Northern NSW Football announce MoU with Heartbeat of Football

NNSWF

Northern NSW Football has announced it has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Heartbeat of Football.

The purpose of the partnership is to reduce the incidence of unnecessary deaths while playing football through raising heart health awareness across NNSWF communities and stakeholders, to help ensure a safe environment for participants.

Media personality and football enthusiast Andy Paschalidis established Heartbeat of Football in early 2016 as a direct result of cardiac arrest events on the football pitch.

Heartbeat of Football is a not-for-profit organisation, promoting healthy hearts in sport via:

  • Awareness and education (player, participant and community programs)
  • Prevention (minimisation of health risks through simple screening checks)
  • Action (‘Rescue-ready’ defibrillators at all sporting fields around the country)

NNSWF CEO David Eland said via NNSWF it was important to increase community education around CPR and the use of automated external defibrillators.

“We look forward to working together with Heartbeat of Football on some exciting initiatives and campaigns,” Eland said in a statement.

“We want to encourage adult community members to conduct heart health checks and encourage football clubs to have operational defibrillators available and accessible for use during football activities.

“We have tens of thousands of participants that take to the field every week. So it is essential that our football community understands the issue and can take preventative actions to protect themselves and their families.

“What Andy and Heartbeat of football have achieved has been fantastic. We are proud of this partnership and I look forward to seeing how it can help our football community over the next few years.”

Paschalidis, Heartbeat of Football founder and CEO, said via NNSWF:

“This partnership with NNSWF is important as it further supports our objective of reaching more people and establishing a national footprint. A big thanks to David and the NNSWF team for their commitment to HOF and to their whole football community – truly lifesaving!”

“The impact of the floods on football and the wider community is devastating and our donation of automated external defibrillators (AEDs) to those clubs most affected by these, is our way of giving back to the football family. The AED donation was made possible by the generosity of Tim Cahill, HOF Global Ambassador, who wanted to do something to support football across the region – he said it was a “no-brainer” and hoped it made a difference to those clubs and communities impacted by the floods”

Paschalidis was at Lismore on Friday, along with Chris Cahill (Tim’s brother), to present defibrillators to five clubs from the Football Far North Coast region to help launch the partnership.

The clubs included Lismore Thistles SC, Lismore Workers FC, South Lismore FC, Uki Pythons and Woodburn Wolves FC.

NNSWF also funded one of the defibrillators to help ensure all defibrillators lost during the devastating floods earlier this year were replaced as part of its Flood Recovery initiative.

Socceroos legend Tim Cahill also sent a video message of support to the clubs.

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UEFA and Unilever renew partnership

UEFA has embraced Unilever as an Official Global Partner of the UEFA Women’s EURO 2025, kicking off in Switzerland on July 2 until July 27, 2025.

Unilever’s deal with UEFA builds off of their 2024 partnership and will see a wide array of Unilever’s Foods and Personal Care brands ignite their own integrated advertising campaigns to connect with fans and consumers in and out of the stadium, including household names like Dove, Rexona, Knorr and Hellmann’s.

UEFA marketing director, Guy-Laurent Epstein expressed UEFA’s excitement to work with Unilever again.

“Building on the success of our collaboration last summer, we are delighted to be continuing our partnership with Unilever for UEFA Women’s EURO 2025,” he said in a press release.

The support and interest in women’s football is on a sharp upward trajectory, and with Unilever’s portfolio of Food and Personal Care brands reaching billions of people every day, we look forward to celebrating the power of the game and bringing excitement to fans everywhere.”

General Manager of Unilever Foods Europe, Robbert de Vreede conveyed his enthusiasm for Unilever’s involvement in the upcoming Women’s EURO 2025.

“We are thrilled to partner with the UEFA Women’s EURO 2025, enabling our Foods brands to connect with a large audience who come together enjoying the thrill of a football match with friends whilst sharing delicious foods,” he said in a UEFA press release.

“Just as a great BBQ brings people closer, football unites fans in a shared experience of passion and camaraderie. In this partnership we will create memorable moments that highlight the best of summer – good food, great company, and beautiful games.”

General Manager of Unilever Personal Care Europe, Fulvio Guarneri detailed why the collaboration between UEFA and Unilever was a perfect fit.

“This is an exciting opportunity for some of our biggest brands to tap into a big cultural moment and connect with millions of consumers who will be watching the UEFA Women’s EURO 2025,” he said via press release.

“It’s a great time for women’s football and this partnership fits perfectly with our Personal Care products which are all about feeling clean and confident, and taking part in sports. Together with our retail partners, we look forward to building on the success of last year’s men’s tournament, delivering unmissable campaigns across a variety of channels that celebrate the power of women’s football.”

Unilever joins an exciting list of brands for the UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 tournament, including household names such as adidas, Amazon, AXA, Booking.com, EA, Euronics, Grifols, Heineken, Hublot, Just Eat Takeaway.com, Lay’s, Lidl, PlayStation and Visa.

The Club Development Conference highlights community football

Significant Sporting Events Program 2023-24

On Saturday, February 1st, over 200 attendees came together at Valentine Sports Park for the 2025 Football NSW Club Development Conference.

With registrations for the 2025 season still coming in, over 85 Football NSW clubs from both Sydney Metropolitan and regional areas gathered for a dynamic day of workshops, panels, and special guest speakers, celebrating community football.

Presented by Stephanie Brantz, the Conference included keynote addresses from Karen Jones, Acting CEO of Destination NSW and Chief Executive of the NSW Office of Sport, Dr. Catriona Rose of the Australian Sports Commission, and Matildas cap #167, Ellie Brush.

After the successful second edition of the conference, Trevor Huxley, Football NSW’s Program Manager for Club Development, expressed his excitement over the strong support from the community.

“The Club Development Conference is a fantastic opportunity to bring together all levels of the game to learn from one another, network and discuss best practice for grassroots football,” said Huxley via press release.

“It has been inspiring to see grassroots clubs across the state in attendance, illustrating a remarkable commitment to supporting their local communities. It’s vital that Football NSW continues to lead in this space, providing support to the volunteers and local administrators who are central to the ongoing growth of our game.”

Along with the keynote speakers, attendees were able to choose sessions tailored to their Club or role, covering topics such as safeguarding, volunteerism, marketing and data analysis, infrastructure and grant funding, player and spectator behaviour, women & girls’ football, diversity and inclusion, and grassroots coach education.

The Football NSW Club Development Conference serves as a pivotal platform for enhancing community football by Empowering Clubs, Facilitating Networking, Offering Targeted Education and Showcasing Leadership.

By focusing on these areas, the conference plays a crucial role in strengthening community football, promoting inclusivity, and ensuring the sport’s sustainable growth.

To gain further details and access Club resources, click here.

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