Gibbs & Dandy Luton has signed a sponsorship deal with Luton Athletic Club, which will help fund the club’s activities throughout 2014 as part of a drive to support local athletes.

The sponsorship will launch the club’s track and field season, which starts this month. The money will also help fund the club’s fixtures listing handbook and a range of flags and banners, as well as contributing to the club’s travel costs to meets and fixtures.

In addition, the partnership will support local athletes in gaining work experience and potentially securing apprenticeships with Gibbs & Dandy.

Kevin Forder, Luton Gibbs & Dandy branch manager, said: “Luton Athletic has a long-established presence in the community, and was a perfect fit to complement the heritage of the Gibbs & Dandy brand. Additionally, one of our team members – Jo Porritt – is a coach at the club, training young sprinters in the 100, 200, 300 and 400m run. We’re delighted to support the club in encouraging Luton’s focused and dedicated athletes to consistently improve their performance, and in their striving to win.”

Club president Jack Walters added: “The sponsorship will make a big difference to the future of our club. We can buy more equipment for our athletes and plough more investment into the club overall by keeping travel costs down. This clearly shows Gibbs & Dandy’s enthusiasm for helping our young athletes develop.”