Investec to sponsor British Women's Hockey teams
Finance giant Investec has signed a five-year deal to sponsor the England and Great Britain women's hockey teams.
The sponsorship begins with England's participation in the EuroHockey Nations Championships in Germany this month. The team will sport Investec's logo on its shirts throughout the tournament, which is being screened by the BBC.
The "landmark" deal, agreed for an undisclosed sum, will also help fund schemes including Quicksticks, a version of hockey for primary school children, the England Hockey League Women's Premier Division and Conferences and The London Cup.
English Hockey's CEO, Sally Munday, said it would benefit the sport at all levels.
"The partnership with Investec will make a tangible difference at grassroots level as we continue to invest in initiatives encouraging greater participation within schools and our clubs," Munday said.
As for why Investec has decided to invest in hockey, the firm's global head of marketing, Raymond van Niekerk, said: "We began sponsoring the South African women’s team last year and have expanded our backing of the sport as it symbolises commitment, enthusiasm, skill and personal development.
"The range of support goes from grassroots kids' hockey all the way to the senior national teams. We are very excited about working with the England and GB Hockey women in the years to come.”