the IAAF World Indoor Championships Birmingham 2018 are selling fast but there are currently still some available for the first two sessions on the evening of Thursday 1 March and the morning of Friday 2 March. Each session is packed with athletics action and the opening night will see three straight finals with the medals in the women’s high jump, men’s high jump and women’s 3000m all up for grabs.
To buy tickets or register for updates on the Championships, go to www.wicbirmingham2018.com.
