The Co-operative Bank is partnering with ITV to sponsor the 2024 televised Sport Gives Back Awards.
The Sport Gives Back Awards were the brainchild of former international athlete and Track Academy founder Connie Henry, and recognise the role grassroots sport can play in addressing social challenges and celebrate the inspiring work of individuals, organisations and charities all over the UK who are changing lives and bringing local communities together through sport.
Winners were nominated by their respective charities to thank them for their work in their communities, and the awards will be aired on ITV1 and ITVX at 10.15pm on Sunday 24 March and available to stream on ITVX for a month.
The Co-operative Bank was thrilled to work with Sport Gives Back as headline sponsor of the awards due to its ethical brand alignment and commitment to charity and community organisations. Supporting local communities has been a fundamental part of The Co-operative Bank’s unique customer-led Ethical Policy for over 30 years and has informed its commitment to supporting businesses and individuals that make local communities better for all.
The Co-operative Bank will be featured in all of the sponsorship idents throughout the ITV broadcast, planned via marketing agency Hearts & Science. The idents, created with Manchester-based creative agency Dinosaur and photographer and filmmaker Percy Dean, depict the power that sport has to change people’s lives. The story was inspired by the many sports organisations and charities that have received funding through The Co-operative Bank’s Customer Donation Fund over the past 20 years, many of whom continue to make a positive difference to their communities.
The Co-operative Bank has committed to donating up to £20,000 from its Customer Donation Fund to existing Community Directplus customers who make a difference to their local community through sport throughout 2024.
The Communuty Directplus account offers registered charities, community interest companies, community benefit societies, co-operatives and credit unions an ethical way to bank, as well as the opportunity to apply for funding for special projects. Since the Customer Donation Fund was established in 2003, The Co-operative Bank has donated over £1.1million to local projects.
Deborah Darlington, brand, marketing and communications director at The Co-operative Bank, said: “We are so proud to be sponsoring this year’s Sport Gives Back Awards, and to be working with ITV. Sport Gives Back celebrates the invaluable work of those who change lives through sport.
“As an ethical bank, we’re proud to support community projects across the UK through our Customer Donation Fund. Our sponsorship idents and the wider campaign across marketing and social media channels demonstrates the power that sport can have to change and improve people’s lives.”
Richard Botchway, ITV Sport’s assistant commissioner, added: “We are looking forward to ITV broadcasting the Sport Gives Back Awards, highlighting the incredible impact and positive difference that sport has made in communities far and wide.”
