Sponsorship extended, new community campaign launched

The Community Alliance between the Newcastle Knights and Coal & Allied is moving into an historic fourth year and will be boosted by a new community awareness campaign.

Coal & Allied is taking up an option for a fourth year in 2011 as naming rights sponsor of the Newcastle Knights under its current contract, adding to the original 2008-2010 contract, continuing the mining giant's support of the club since 2005.

Today, Coal & Allied Managing Director Bill Champion joined Newcastle Knights Chief Executive Officer Steve Burraston, Coach Rick Stone, Captain Kurt Gidley and players to make the announcement - and to unveil the "Play it Safe" campaign.

The "Play it Safe" campaign will promote messages to the community on simple steps that everyone can take to stay safe:

at home
at work
at school
at sport.

Safety is a core value for Coal & Allied, which as a workplace has the goal of zero injuries and strives to ensure everyone goes home safe and healthy each day.

Safety is also a core value for the Newcastle Knights, with injury prevention a major focus among players and staff across all levels.Today's launch featured new television commercials produced by the alliance partners, featuring the Newcastle Knights playing it safe in everyday situations such as mowing the lawn, and being safe with the environment by recycling bottles.

Future ads will focus on broader "Play it Safe" messages by continuing to promote key safety reminders and initiatives to raise awareness in the community.

"As the Community Alliance, we want to continue giving back to the community," Mr Champion said.

"We've had great success in the first three years of our alliance, and we want to take it to another level next year and use it to promote safety in all of our lives: at home, at work, at school, and in sport."

Mr Champion acknowledged that 2010 has been a tough year for the Newcastle Knights, with drug charges against two former players.

"Coal & Allied was of course disappointed as it goes against everything that we, as a zero drug and alcohol employer, stand for," Mr Champion said.

"However, we commend the club for its hardline stance against illicit behaviour, and we have supported the club by sharing our own zero drugs/zero alcohol policies with them.

"Drugs are a problem society-wide, not just for sports men and women, and as members of the community we all must acknowledge this. We hope that Play it Safe will help raise awareness of many different societal situations and help all of us make safety a core value."

Mr Burraston said the Knights' 2009 drug testing regime was well in excess of the NRL's requirements, and the club had also entered into a three year program with the Alcohol and Drug Foundation.

"We will also be extending random drug and alcohol testing across everyone within the club - not just the players - and we also plan to incorporate an anonymous whistleblower hotline for all employees at the club," Mr Burraston said.

"These are policies that Coal & Allied has in place which they have shared with us.

"This will give us the toughest anti drug and alcohol policy of any club within the NRL."

Mr Burraston said the players were enthusiastic about entering into a fourth year of the Community Alliance.

"Our Community Alliance with Coal & Allied is always looking for opportunities to bring the team to our local communities across Newcastle and the Hunter," Mr Burraston said.

"With Play it Safe, we look forward to continuing to bring sustainable benefits to the region into 2011, and more trips to our local communities to help bring positive outcomes.

"While we make an effort to please the fans on match days, it's definitely these trips to the local communities where we interact and engage with them that really make a difference."

In 2011 the Community Alliance will continue to take blitzes to regional communities and support educational programmes in schools; mentoring Indigenous students; and hosting a range of community events, junior football clinics, and health and wellness programmes.

Mr Champion said: "Coal & Allied has a long history with people in the Hunter and Newcastle, and our Community Alliance with the Knights is one of the ways that we contribute to the sustainability of the communities where we operate our mines."

Media contacts:
Newcastle Knights - Frank Barrett 0439 535 055
Coal & Allied - Alison Smith 0438 787 038

Media release - Sponsorship extended, new community campaign launched [PDF: 85 KB]