MEMBERS of a junior football club are showing they are good in the air – by teaming up with one of the North-East’s best-loved charities.

A new voluntary sponsorship deal is taking off between Eaglescliffe Elementis Junior FC and the Great North Air Ambulance Service (GNAAS).

The football club is based at Urlay Nook, close to the headquarters of GNAAS, so officials decided it would be a good way to promote the great work of the charity by having its logo on the front of players’ shirts.

Chairman Kevin Studholme said: “The players frequently see the helicopters taking off and landing, so it seemed a natural association for us.

“The Great North Air Ambulance Service is the club’s chosen charity partner, and it does a fantastic job. We want to do whatever we can to help, and the existing team sponsor, Mob Tag, kindly agreed to donate the space on the front of the shirts.”

The arrangement has started with the Under-8s, who were welcomed onto the charity’s base to see the helicopters up close. However, the plan is for all team kits to eventually bear the GNAAS logo as prominently as possible.

“We hope to support the charity with events we have planned over the summer months, ensuring the great work that they do is kept at the forefront of people’s minds,” added Kevin.

Sophie Bendelow, regional fundraising lead at GNAAS said: “It’s great to have the club’s support. We think the players look smashing in their kit, and it was a pleasure to welcome them to our base recently and give them the opportunity to have a look at our aircraft.”

They think it’s all hover – it is now!