Great Western Coffee Shop

I see that FGW have funds to sponsor beach polo at Watergate bay near Newquay yesterday. There again it must pay apparently they also managed to win the tournament.

Every commercial company sponsors events/people - why shouldn't FGW?

would you like company's to keep the money or invest in the local community?

We need to get away from thinking its a nationalised industry - it isn't, and very unlikely to be in any of our lifetimes

no great criticsm intended, but as I live here and I hadn't heard anything about this event until after it had happened I have to ask if it  is value for money for the company?

Are you a shareholder then? If not, why do you 'have to ask'?

Do you question other companies spondirship too? What answers do you get? Dobyou think FGW are a special case? If so, why?

is mcdonalds sponsoring school football clubs value for money?

And also have a scheme where they organise the training for their staff to become football coaches.

Not always is sponsorship done for the benefit of PR. Sometimes a member of staff may ask for sponsorship for local clubs, activities etc. they take are involved with and sometimes large companies will sponsor a few quid. May not be much in the grand scheme but for small events ^200 could be enough to become lead sponsor whilst also further investing in local communities. Infact, in South Wales I can remember a few local under 8 football teams recieveing sponsorship of not much but it still got first logo on the kit. Value for money is impossible to determine in these cases as financially there is not much benefit but goodwill is something that can not be bought cheaply in most cases

having previously organised a youth sports tournament, all of the adults were voluntary, with only lunch provided. The only cost outlay was hiring a sports hall, feeding your volunteer helpers and medals for all participants.
The hiring of the sports hall is the  biggest outlay, but with the right contacts can hire out for the day for ^100 easily. sandwiches, drinks etc for 10-12 volunteer adults ^20. Medals for participants ^1-2 per medal. Paper program 5p a sheet to print, less if done myself.
So can easily with a team of volunteers organise a sports event for children for ^200. This figure is a lot to volunteer organisers, yet a big name  sponsor, ^200 is small change really.
in the program print the sponsors logo dominantly in return for their generosity.

Hmm.  ::)

First Great Western do provide a lot of 'behind the scenes' sponsorship and funding for local rail community initiatives - for which various organisations are very grateful!

Just for example: the artwork, from a local school, which is now displayed in the station waiting room at Bridgwater is mounted in a poster case fitted by FGW.

They didn't have to do that - but they did.  ::)

Chris.  :-X

The current Government call this the "Big Society" but there is nothing new in this companies have always sponsored charities and local events, even Network Rail has a charity of choice (which is nominated by NR employees and then voted on each year) NR also help local communities and organisations.

All points noted.
Yes, Chris B, I am a shareholder so I don't see why I shouldn't ask.
As others have pointed out if the amount is only a couple of hundred pounds then that is peanuts really in the grand scheme of things and agree that it is probably a good thing to help local events

Absolutely - there's a FIrstGroup shareholders contact....be interested in the answer.

Fairly standard practice to make gifts to charity etc. My employer donates over ^100k a year to charities around Cheltenham and Gloucestershire

so technically old original you did your bit for the community ;D

Sponsorship isn't always aimed at the public, if FGW had a team in the tornament, the main benefit to the company might be the positive message it conveys about FGW to its own staff.