Taking place in Folgaria, in the northern Italian region Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtiro from 27 January to 3 February 2024, Special Olympics GB’s National Winter Games brings together 76 athletes with intellectual disabilities to compete in alpine skiing and ice-skating competitions.
As an event partner, Gallagher branding will be present at the competition venues in Folgaria. In addition the firm will support Special Olympics GB with volunteering and employees will have the opportunity to hear from the athletes involved. The agreement builds on Gallagher’s existing multi-year platinum partnership with Special Olympics International as the official sponsor of Special Olympics sport and coach programming, supporting the movement's mission to deliver the highest quality of coach training and sport experience to athletes.
“We’re incredibly grateful to Gallagher for such strong support for these first National Winter Games,” said Special Olympics GB Chief Executive Colin Dyer.
“Opportunities, such as a national or world games, are often the catalyst to instigating change in the lives of people with intellectual disabilities. Through these events, we’ve seen athletes commit to living healthier lifestyles, transform their levels of confidence and take steps to gain employment.
“However, taking such a large delegation of athletes with intellectual disabilities overseas requires extensive planning and considerable cost and we wouldn’t be able to do it without Gallagher and our wider partners.”
Special Olympics GB works with more than 6,600 children and adults with intellectual disabilities. Across England, Scotland and Wales its 95 accredited clubs provide sporting opportunities, which are delivered by a devoted team of 3,800 volunteers.
Michael Rea, CEO of Gallagher’s UK Retail business added: “We are thrilled to be a partner of the Special Olympics GB’s National Winter Games. This event celebrates inclusion and equality, values which are very important at Gallagher, and to know that through this partnership we get to play a role in empowering these athletes and helping them to live active and fulfilling lives is fantastic. We wish the very best of luck to all the participants and look forward to being involved in the games next month.”
