The Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games may be just over a year away, but Team Isle of Man already has its first champion. Manx Telecom is the first of 10 Island businesses to become a Team Isle of Man Champion as part of an initiative to help raise funds to send a strong team to Glasgow. The campaign will also raise awareness of the Games, and celebrate the sense of national pride that we will all share next July when Team Isle of Man takes part in the opening ceremony and is seen by millions of TV viewers around the world. The Isle of Man Commonwealth Games Association (IOMCGA), which is the organisation responsible for the publicity, fundraising, travel and support for the Island’s team, says that the Champions initiative is a vital part of preparations not just for Glasgow 2014, but also for the 2018 Games in Australia, and the Commonwealth Youth Games in Samoa in 2015, and St Lucia in 2017. The Association is a registered charity and relies upon fundraising events and donations to fund Team Isle of Man’s participation. Juliet Holt, President of IOMCGA, said:

“The Commonwealth Games is the highest level of competition at which the Isle of Man can compete as a national team. For a small community of only 84,000, sending a team to the Games is a massive commitment and we rely on the support of the whole community to be able to give our talented sports people the chance to represent the Island. Our Champions initiative aims to harness the feeling of national pride that we all have for our Team Isle of Man competitors, whether they are winning medals or fulfilling a lifelong ambition to compete for their country. We are delighted to announce Manx Telecom as our first champion and look forward to hearing from other businesses that want to show their support for our national team.”

As Team Isle of Man Champions, businesses can, for example, use the official Champions logo on all marketing material, company vehicles and on their website. Other benefits include two free tickets to an event at the Games which they can use to raise funds for Team Isle of Man. David Smith, Manx Telecom Marketing Director, said:

“We’re very proud to be the first Team Isle of Man Champion. As the national telecoms provider, and a company which is always keen to support the Island’s community, it was an easy decision to make. The Champion’s initiative is an excellent way for Island businesses to play an active role in helping our Commonwealth Games competitors achieve their potential at the Glasgow Games and beyond.”

The Champions initiative will continue until May 2014 and the arrival on the Island of The Queen’s Baton Relay which will visit every nation and territory of the Commonwealth, and symbolically unites the two billion citizens of the Commonwealth in a celebration of sport, diversity and peace. The baton will arrive on the Isle of Man on May 16, 2014, from the Guernsey and Jersey legs of the relay. It will leave the Island on May 19 and continue on its journey with the next stop being Northern Ireland - then it’s on to Wales, England, and its final destination of Glasgow. Details of the exact route it will take in the Isle of Man have yet to be finalised. The Isle of Man will be one of 71 nations competing in Glasgow between July 23 and August 3, 2014. According to figures from Global Television and Sunset+Vine - host broadcasters for the Games - more than one billion TV viewers could be watching. Manx competitors won two bronze medals at the last Games in Delhi in 2010 - shooter Tim Kneale in the double trap event and cyclist Mark Christian in the points race on the track. But hopes are high that our team can exceed that tally next year. For the latest news about Team Isle of Man go to www.cga.im which also allows donations to be made to the team. Any businesses interested in becoming a Team Isle of Man Champion should contact Isle of Man Commonwealth Games Association President Juliet Holt by emailing juliet_holt@hotmail.com – or contact Association Vice-President John Knight by emailing JohnKnight@thechildrenscentre.org.im.

Photo - David Smith, Manx Telecom Marketing Director, and Juliet Holt, President of the Isle of Man Commonwealth Games Association, with the Team Isle of Man Champion logo. They are pictured at the Isle of Man Sport Institute where there is a display honouring the Island’s Commonwealth Games medallists.