Department store Beales has signed up for a third consecutive year of sponsorship with AFC Bournemouth.
The long-established business will again continue as official partner of the club’s Community Sports Trust.
The store is sponsoring the Bournemouth region of Premier League Kicks for the 2019/20 season.
This hugely successful Premier League-backed scheme is run locally by AFC Bournemouth’s self-funding, non-profit Community Sports Trust (CST).
And last season more than 1,500 young people participated in the project which offers free football – 50 per cent up on the previous season
Beales chief executive officer Tony Brown said: “Beales was established in Bournemouth in 1881 and is still trading on the original site. We are very much part of the fabric of the town.
“Therefore it is incumbent on us as such a long-standing business to give something back to the community we serve – supporting Premier League Kicks is the ideal way.
“This excellent initiative helps so many young people to stay fit and healthy in a safe environment and I was so pleased to see that the number taking part is on the increase.
“Both Beales and AFC Bournemouth are iconic brands at the heart of the town and there is every reason why we should extend our fruitful relationship.”
Amy Marks, the club’s Partnerships Manager, said: “I am so pleased that Beales has signed up with AFC Bournemouth for a third successive season and will continue to sponsor Premier league Kicks.
“The support we receive from local businesses such as Beales is second-to-none and we look forward to working closely together with the department store throughout the season.
“Beales staff will have the opportunity to engage and volunteer in the Bournemouth Premier League Kicks sessions and the store will be advertising at Vitality Stadium.”
CST head Steve Cuss said: “We are grateful to Beales for the continued sponsorship of our Premier League Kicks project, which continues to grow season by season.
“We now have nine sessions a week at AFC Bournemouth or the Bourne Academy catering for boys and girls between the ages of eight to 19 – and this is likely to expand.
“Last season more than 1,550 young people took part in our sessions and our activities included fixtures against Crystal Palace and Watford, as well as a south coast tournament with Southampton, Reading and Portsmouth.
“Players from our sessions also took part in the Premier League Kicks Cup, a national tournament. Sadly, the boys didn’t make it out of the group stages, but the girls reached the semi-final.”
The Beales store in Old Christchurch Road house a collection of official AFC Bournemouth merchandise, including replica kits for adults and children, training wear for both adults and kids, plus men’s fashion, souvenirs and accessories.
In Poole’s Dolphin Centre Beales store there are home and away shirts, socks and shorts for adults and children and a limited amount of adult training wear due to space restrictions.