Aston Villa put Acorns Children's Hospice on their shirts

Jun 3 2008 By Poppy Brady

ASTON Villa are teaming up with a children's hospice in a unique partnership deal that is making Premier league history.

The name of Acorns Children's Hospice Trust will be emblazoned across Villa's shirts for next season, instead of a lucrative commercial sponsor.

It is believed to be the first time a charity has taken the coveted space on a Premier League club's team kit.

The move echoes Spanish giants Barcelona whose shirts bear the Unicef crest.

Villa bosses say the new partnership "is more important and more valuable to us than any commercial opportunity".

The club approached Acorns, which cares for life-limited children and their families, after players and staff developed a strong relationship with the charity over the past two years.

Members of the team have met children, parents, nurses and Acorns chief executive David Strudley.

Apart from bringing smiles to the faces of sick children, Villa has already paid for 230 days worth of hospice care.

Duncan Riddle, Villa's head of community, said: "It is through these very personal connections that our relationship has evolved to the point where Aston Villa approached Acorns about becoming a partner and appearing on our match day shirt.

"The players have been so taken with the work being done at Acorns and it's touched some of them very much. It's been a real eye opener for them."

Mr Strudley said: "We are thrilled that Acorns' name will feature on the Aston Villa kit next season in this groundbreaking partnership.

"This opportunity will help us to reach the extra children who desperately need our help. Villa is helping to make this a reality for many of them."

Mr Riddle said the club was aware of the financial pressure to chase big name sponsors but added: "Aston Villa's history and heritage remain fundamental values that cannot be ignored and all these factors shaped our internal expectations regarding the sponsorship value of our shirt and the esteem in which we cherish whatever symbol appears on it.

"To some extent placing Acorns on our match day shirt is an experiment, but it is already an involvement with which we, as an organisation, feel incredibly positive.

"It is our hope that we are able to introduce this partnership to new and existing business relationships which will generate economic value to support the club's competitive ambitions and, at the same time, give a truly wonderful organisation a significant platform from which to touch more people."

He added that Villa and Acorns were planning a series of events that will "inform and celebrate the partner-ship on a local and national level".