Nottingham Forest donate shirt sponsorship to charity

Nottingham Forest has announced UK for UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, as its new front-of-shirt sponsor.

The club, which has been without a front-of-shirt sponsor since returning to the top flight last summer, said the deal will start from January. The UK for UNHCR logo will feature on the front of the men’s and women’s kits in all fixtures until the end of the season, as a sign of solidarity with those forced to flee their homes and communities.

As part of the agreement, Nottingham Forest has made a financial donation to the UNHCR’s humanitarian work and will raise awareness of the charity’s efforts through commercial and marketing channels. The partnership will officially launch when the Nottingham Forest men’s team first wear the new shirts on January 1 at home to Chelsea.

Evangelos Marinakis, Nottingham Forest’s owner, said: “We are delighted that for the remainder of the season we will use the front of the famous Nottingham Forest shirt to tell such an important story. It will be an honour to display their name on our shirt in support of this important cause.

“I am proud to have partnered with the United Nations’ global work before, with Olympiacos FC back in 2013. We supported UNICEF for four years, choosing to make a significant financial contribution to their charitable work rather than taking income from a sponsor, and giving their cause prominence on the front, and then the back, of the Olympiacos shirt.

“I hope fans of Nottingham Forest will also be proud that we have chosen to highlight the work of UNHCR for the remainder of the season, in addition to the local causes our Community Trust supports. This comes at a time when the world faces enormous challenges in helping the most vulnerable people in society.”

Charlotte Boyle, chair of UK for UNHCR said: “From fighting racism and homophobia, to standing with refugees, football clubs around the world are using their power to confront discrimination and support people in need. We are hugely grateful to Nottingham Forest’s generosity and compassion in supporting refugees and UNHCR’s relief efforts around the world.”

The announcement comes as something of a reversal from Nottingham Forest regarding its front-of-shirt sponsorship asset, which is the most commercially valuable for most football teams.