December 27, 2016
Laureus uses athletic outreach to reach youth
Mercedes-Benz U.K. and its dealer partners are showing their support for Laureus Sport for Good one sale at a time.
For each vehicle purchased and each car financed, Mercedes retailers and Mercedes-Benz Financial Services throughout the United Kingdom donate £1, or about $1.30, to the organization that combats crime, violence and disadvantage through athletic activity. Throughout 2016, the automaker has donated more than £350,000, or $429,000, to the cause, helping the foundation to expand its programs to 18 more cities in the country.
Sports support
Mercedes-Benz’s support has aided Laureus in the creation of 21 new projects. One of these is the Newcastle-based Netball4Change organized by The Change Foundation, which aims to empower young women.
Laureus is also reaching out to homeless youth in London and Manchester through a collaboration with The Running Charity, giving them the tools of fitness to help them change their lives. Children in need residing in Luton are similarly being uplifted through football.
"At the beginning of 2016 I asked our retail partners to help support Laureus and received their unanimous backing,” said Gary Savage, CEO, Mercedes-Benz U.K. “We are delighted to be able to give more young people throughout the U.K. a better chance by harnessing the power of sport.”
Mesut Ozil's visit to Laureus' Urban Stars London Project
Mercedes-Benz is slated to be the main sponsor of Laureus in the U.K. in 2017. The automaker’s support will help make the organization’s goal of helping 50,000 youth by 2018 a reality.
"The support of Mercedes-Benz has given a major boost to the work that Laureus does in the U.K. and this is having a dramatic effect on how many young people we are able to help," said Sean Fitzpatrick, academy chairman.
"I would like to thank Mercedes-Benz sincerely for its support,” he said. “Over the next few years this funding will enable us to put new programs in place and will revolutionize the impact that we are able to make, further proving how sport can change lives.”
Founded by Mercedes' parent company Daimler and luxury conglomerate Richemont, Laureus has found other supporters within the luxury industry.
For 10 years, Richemont-owned watchmaker IWC Schaffhausen has created a timepiece to benefit the organization.
This year's Portofino Automatic Moon Phase 37 Edition “Laureus Sport for Good Foundation” watch was limited to 1,500. Each timepiece caseback is engraved with the winning entry of IWC’s children’s drawing competition last year, an illustration of girls and boys playing ball by Eleni Partakki of Cyprus (see story).
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