Aspiring athletes in the North West and New England regions of NSW will benefit from a new three year funding partnership between The Greater Building Society and Northern Inland Academy of Sport announced today in Tamworth.

Greater CEO Don Magin and NIAS chairman Wally Franklin signed the agreement at a function in Tamworth attended by NIAS CEO Peter Annis-Brown, Greater Tamworth branch manager Katie Whatley as well as Academy athletes, staff and supporters.

Mr Annis-Brown said that the partnership will help NIAS to promote greater awareness of sport in the region and encourage more athletes to pursue their potential, both on and off the field. He said it would help talented local athletes like Tamworth hockey player Emily Owen who spoke about how the agreement and funding will support her and fellow NIAS athletes.

He also announced that applications were open for the next intake of young athletes into NIAS.
 
“This funding will help NIAS to continue to offer quality programs to help them with their chosen sport,” Mr Annis-Brown said.

Mr Magin said that the Greater had received terrific support from the people of Tamworth and the New England region. He was pleased to be putting something back into the development of sport and local athletes on behalf of Greater members.

“Business has a responsibility to support the communities in which they operate,” Mr Magin said.

“The Greater has always been an active supporter of sport and the development of talented local athletes to be the best that they can be,” he said.

“Sport plays an important part in the health and social networks of any community, particularly in regional Australia.”

The Greater has branches at Tamworth and Gunnedah as well as mobile lending services in the region.

The Greater also supports the Hunter, Central Coast and Gold Coast academies of sport as well as other grass-roots sporting organisations across its area of operations.

The Northern Inland Academy of Sport (NIAS) is a community based organisation established in November 1992 to identify and prepare talented sportspeople in the Northern Inland region. It currently supports 220 athletes and more than 30 coaches across 10 programs.

MEDIA ENQUIRIES:    Peter Annis-Brown (NIAS) 0419 995 204 Craig Eardley (Greater) 0437 477 493.