The stadium at Hartpury University and Hartpury College has been renamed this October 2024, in a bid to raise awareness of a leading Gloucestershire charity and signify an exciting new partnership with one of the UK's best known telecommunications companies.
Hartpury University Stadium, which is home to Premiership Women's Rugby heavyweights Gloucester-Hartpury RFC and men's Championship club Hartpury University RFC, will now be called the ‘4ED Hartpury Stadium, with Vodafone’, both in support of the 4ED Foundation and as part of new sponsorship from Vodafone.
For the next three seasons, 50p of every stadium ticket sold will be donated to the 4ED Foundation, which provides financial support to individuals living with motor neurone disease (MND) and their families.
Now part of the Gloucester Rugby Charitable Foundation, 4ED was set up in honour of former Gloucester Rugby player Ed Slater, who was diagnosed with MND in July 2022.
The renaming is also part of a wider multi-year partnership with Vodafone, which has pledged its support for reigning Premiership Women's Rugby champions, Gloucester-Hartpury RFC and defending Women’s BUCS Super Rugby Champions, Hartpury University and Hartpury College WRFC.
Vodafone will work with both teams as a performance innovation partner, supporting Hartpury's well-established talent pathway which enables players to progress and step up from university rugby to elite level.
Both teams will have access to Vodafone PLAYER.Connect, the company's landmark mobile-first platform that gathers data on players' performance and recovery, menstrual cycle phases and mental and physical wellbeing.
The platform will allow both teams to tailor training programmes to each player’s specific needs, while players will also receive guidance from nationally accredited sports psychologists and nutritionists along with mental health support from Vodafone’s charity partner, LoosHeadz.
Mick Axtell, chief operating officer at Hartpury, said: 'We’re very excited to see Vodafone investing in the sport and supporting our prestigious women’s rugby pathway at Hartpury University and Hartpury College.
'We’re also honoured to have a chance to support the 4ED Foundation that is doing so much good work to support individuals living with MND and their families. It feels like a hugely positive partnership for our community and the 4Ed Foundation, as well as the future of women’s rugby.'
Maria
Koutsoudakis, chief brand officer at Vodafone UK added: 'We are thrilled
to announce this landmark partnership with two of the nation’s most exciting
women’s rugby teams ahead of what is set to be a momentous year for women’s rugby
in the UK with the 2025 World Cup taking place on home soil.'
