Hampshire Football Association (FA) have agreed a two-year sponsorship deal with Adopt South to bust the myths around adoption. 

The partnership coincides with the department for education’s launch of a nationwide #YouCanAdopt campaign, raising awareness that adopters are needed from a wide range of backgrounds, including single parents, black, Asian and minority ethnic communities and from the LBGT+ community.  

Rachel Reynolds, head of Adopt South, said: “Football, particularly at local and grass roots level, attracts a wide range of people of all ages, interests and abilities. In turn, sport gives children and young people a sense of belonging, friendship, the skills to work as a team and, most of all, confidence.  

“We believe that the benefits of this sponsorship arrangement are threefold: the doors opened to us are huge, within this Hampshire-wide family friendly, team spirited community; we can give prospective adopters the chance to work with children and young people; and by supporting children and young people at grass roots level, we are also likely to be supporting families who have already adopted and, importantly, helping their children and young people to thrive and build resilience in themselves through involvement with the local community.”  

As part of the partnership with Hampshire FA, Adopt South will be sponsoring the Community Pitch 2 at Stoneham Lane Football Complex, Hampshire FA County Cup sponsorship for the John Ward Sunday Senior Cup, Women's Senior Cup and the Saturday Veterans Cup and the Hampshire FA Supporters club.  

Neil Cassar, Hampshire’s FA’s CEO, added: “We are delighted to continue our commercial partnership and positive working relationship with Adopt South. Adopt South provides adoption support services across the region and beyond, and we feel that football is well placed to promote their services to our membership and fits extremely well with the team ethos of our national game.”