Travis Perkins recognised for rugby support

Builders merchant group Travis Perkins has received an award to recognise its long association with Premiership rugby club Northampton Saints.

The builders merchant, whose head office is in Northampton, has been officially sponsoring the club for 10 years. However, Ernest Travis was club president in the 1920s and the Travis and Arnold wood merchants both advertised on the club team sheets and provided employment for Saints players in the post-war years.

To celebrate the longevity of the sponsorship – the longest of its kind in Premiership rugby – and to recognise the continuing contribution the company makes to the club as a whole, Travis Perkins received the prestigious Clubman of the Year award at their annual End of Season Awards dinner last week.

“A club like the Saints is more than just about the team,” said Saints chairman Keith Barwell. “It is also about the people who come here year in, year out and pass their support through generations of their family. The Travis family has done this for nearly a century and the Saints would not be the same without the hard work that has been put in behind the scenes by one Travis after another.

“In the modern era this has also extended to Travis Perkins as a company and we have a fantastic relationship. Both the Saints and Travis Perkins have their heart and soul in Northampton as a town and we are certainly proud that they continue to be our main sponsor.”

Ian Church, managing director, Travis Perkins Midlands, collected the award on behalf of the company.

“Sponsoring the Northampton Saints over the past decade has been a fantastic experience for us,” he said. “In addition to the highs and lows on the pitch, our partnership has presented us with excellent media coverage.

“This award for being a long-standing partner is extremely special for Travis Perkins and we do not see it as the end of a decade, but the continuation of a successful collaboration.”