JERSEY Post has pledged a large five-figure sum of money – thought to be well in excess of past sponsorships – to the Jersey 2009 Island Games team.

The Island postal company has promised to provide the team kit, discounts on money exchange services, the use of its vans to transport equipment to Åland, and an undisclosed sum of money to help towards travel costs for the 300-strong squad of competitors, managers and medical staff.

Island Games Association of Jersey chairman Steve Jacobs said: ‘What Jersey Post is offering is a lot more than we have received before, although, of course, we are very grateful to our past sponsors. But it’s not just hard cash that Jersey Post is providing – it is also offering us use of its vans, so that we can transport all our equipment to ?land. Hiring vans would normally be a massive cost to us.

‘Jersey Post will be supporting the team in a wide range of ways – Åland isn’t the cheapest place to get to for a team the size of ours, and the costs when you are actually there may also be high. Fortunately Jersey Post is in a position to help with many of those, and I’m sure the team members will really appreciate that support.’

• Picture (from left): Jersey Island Games officials Jeff Reed and Steve Jacobs and Jersey Post’s Andrew Starkey. Picture by Jon Guegan (00600661)