Boat maker Princess Yachts has partnered with Plymouth’s football and rugby clubs on a scheme that will benefit its employees and also children across the city.
Princess Yachts, the UK’s largest yacht manufacturer, has linked with Plymouth Argyle, Plymouth Albion and the charity Plymouth Children in Poverty (PCIP) to provide employees with discounted tickets, matchday sponsorship and activities for employees’ children and other young people in the Plymouth area.
The EFL League One football club will offer more than 1,000 opportunities for Princess Yachts staff to attend matches, host team-building activities with employees, and provide mascot opportunities and places at half-term courses for Princess employees’ children.
And through the partnership, more than £5,000 will be generated from donations for PCIP, in addition to 150 team shirts being donated to school and youth football clubs.
Meanwhile, with a ground near Princess Yachts’ Newport Street and South Yard factories, Albion now becomes a “key partner”, sponsoring coaching, match day events and summer clubs for children and featuring as a sponsor on the front of the Albion Women’s Team shirts. The contract will also provide Princess Yachts employees with discounted match tickets and reserved grandstand seating.
Princess Yachts will also sponsor Albion’s prestigious Project 150, which endeavours to develop a youth team and women’s team, with further support for Albion Academy which provides rugby training sessions for school children and young people.
PCIP works with partners in the private, public, charitable and educational sectors on projects to improve prospects for young people and Princess Yachts’ collaboration with the charity will help eradicate poverty in Plymouth.
And by raising the aspirations and achievements of under-privileged youngsters, Princess Yachts will be investing into the community by providing opportunities for young people through careers events and sponsored sporting opportunities such as “Super Saturdays” and summer camps with both Albion and Argyle.
Princess Yachts’ legal counsel Tom Lea will also sit on the working group for PCIP to provide a direct conduit between the two organisations.
Graham Maxa, chief financial officer, Princess Yachts, said: “During 2021, a working group was formed with representatives from Princess Yachts and Plymouth Argyle to explore a staff engagement programme.
“The team have since constructed a range of opportunities that will initially aim to target over 1,000 of our employees and their families. As a keen football supporter, I would like to see this as the starting point for developing a longer-term partnership..
“By combining this programme with the PCIP charity and the wider local school communities, this illustrates how the partnership of two Plymouth brands can drive support to the wider community.”
To celebrate the launch of the partnership, Princess Yachts hosted Argyle, Albion and PCIP at the Princess Exclusive boat show at the Royal William Yard.
Adrian Bratt, director, Princess Yachts, said: “The announcement of these critical local partnerships provides further demonstration of our support for both our employees and the local community now and into the future. We are delighted to be able to engage so proactively with the city.”
Andrew Parkinson, Argyle’s chief executive, said: “We are delighted to welcome Princess Yachts to the Argyle family, and look forward to working together. It is testament to the hard work and increasing reputation of the club and Argyle Community Trust that such a high-profile and reputable organisation would seek to partner with us.
“Not only does this partnership offer traditional commercial opportunities through ticketing and branding at Home Park, the involvement of our Trust ensures a rounded and community-focused approach to the partnership.”
James Greenacre, Argyle’s head of commercial operations, said: “This is a unique partnership within football, two of the most prominent South West brands working together to achieve something positive.
“It is great to see Princess Yachts sees the value of partnership with our forward-thinking and ambitious club. It is a sign of how far the club has travelled in a short space of time, and how much potential we have for further growth. Alongside the Argyle Community Trust, we look forward to working together to create a successful partnership.”
Chris Bentley, commercial manager, Plymouth Albion, said: “We are delighted to welcome Princess Yachts to the key sponsor tier at the club with a very ambitious sponsorship agreement. With Albion about to launch our very own Project 150 initiative, this is a real fillip. We can't wait to see the positive effect this will have for the Devonport community and Princess staff.”
In May 2021, PCIP launched its first Intervention Road Map, offering intervention points for young people from nursery engagement, to the Year 9 Superkids Project supporting children and young people.
Maurice West, chair for The Plymouth Drake Foundation, said: “This major partnership with Princess Yachts comes at a significant time for The Plymouth Drake Foundation and our Plymouth Children in Poverty initiative. As the strictures caused by the Covid pandemic ease, our project aimed at overcoming child poverty has been gathering pace.
“As one of Plymouth’s largest employers, Princess Yachts has much to offer in our quest to eradicate child poverty, not least some fantastic training and career opportunities as part of their highly-skilled workforce. I am sure this partnership will grow and go from strength to strength over the coming years and Plymouth will be a better place because of it.”
