Gloucester Rugby has today announced Reef Group as the new partner of Gloucester Rugby Academy.

The development firm has put pen to paper on a three-year sponsorship deal which will see its logo feature across the Academy’s kits until the 2024/25 season.

Reef Group’s investment in the Academy will help the club in its pursuit to produce the next generation of players following the recent success stories of Academy graduates like Charlie Chapman and George Barton.

The deal represents Reef Group’s continued investment in not only the city of Gloucester, but its commitment to supporting the local community and its sporting future too.

Reef Group are no strangers to the city of Gloucester, as the developer behind The Forum - an ambitious regeneration project for the city centre. The £107 million digital hub is being delivered by Reef Group in partnership with Gloucester City Council. The 600,000 square foot mixed-use campus will compromise of 135,000 square feet of Grade A workspace, a 4-star hotel, a gym, conferencing facilities, restaurants, a 398-space car park, 43 residential apartments and over an acre of new public realm.

The Forum will establish Gloucester as a vibrant city centre that is highly connected and accessible. With work already underway, the construction project will continue through to the early part of 2024.

According to Esther Croft, Development Director at Reef Group, “There is a natural synergy between The Forum and Gloucester Rugby Academy and we’re hugely excited to announce our partnership. The purpose of the Academy is to nurture talent, helping young people to fulfil their potential, not just in sport but as individuals in the round. The Forum likewise is all about creating new opportunities for the local community and it will play an especially important role in creating pathways to future jobs and training for youngsters.”

Reef Group is passionate about supporting local people, and it plans to use the region’s young and fast-growing population to create a thriving pool of talent – which extends to the Academy. It will help Academy players to become well-rounded people and prepare them for life away from the sport, by offering young players a full range of valuable work experience opportunities.

Esther continued, “Work experience forms part of the curriculum at Gloucester Rugby Academy and opportunities at The Forum will be offered as part of our commitment to the teams. For example, work shadowing on-site during The Forum’s construction phase and, later, opportunities with businesses based in this new digital quarter.”

Speaking of the new partnership deal, Lance Bradley, CEO at Gloucester Rugby Club, said: “Our vision for the Academy is to not just develop great players, but to develop people who can reflect the history of this great club - an important ethos that Reef Group shares. Today represents the beginning of an exciting chapter where we will work with Reef Group on our ongoing journey to produce some of the very best young rugby talent in the country.”

Gloucester Rugby announce Reef Group as Academy partner

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