Following a fantastic first two years’ success of the Dive In Community Cup, Gallagher is proud to announce its renewed sponsorship for the third successive year. Co-hosted by East End Phoenix Football Club, the five-a-side Cup competition will kick off the fifth international festival for inclusion and diversity in insurance and take place on Friday 20 September.
The 2019 tournament will be the biggest yet — with a total of 16 teams taking part from across the local community and insurance sector — and hosted at the Powerleague Docklands, in the heart of East London. Firms are strongly encouraged to enter diverse and mixed teams of eight into the five-a-side tournament.
Commenting on the Community Cup return, Pauline Miller, Head of Talent Development and Inclusion at Lloyd’s, commented: “Sport has the power to unite and inspire all people, regardless of sexual orientation, gender, age, race, religion or ability. Not only that, but it has the ability to break down barriers to inclusion as well as promote healthy lifestyles and mental well-being. This year we want to make a real impact on inclusion with the Dive In Festival so we’re delighted to have Gallagher’s support in hosting the Dive In Community Cup for a third consecutive year.”
East End Phoenix FC was founded 10 years ago in Hackney, London, with its mission to offer inclusive football opportunities for the LGBT and LGBT friendly community in East London and promote a positive, inclusive image and reputation for community football, its participants and supporters. The club provides a safe, open and social environment for anyone to come and play football, embracing all individuals and identities. East End Phoenix FC actively supports many campaigns aimed to increase diversity and inclusion in sport including ‘Rainbow Laces’, ‘Kick it Out’ and ‘Football vs Homophobia’.
Jonathan Turner, Chair of Gallagher’s Inclusion & Diversity Committee and CEO of Pen Underwriting, commented: “The collaborative values and team participation fostered through playing sport in the community are a fantastic way to cultivate and enhance the action already underway across the insurance industry to further inclusion and diversity in our workplaces. We are really proud to sponsor the Dive In Community Cup for the third year running, and it’s great to be able to accommodate even more teams this time around. Last year was a huge success, so we look forward to making an even bigger impact with the 2019 Community Cup.”
Felix Caldeira of East End Phoenix FC added: “As a football club we encourage participation from all groups in our local community and provide an inclusive, friendly and sociable environment to all. Making sport and physical activity more accessible to people from under-represented groups – whether because of sexual orientation, race, gender or ability - is at the heart of the team’s mission. In coalition with Gallagher, we are passionate about making a difference by supporting events like the Dive-In Community Cup, and we are immensely proud to co-host the Cup alongside Gallagher for a third year in a row.”
In 2018, the Community Cup was won by a team from insurance company Beazley, (pictured above with Jonathan Turner, Chair of Gallagher’s Inclusion & Diversity Committee and CEO of Pen Underwriting on the left and Pauline Miller, Head of Talent Development & Inclusion at Lloyd’s on the right) with Gallagher’s Cyber & PI team taking second place.
The fifth Dive In Festival for diversity and inclusion in insurance will reach more cities than ever in 2019, marking outstanding growth since its birth in 2015. Events this year will be spread across three days from 24th to 26th September in 33 countries, including countries such as Nigeria, Bahrain, Turkey, Oman and Indonesia for the first time.
