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Scott Dawson Advertising appointed to handle Accrington Stanley sponsorship

Historic local football club Accrington Stanley has appointed Scott Dawson Advertising to handle all their sponsorship as they aim to build on the phenomenal success of their 2015/16 season.

In an exciting season in which the League Two club attracted a new majority shareholder and got to the play-offs, the footballing world took notice of Accrington Stanley and the community spirit that surrounds it. Now the club is keen to build on its most successful season yet in the newly named English Football League by attracting sponsorship from local businesses.

David Burgess, Managing Director at Accrington Stanley FC, said:

“In the last 12 months we’ve attracted a new majority shareholder in Andy Holt whose investment has helped to secure a future for Accrington Stanley. We’ve attracted sponsorship from Andy Holt’s plastics manufacturing business What More UK and also from PlasticBoxShop, our shirt sponsor.

“Now we’re keen to work with other local businesses and have a range of sponsorship options available, or can tailor packages to suit them. We’ve appointed Murray Dawson to handle all our sponsorship since he’s very well connected locally and, as a Hyndburn lad himself, has the club’s best interests at heart.”

Murray Dawson, Managing Director of Scott Dawson Advertising, was instrumental in helping Accrington Stanley to begin building the relationship with Andy Holt which saw him take a majority share position of the club. Scott Dawson Advertising also brought to the club the current What More and PlasticBoxShop sponsorship deals, and has worked on the shirt sponsorship deal for the last five years.

Murray Dawson said:

“I became involved with Accrington Stanley through what I like to call our ‘community pride’ initiative. I’m a local lad, having grown up just down the road from Stanley in Clayton, and genuinely want to see the club do well. They had a wonderful first season with Andy Holt at the helm and that’s done a massive amount for the supporters and for community spirit. We’re keen to keep the momentum going, and I’m delighted that we’re now officially handling sponsorship on the club’s behalf.”

Scott Dawson Advertising will manage all sponsorship for Accrington Stanley for the next two years. Packages range from £100 up to £100,000, offering something to all sizes and types of businesses, from local tradespeople to international companies.

Business have the opportunity to sponsor individual matches, as well as match day programmes, the football, and the Accrington Stanley website.

Larger deals are on offer for the sponsorship of stands at the Wham Stadium. The club is hoping to attract sponsorship of £20,000 for the naming rights of the Clayton End stand which is currently undergoing major refurbishment work to return it to a standing terrace. Sponsorship of the Jack Barrett stand, which is being kitted out with new seating over the summer, is also available, as is that of the Coppice Terrace away supporters’ stand.

Murray added:

“Out of over 1,800 registered businesses in Hyndburn, there are over 250 with an asset value of over a million pounds. I’m hopeful that many of these will engage with the club by getting behind it financially. The sponsorship opportunities on offer will put their branding in front of the increasing number of supporters who pack into the Wham Stadium each match day, as well as those who support from afar. In the case of televised matches throughout the season, the audience is into the millions.”

For more information about Accrington Stanley sponsorship opportunities, businesses should get in touch with Murray Dawson at Scott Dawson Advertising by calling (01282) 426846 or emailing murray@scottdawson.co.uk.

To find out more about major refurbishment of the Wham Stadium over the summer, including the laying of a new pitch, visit the Accrington Stanley website www.accringtonstanley.co.uk.

Accrington Food Festival bursting with international flavours!

This weekend’s Accrington Food & Drink Festival will bring flavours from across the world to the heart of the town.

Let your taste buds travel with over 75 stalls of the finest food and drink from France, Italy, Greece, Turkey, Mexico, Malaysia, Nigeria, India – and beyond!

The food and drink festival on Saturday 4 June is a FREE ENTRY family event with something to appeal to all tastes and appetites. From Malaysian street food to authentic Italian pizza, savoury Turkish treats to Mexican churros, there’s a wide variety of international flavours on offer – plus local dishes too.

Murray Dawson of East Lancashire based Scott Dawson Advertising, organisers of the Accrington Food & Drink Festival, said:

“I’m an Accrington lad myself and keen for the food and drink festival to be a huge success, as part of our civic pride initiative. We’ve been working hard to top last year’s very successful event, bringing together a food market full of flavour for festival visitors.

Sweet treats will be on offer, including tasty crepes and pancakes

“Accrington’s 2015 food festival attracted over 10,000 people into the town centre. This year’s event is set to be even bigger and better, and with good weather forecast for the weekend we’re sure plenty of people from across Lancashire will come and join the fun.”

In addition to all the tempting smells and flavours of the food market, there’s a lot more to appeal to all the senses.

Watch the live cookery demonstrations in the theatre kitchen on Broadway. Celebrity chef Richard Fox will host a series of demos throughout the day from local chefs, as well as showcasing two of his own original recipes too.

Younger visitors to the festival can get creative in the Cakelicious children’s cake decorating competition in Accrington Market Hall. Bugs are the theme of this year’s competition, run by tutors and students from the new Roots Restaurant at Accrington & Rossendale College. It’s free to enter and one lucky winner will receive a sweet hamper from Sweet Treat Designs on Water Street.

Children can also get involved in the Dig For Victory seedling planting activity with Incredible Edibles and the Sandy Lane Gardening Group, which is taking place all day in the town centre.

A lively World War 2 re-enactment will take place in St James’ Church grounds at 1pm. It could be the last chance to see re-enactors with their deactivated guns following changes to EU rules regarding deactivated weapons. There’s also the chance to see a classic MkIX Spitfire plane outside the Town Hall, celebrating the 80^th anniversary of the RAF’s iconic Battle of Britain fighter’s first flight. Plus, commemorating the Accrington Pals centenary, actors the History Men, dressed as Accrington Pals soldiers, will be out and about in the town all day to add to the wartime flavour.

Oh My! are bringing their Malaysian street food to Accrington Food & Drink festival this weekend

And when it’s time to work off some calories, sponsor Simon Jersey’s Ride To Rio bikes will be in the Arndale. As designers of Team GB’s formal outfits for Rio 2016, Simon Jersey has set itself the challenge to pedal the 9,395 kilometres from their offices in Altham to the Brazilian capital. Visitors to the food festival can show their pedal power on the two Ride to Rio exercise bikes.

Free transport to the food festival is available on board a beautifully restored 1968 Leyland Titan double-decker bus from pick-up points in Great Harwood, Rishton, Baxenden, Church, Clayton-le-Moors, Huncoat, Oswaldtwistle, Rawtenstall and Haslingden.

Full details of the event on Saturday 4 June – including how to book a seat on this classic bus – are available at www.accringtonfoodfestival.co.uk. Festival programmes have also been delivered to around 35,000 local homes and 40 schools.

Keep in touch with news from Accrington Food Festival on the event’s Facebook page, or follow @accringtonfood on Twitter and Instagram.

New radio station’s ‘Big Build’ weekend

Help needed this weekend to get community venture ready

Ribble fm, the Ribble Valley’s new volunteer-run local radio station, is due to go live on air in July ─ but there’s a lot of work needed before the big launch.

The new fm station will broadcast a wide mix of community-focused programmes to the whole of the Ribble Valley from its studio based at The Grand, in the heart of Clitheroe.

But at the moment that ‘studio’ is little more than an empty room and now organisers are appealing for lots of help this weekend to get it ready for the launch.

“It’s absolutely fantastic that The Grand have offered us a home,” said Kath Lord-Green, station manager of the new not-for-profit community interest company.

“It’s a great base for us because The Grand is a buzzing arts and entertainment venue right in the heart of Ribble Valley’s principal town, but we need to do a lot of work to be ready to launch in July and we’re hoping community-minded local people will help and support us.”

To get the studios ready, organisers are planning a ‘DIY SOS Big Build’-style event this Saturday and Sunday, April 23^rd and 24th, appealing to local tradespeople, DIYers and anyone willing to roll up their sleeves and lend a hand.

“We need carpenters, plumbers, electricians, painters, carpet fitters, handymen and women ─ in fact anyone willing to give us a few hours of their time and skills,” said Kath. “We’ll also need materials so we’re appealing to local building supplies companies to get in touch, and to food businesses who might be able to donate food and drinks to keep our volunteers going.”

Anyone who thinks they might be able to help is asked to call Kath on 07921 072792 or fellow organiser Sharon Blake on 07739 682351. Helpers can also email kath@ribblefm.com, get in touch via Twitter @ribblefm or the station’s Facebook page (facebook.com/ribblefm) or just turn up ready to help from 10am on either day.

“With just over two months to our launch the panic’s starting to set in,” joked Kath, “but I know if the wonderful Ribble Valley community gets behind our ‘Big Build’ weekend we’ll take a giant leap towards being ready to flick the switch to go live on fm in July.”

In the run-up to the launch, Ribble fm is broadcasting online via its website at www.ribblefm.com

The website also has details of how volunteers can get involved with the new radio station, either behind the scenes or as on-air presenters. Local businesses can also find out about the various advertising and sponsorship opportunities available.