Middlesbrough Foundation will feature as the club’s front-of-shirt sponsor this weekend, following a sponsorship donation by Kindred, Middlesbrough’s principal partner.
Following the gesture by Kindred, Middlesbrough Foundation’s logo will feature on the front of the men’s first-team shirts in its Championship league match against Hull City on 30 November.
Typically, the shirts display the logo of gambling operator Unibet, featuring Kindred’s responsible gambling message “Zero% Mission.”
Sam Mead, UK General Manager of Kindred, said: “Our relationship with Middlesbrough FC and their Foundation is a long-running, deep and supportive one. We are all aware, and incredibly proud of, the Foundation’s incredible work in the North-East community.
“As such, we are delighted to once again donate our normal front-of-shirt space to the Foundation for this weekend’s fixture against Hull City. In the spirit of what this weekend is all about, we would urge supporters to seek out the MFC’s outreach programmes, if they feel they could benefit from the various initiatives on offer.”
The Foundation focuses on uplifting aspirations and enhancing opportunities for young people and adults across Teesside. Its initiatives receive funding and support from the club’s commercial partners, including Kindred Group.
This move by Kindred is part of the club’s ‘Foundation Weekend,’ which aims to showcase the Foundation’s impactful work in the local community and raise awareness about the services and projects available to residents.
In September, Middlesbrough extended its partnership with the online gaming operator for another two years, building on a collaboration that began in 2018.
As part of the latest renewal, Kindred committed to supporting Middlesbrough’s community programmes, with a focus on the Middlesbrough Foundation’s men’s mental health initiative, Team Talk. This programme leverages the club’s players, manager and staff to engage men in discussions about their mental well-being.
Another recent initiative from the Foundation is Think With Your Feet, a programme designed to bring local men together to play football while providing a safe, respectful space to discuss mental health challenges.
Kindred directly supported Think With Your Feet, with a video that saw Middlesbrough player Isaiah Jones sitting down with a group of participants from the course where they chatted openly about mental health.
Mead directed supporters seeking more details to the Middlesbrough Foundation website: mfcfoundation.co.uk.
