As AIA Ambassadors, Barty and Gilmore decided to give the donation to three tennis clubs and three surf schools in New South Wales and Victoria to create more opportunities and healthier outcomes for young people.
“Community sport was a huge part of my life growing up, and my positive experiences at local sporting clubs helped shape my journey as [a] professional athlete. It's terrific to be able to thank these three tennis clubs for the amazing work they do in supporting young athletes from all backgrounds and to give them a financial boost to improve their resources, and I'm looking forward to seeing how these clubs will use the funds to create more opportunities and healthier communities,” Barty said.
The clubs chosen by Barty and Gilmore to receive the donations are:
These recipients will deliver programs to increase female and First Nations participation and improve mental health and wellbeing. They will receive a total of $60,000 in sporting equipment donations and grants.
Kids from the chosen tennis clubs and surf schools have also joined Barty and Gilmore in Northern NSW to celebrate the donations at the Pottsville Beach Tennis Club. They also received a surf lesson at Cabarita Beach, alongside fellow AIA ambassador Shane Crawford and AIA Australia representatives.
“I'm really passionate about ensuring surf programs are accessible for all people and the work that Naru Surf Gatherings, Forster Board Riders, and Ocean Mind are doing to [break] down barriers to participation and supporting wellbeing is incredible. These are clubs whose resources are often stretched to the limit – yet they still go that extra mile to help and inspire potential athletes of tomorrow,” Gilmore said. “From buying new surfboards to funding teaching and wellness programs, these donations are a great way to celebrate the work they're doing.”
Commenting on the latest donations, AIA Australia CEO Damien Mu highlighted the insurer's commitment to improving physical mental health, creating positive social interactions, and showing the benefits of being outside.
“At AIA Australia, we are championing Australia to be the healthiest and best protected nation in the world,” he said. “We're delighted to be able to give back to local community sporting organisations that mean so much to our inspirational AIA Ambassadors Ash Barty and Steph Gilmore. Whether it's tennis or surfing, these clubs are doing an incredible job nurturing a diverse array of young people to pursue the things they enjoy, which also happen to have long-term health benefits.”
In other news, AIA partnered with national authority Ending Loneliness Together to bring awareness to workplace loneliness.
