Centra ambassadors Henry Shefflin, Austin Gleeson, Podge Collins and Seamus Hickey lined out Monday in CLG Na Fianna in Glasnevin as Centra announced the extension of its sponsorship of the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship to 2019, in support of Centra’s ongoing Live Well programme.
Picture credit: Ramsey Cardy / SPORTSFILE
The Live Well initiative encourages healthy living, provides education and promotes activity. Through the hurling sponsorship, Centra will encourage fans the length and breadth of the country to live well and get active this summer. To achieve this, Centra will once again host their community hurling events, where thousands of children will be given training tips from inter-county stars along with eating and hydration suggestions.
What’s new this year to Centra’s Live Well programme is the introduction of a series of #GetActive hurling challenges to encourage fans of all ages to take part in throughout the summer. Led by King Henry, the #GetActive challenges are encouraging the nation to pick up a hurl, test their skills and upload their videos online in order to win superb prizes.
The first challenge, which is open for entries from today, is the ‘Crossbar Challenge’ where entrants have to hit the crossbar with a sliothar. Henry has added his own twist to this activity and is encouraging others to follow suit! It’s easy to enter – upload your video on social media using #GetActive, with the winner claiming shopping for a year in Centra. For more information on how to take part go to www.centra.ie or follow Centra Ireland on social media.
Centra #GetActive Hurling Challenges:
1. The Centra Crossbar Challenge – take the crossbar challenge to a new level! Open for entries from 16th May to 5th June with the best entry winning shopping for a year in Centra.
2. The Centra Local Landmark Challenge – it’s your chance to bring someone home for the All-Ireland. All you need to do is a take a hurling photo in front of your local landmark – be that a county, national or international landmark. Open for entries from 6th June to 26th June.
3. The Centra Sideline Cut Challenge – not something everyone can master! This is a great one for the family to try with the winner receiving the very special prize of being a flag-bearer at the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship Final. Fans can submit entries from 27th June to 17th July.
4. The Centra Hurling Tricks Challenge – there’s no rules to this challenge, the more creative the better. The best video will win tickets to the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship final. Open for entries from 18th July to 7th August.
5. The Centra Bin Challenge – get the team together to submit your entry from 8th August – 9th September. The winning team will win fruit and water for throughout next year’s season.
Centra will host thousands of children as they return with their community hurling events. There will be 12 events throughout the Championship season with a selection of the finest inter-county stars, travelling the length and breadth of the country to give training tips and to spread Centra’s Live Well suggestions on hydration and eating your ‘five-a-day’. Registration for each event takes place in the participating Centra stores. Each community event will host their very own #GetActive challenge as clubs aim to secure a place at the ultimate behind the scenes day out in Croke Park later this year. Selected clubs will enjoy a special training session with Centra’s ambassadors, a stadium tour as well as plenty of entertainment.
Martin Kelleher, Managing Director, Centra commented; “We are absolutely delighted to announce that our sponsorship of the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship will continue until 2019. We have had a fantastic relationship with the GAA over the past six years and we are really looking forward to the next chapter. Through our Centra Live Well initiative we are committed to promoting healthy living and our partnership with the GAA provides the perfect platform to engage with communities around the country on this important topic. We hope that hurlers around the country will step up to our #GetActive Challenges and we look forward to welcoming thousands of people to our community events.”
Centra ambassador, Henry Shefflin added; “I am really delighted to be part of Centra’s Live Well initiative this summer. I have always led quite a healthy life and even now that I’m retired it is still something I am very conscious of, not just for me but my family as well. I am looking forward to inspiring the next generation of hurlers at the community events across the country.”
Uachtarán Chumann Lúthchleas Gael Aogán Ó Fearghail said; “Hurling is one of the greatest treasures that we possess as a nation. Watching a great game of hurling is medicine for the soul and one of the purest expressions of who we are as a people. As a sport, it is something that has been passed down through thousands of years and has been entrusted to us to preserve it, nurture it and protect it for future generations. We do that best by playing our games and supporting our magnificent players, and I feel it is helped by exciting initiatives such as the Centra #GetActive Challenges and indeed the Centra sponsorship which enables us to promote the skills and the players of this great game. We are hugely excited about what the Hurling Championship of 2016 will bring us. The Centra #GetActive Challenge is a welcome addition to our summer calendar.”
For more information on #GetActive challenges, the community hurling events or Centra’s Live Well programme, see www.centra.ie or find Centra Ireland on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.