Sky Business has donated shirt sponsorship of four players at the PDC World Darts Championship to PubAid, the industry voice for pubs and their positive contribution to society. The donation is a show of support from Sky Business for the hospitality industry, and pubs specifically, at a key time of year for the trade.
Starting on 15 December 2023 and running for three weeks, the PDC World Darts Championship at Alexandra Palace will have the eyes of the world’s darts fans glued to the iconic tournament.
One of the players sponsored, Fallon Sherrock, was the first woman to triumph of the world’s biggest stage when she beat Ted Evetts and Mensur Suljovic in the 2019/20 World Championship.
Joining her with shirt sponsorship are Steve Beaton, Ryan Joyce and Luke Woodhouse. These three players will also have the name of each of the three winners of the last PubAid Community Pub Hero Awards in 2022 on their shirt to commemorate individual pubs and publicans as well as the industry body, PubAid, supporting them.
Tracy Harrison, Marketing Director at Sky Business, commented: “We have donated our sponsorship as we want to give something back and raise awareness of all the good that pubs do in uniting people and bringing communities together and there is no better organisation that communicates this than PubAid. Honouring the winners of Community Pub Heroes from last year also shows how important these industry awards are and the positive awareness they can raise.”
Steve Beaton is a former World Number One darts player and will feature The Bellflower in Garstang on his shirt. This pub won the Community Support Hero award for its work helping the local community including free Christmas dinners, sanitary products and school uniforms for local families struggling in the cost-of-living crisis.
Ryan Royce won his first PDA title in 2020 in Milton Keynes and will feature the Dog and Parrot in Nottingham on his shirt alongside PubAid. This pub won the Community Regular Hero Award for the work one of its regulars, Glyn Hassell, does on behalf of the community raising money for charities of all sizes and local groups.
Luke Woodhouse, also known as Woody, is another favourite of the PDA crowds. The pub featured on his shirt is The Beeswing in Northallerton. This pub won the Charity Fundraising Hero award in 2022 for setting up the Cowtonbury Music Festival, which has been an annual charity event since 2014. The team hope the festival in 2024 will help them achieve a grand total of £200k raised for charity.
Des O’Flanagan, co-founder of PubAid, added: “A lot of pubs will be busier over the festive period, but the hospitality industry does still need everyone’s support. This is such a great way to get the PubAid name out to a world audience. We’re here to tell the good stories and positive news from pubs and how they unite communities, especially through sport. Whether that’s pub sports teams or through getting together to watch the big games and tournaments in a variety of sports. We wish our players the best of luck and will be cheering them on throughout this competition.”
Fallon Sherrock will first play on Sunday 17 December, Evening Session (7pm); Steve Beaton will first play on Tuesday 19 December, Evening session (7pm); Ryan Joyce is on Wednesday 20 December, Evening session (7pm); and Luke Woodhouse will throw his first dart on Thursday 21 December, Afternoon session (12.30pm).
The Pub Aid Community Pub Hero Awards are now open for nominations for the 2024 awards ceremony and close on 19th January. Entries are free and can be completed online at https://www.pubaid.co.uk/what-we-do/community-pub-hero-awards/
