Tag: United Kingdom

15/11/202315/11/2023

Kukri Sports are pleased to announce that Ayesha Jones, who was recently crowned Sporting Equals Young Sportsperson of the Year whilst representing England, has been selected as a new Youth Talent Programme Ambassador for the 2023/24 Athletics season.

Ayesha, a rising star in athletics, has enjoyed great success over recent seasons in her discipline, javelin, after becoming a Commonwealth Youth Games Champion and record holder at this year’s games in Trinidad & Tobago, throwing an impressive 52.49m.

Ayesha, a Commonwealth Youth Games champion, is thrilled about her new role and the opportunity to inspire younger athletes. “When I was contacted and asked if I wanted to become a Kukri Sports YTP Ambassador, I felt honoured. To be able to have Kukri’s trust and support in becoming an ambassador and being able to represent the brand moving forwards is incredible.”

Ayesha, who will be joined by five other ambassadors selected by Kukri Sports for the 2023/24 Athletics season, continues to break records after enjoying successful 2022 and 2023 seasons.

Speaking on her recent achievements, Ayesha admitted she’s ‘living a dream’ and paid testament to her family. “Being in environments with other top athletes from around the world is something I will always cherish, as well as becoming a Commonwealth Youth Games champion.

“Winning the title for my discipline was something I wanted since I heard about the selection, and to be able to achieve it as well as setting a new games record was surreal.

“I’ve missed family events or left events early to go training, but I know they understand and are all proud of me for what I have achieved up to this point. Succeeding the way I have is showing me what I do is something to be proud of.”

Moving forwards, the recently crowned Sporting Equals Young Sportsperson of the Year award is hungry for more success. “Hopefully I can become an England Senior athlete. Representing my country and myself at the World Championships as well as the Olympic Games.

“My ultimate goal is to continue to perform to the best of my ability and being recognised, not only as a progressing athlete but also reaching Senior Level.”

Commenting on the news, Josh Beal, Sales Director at Kukri Sports, said “We are delighted to welcome Ayesha as a new Youth Talent Programme Ambassador. We’re looking forward to supporting her in future competitions and believe she will be a great role model for younger athletes.”

The Youth Talent Programme, in conjunction with Kukri’s partner, England Athletics, is the first key step on the Talent Pathway designed to identify, develop and support athletes and para-athletes from aged 16+ who have the potential to represent England and Great Britain at domestic and international competitions in the future.

Click here to find out more about the Youth Talent pathway.

The partnership between Kukri Sports and England Athletics with the Youth Talent Programme Ambassadors promises exciting developments. Stay tuned for upcoming events, collaborative content and more coming soon.

Kukri Sports are proud to be partnered with England Athletics and are committed to providing athletes with the products and support they need to perform at their best. We’re also proud to support the England Athletics Youth Talent Programme and to help young athletes reach their full potential.

Click here to find out more about England Athletics.

14/11/202313/11/2023

Kukri Sports are delighted to announce our new 5 year partnership with Dean Close School, a leading education provider, based in Cheltenham.

As part of the partnership, Kukri will provide a full range of bespoke sportswear for staff and pupils, both on and off field.

Dean Close was established in 1886 and offers all-through education for day and boarding pupils ages 2-18. The school has 100 percent participation in sport and physical activity, with over 800 pupils from year 3 to 13 already taking part in school sport and physical activity in nearly 1500 fixtures played over the year. Click here to find out more about Dean Close.

“We are delighted to have forged a partnership with Kukri sports after an extensive process where we research the market to see who we felt would work best with Dean Close.  Kukri’s work with Team England at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham last year convinced us that the range and quality of their kit could meet our own standards and expectations. It has already proved to be a real partnership, where Kukri have listened and responded to our needs and feedback to finally arrive at a range of kit that will allow us to progress and adapt to the future of school sport.” – Greg Barber-Williams, Director of Sport, Dean Close.

“Kukri Sports are proud to be working with Dean Close and become the official sportswear provider to the school. We will provide multiple ranges, to cover school PE and games, first team kit, staff wear and wider merchandise. We are excited to deliver the new ranges and showcase the quality of what Kukri has to offer.

Kukri will also aim to support wider projects at Dean Close, with a key one being sustainability. Kukri has found real synergy with Dean Close, with both organisations looking at making huge strides on the environmental impact they have within their two industries.

We are looking forward to seeing how far the partnership can grow over the coming years!” – Josh Beal, Sales Director, Kukri Sports.

To find out how we can support your sportswear needs, contact us.

25/10/202330/10/2023

In recent years, the world of sports has seen significant strides towards diversity and inclusion. Organisations are realizing the importance of creating a more inclusive environment, both on and off the field. Kukri Sports recently took a significant step in this direction by hosting Ranée James, a student intern, in association with ‘Black In Sport’, for a two-week placement. From a business point of view the initiative aimed to provide a valuable insight into the world of sports from the perspective of a student.

Kukri’s decision to support a ‘Black In Sport’ intern arises from the growing need for increased diversity in the sports industry. Sports, being a universal language, should reflect the richness of diversity that the world offers. Kukri recognized the need to take active steps towards inclusivity, and this initiative showcases their ongoing commitment to this mission.

During her two-week placement Ranée had a significant impact on Kukri Sports’ approach to freshers’ events. With her unique perspective and insights, she contributed to making these events more engaging and welcoming for students of all backgrounds.

When discussing her thoughts on Kukri after completing her intern she mentioned “At Kukri, there is the intimacy there between the brand and the customer, there is more dedicated support provided that other brands don’t.

“Kukri is the perfect size to help give that attention to details customers need, whilst providing incredible kit, on not just a UK basis, but a global scale.”

Additionally, Ranée had the opportunity to review Kukri Sports’ social media accounts and website from a student’s point of view. In an age where online presence is paramount, it is crucial for companies to maintain a digital space that resonates with their target audience. Her feedback provided valuable insights into making the online experience more appealing and relatable to students.

On discussing her future after her internship Ranée concluded “Working with Kukri has helped me solidify the fact that I do want to work in Sports Marketing, because this is where I feel my roots lie, I feel I can make the strongest impact and meet the most incredible people and make a huge difference from grassroots all the way up to elite level.”

Kukri Sports Group Executive Chairman Andrew Ronnie commented; “Ranée’s contribution during her internship was not just a valuable addition to our team; it was a testament to the significance of the ‘Black In Sport’ initiative. Her unique perspective and insights have not only enriched our approach but have also reminded us that diversity is the cornerstone of progress in the sports industry. We must continue to welcome, learn from, and celebrate talents like Ranee, as they shape the future of our brand and the world of sports.”

About Black In Sport

The Black in Sport Summit is an annual summit founded by a group of Loughborough University students, born out of frustration of the discrimination that black sportspeople face and the underrepresentation of black people in certain roles within sport.

It was formed to celebrate the achievements of black people across the sports Industry and built to change the narrative, celebrating the good, instead of only highlighting the bad. Black in Sport is a platform to amplify the conversation and inspire action – FIND OUT MORE

10/10/202316/10/2023

At Kukri Sports we believe that it is not only important to design modern, creative kit, but also take true inspiration from our partners’ history, ethos and values and build that vision into every one of our designs.

We wanted to showcase the extra thought and detail that go into some of our iconic kit designs as everything is not always as it seems and many of these extra details are not obvious to the naked eye but are part of the athlete stories and the rich history of the teams who wear them. So welcome to our new series of kit stories revealing the inspiration and attention to detail behind some of our most well-known designs.

Over the coming weeks we will be showcasing the stories behind some of our most iconic kit designs.

If you would like to learn more about any of our designs or are interested in how Kukri can help you with your sportswear and leisurewear contact us.

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British Gymnastics

British Gymnastics is the sport’s governing body for gymnastics and Trampolining in the UK.

Since the partnership began in 2021 Kukri have and continue to provide bespoke leisure, podium and training wear for all performance programmes, National Teams and squads.

Inspiration

While collaborating closely with the client, the Kukri Design team identified three distinct ability levels within British Gymnastics that needed to be emphasized in their kit designs: Pathway, Junior, and Senior.

The central design theme for British sporting teams revolves around the Union Jack Flag. Keeping this in mind, the team aimed to create sportswear designs that incorporated this iconic element.

As athletes progress through the various levels, the prominence of the Union Jack on the kit evolves accordingly:

Pathway:

This represents the lowest discipline level.

The kit features a subtle tonal Union Jack on the side panel, designed not to be overly conspicuous.

Junior:

Athletes at the Junior level showcase their affiliation with a Union Jack displayed prominently on the front panel.

To maintain harmony with the base fabric colour, the Union Jack is rendered in a tonal shade.

Additionally, each sleeve is accented with contrasting colour mesh binding to introduce a touch of vibrancy.

Senior:

At the Senior level, the Union Jack on the kit’s front panel takes centre stage, making it the most prominent design element.

Similar to the Junior design, contrasting colour mesh binding adorns each sleeve to infuse more colour and energy into the overall design.

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Rugby School

Located in Warwickshire, England, Rugby School are one of the most prestigious education establishments in the world and is one of the oldest independent schools in Britain (founded in 1567). To learn more about Rugby School visit www.rugbyschool.co.uk

Kukri recently announced a 10 year extension of their partnership with the school, where they offer a full range of bespoke sportswear for staff and pupils, both on and off field.

The Inspiration

At Rugby School they have a motto ‘The Whole Person, The Whole Point – Made Whole By Experience’.

This motto emphasizes the genuine aim of the school: equipping students with the skills, knowledge, assistance, and exposure necessary to transform them from a state of partial readiness for the broader world into fully developed individuals – Find out more.

Considering this information, the design team at Kukri Sports collaborated closely with the school to create a collection of customized sportswear that exemplified their goal for the students – to nurture a sense of completeness through their journey at the institution.

These designs incorporated patterns symbolizing the fundamental elements, or interconnected jigsaw pieces, forming a complete individual.

Everyone at Kukri takes great pride in seeing students wearing the kit, with full appreciation of the thought that has gone into the designs.

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Yorkshire Vikings and the Northern Diamonds T20 Shirts – 2023

Directly affiliated with Yorkshire CCC, the most successful cricketing team in England, the Yorkshire Vikings are the clubs limited overs team, who compete in the T20 Blast competition each year.

The Northern Diamonds, a professional women’s cricket team, proudly represents Yorkshire and the North East. In 2022, they achieved their inaugural accolade by winning the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy at Lord’s.

The Inspiration

Working closely with Yorkshire Vikings and Northern Diamonds Kukri designed their latest T20 shirt designs for the 2023 season, These designs draw inspiration from and celebrate the rich regional cricketing heritage throughout the county.

Yorkshire and the surrounding northern counties have a strong cricketing history which dates back centuries and the region has been a hub for cricket development in recent years. Cricket has a deep cultural significance in the North and the sport is woven into the fabric of the counties identity making it a point of pride for the residents, especially in Yorkshire.

The Yorkshire Vikings’ kit design pays homage to the 632 clubs affiliated with the Yorkshire Cricket Board, representing the diverse cricketing community across Yorkshire. On the other hand, the Northern Diamonds’ kit design incorporates all affiliated clubs that have a women’s and/or girls’ section, encompassing Yorkshire, Durham, and Northumberland. This nod to the cricketing community in the north and significantly Yorkshire is in keeping with our brand values which include being supportive, accessible and inclusive to everyone from grassroots players through to elite athletes. The ability to produce so many world class cricketers make Yorkshire one of the greatest counties in English cricket and we are proud to see so many clubs represented on the field by these two top flight teams.

This combination of unique and inspirational design, historical cricketing legacy and tradition, top flight players and the passion of the fans will collectively ensure Yorkshire’s enduring prominence in the world of cricket.

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Team England

Commonwealth Games England leads and manages the participation of Team England, at the Commonwealth Games working closely with each sport’s National Governing Body, their funding partner Sport England, and the Games’ Organising Committee.

Find out more

The Inspiration

As the official kit provider for Team England at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, our main objective was to craft kit designs that captured the pride and honour of representing your country whilst authentically representing the nation and drawing inspiration from the host city.

Although the colour palette predominantly drew from the traditional red and white of the St George’s Cross, the design concepts evolved over time and displayed meticulous attention to detail. Our design team conducted thorough extensive research in Birmingham to find sources of inspiration that could be seamlessly incorporated into the kit designs.

The Cube, one of Birmingham’s most iconic buildings, had a profound impact on the designs. It’s adorned structure, with various sizes of crosses, perfectly complemented the St George’s cross, which became a significant element of the designs.

Our quest for inspiration didn’t end there; the team also explored Centenary Square, which is home to Baskerville House, named after the renowned typographer John Baskerville. This visit sparked the idea to utilize the elegant Baskerville font across many of the kit designs.

Hidden Gold

To encourage the already strong aspirations for a place on the podium and a gold medal winning performance, a closer inspection of the kit and podium wear, highlights how often gold features throughout the designs, whether it be the trim, stitching, the drawcord or even zippers.

Concealed Medal Pocket

Among our collection of kit designs showcased at the games, the Ceremonial Track Top stood out as one of the most recognized and distinguished pieces. This exceptional track top not only boasts numerous golden details but also includes a discreet hidden internal pocket, thoughtfully designed to securely hold the prized medals of the winning athletes.

Many of the kits created for The Commonwealth Games in 2022 are now being proudly worn by the next generation of Team England athletes at this month’s Commonwealth Youth Games in Trinidad & Tobago. As you watch the athletes compete, see if you can spot the myriad of hidden details within the kit designs, from our unique gold text over concealed zips to the subtle crosses woven into the fabric.

We wish all of Team England young athletes a successful and enjoyable games.

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England Athletics

England Athletics is the governing body for the sport of athletics in England. They are a not-for-profit membership and development body for grassroots athletics and running in England.

The Inspiration

We worked closely with England Athletics to interpret their needs and wants and to develop a truly iconic design that represents both club and country.

When brainstorming creative ideas that could influence the England Athletic kit designs the team at Kukri explored many different avenues and a concept was formulated which took direct inspiration from iconic shots of winning athletes at the end of a race holding a St George’s flag draped across their shoulders. This concept led to the modern interpretation of the St George’s Cross draped over the left side of the garment, so every athlete has a graphic representation of their country on display and over their heart while competing, spurring them on to glory and to be the best they can be.

It fills the team at Kukri with great pride when we see England Athletes competing in Kukri sportswear, which we hope will lead to many more victorious flag celebrations at the end of future competitions.

England Athletics currently support 1,650 affiliated clubs and organizations covering track, field, road running, fell, hill, trail, and cross-country clubs. With over 140,000 registered athletes, 30,000 licensed coaches and 5,450 officials. Since 2019 Kukri Sports have been the official kit supplier for England’s representative teams and England Athletics Masters, whilst offering a range for coaches, staff and technical officials, plus an extensive range of branded merchandise.

04/09/202316/10/2023

Kukri Sports are excited to announce our multi-year partnership with Team Surrey. As part of the deal, Kukri will provide sportswear for university students and staff.

Kukri will provide teamwear for a wide range of sports, including Badminton, squash, tennis and hockey, plus much more.

“We are thrilled to announce Kukri’s partnership with Team Surrey and are looking forward to producing high quality bespoke kit designs that both students and staff can be proud of. This partnership is another example of Kukri’s commitment to supporting the educational sportswear needs of leading institutions.” Josh Beal, Sales Director, Kukri Sports.

“We are delighted that Kukri have become our new kit partner for Team Surrey following a competitive tender process. Kukri is a leading brand in the sportswear industry and we are very excited to be working with them to deliver the highest standard of kit for our students ahead of the 2023/24 academic year.” Georgina Agnies, Director of University Sport

About the University of Surrey

The University of Surrey are an award-winning provider of Higher Education. Based in a vibrant campus they provide exceptional teaching and practical learning to inspire and empower students for personal and professional success.

www.surrey.ac.uk

If you are interested in partnering with Kukri Sports or want to know how we can help – Get in touch.

28/08/202316/10/2023

Kukri Sports proudly congratulates Jess Bailey, one of its Youth Talent Programme Ambassadors, on her exceptional performances representing Team England at this year’s Commonwealth Youth Games.

Team England’s squad of 57 athletes competed in four of the sports and 65 medal events over the six days of the competition. They won 49 medals – 16 gold, 23 silver and 10 bronze – placing the team second in the overall medal table.

Reflecting on the experience, Jess admitted her journey to represent Team England at the Commonwealth Youth Games has been a dream come true. “Having the opportunity to represent Team England has been one of the best experiences of my life,” shared Jess. “It’s a crazy feeling to pull on the England vest and represent your country, especially at a competition as prestigious as the Commonwealth Youth Games, and this feeling is one I am very grateful to have experienced.”

Competing in the 3000m event and finishing 4^th in a time of 9:38.08, Jess faced a unique set of challenges. “One of the biggest challenges in my event was the heat and humidity. I tried to prepare for this beforehand by going in the sauna several times in the final weeks before we left for the Games, but the run was still unbelievably hard in difficult conditions.”

“Fortunately, the 3000m was on the last day, and by that time we had adapted to the heat. The heat barely even crossed my mind during the race.”

The Commonwealth Youth Games is not only a platform for showcasing athletic prowess, but also a celebration of unity and camaraderie amongst the athletes. Jess shared her experience, saying, “The games definitely felt like it was set up in a way to encourage different nations to make friends.

“All the athletes had been given their nations badge to trade with other nations, which got all the different countries talking and encouraged all of us to make friends and talk to people we wouldn’t have met otherwise. I thought that was brilliant and I made many international friends because of it.”

Drawing on from her journey, Jess offered insightful advice to young athletes aspiring to reach international levels of competition and represent Team England in the future. “My advice would be to just stick with it,” she encouraged. “It’s easy to get hyper focused on just one race / championships, getting disappointed and, if it doesn’t work out, forgetting the bigger picture.

“Disappointment is part of the sport and can be used as motivation as long as it’s managed well.”

Jess also expressed her gratitude for the pivotal figures who have supported her athletics journey. “My dad is definitely the person who, without a doubt, I would never have made it as far in athletics,” she acknowledged. “Both my dad and Mum know me so well and I’m so grateful to have them both by my side.”

Looking forward, Jess’s aspirations extend beyond personal achievements. “I want to make a career out of athletics,” she revealed. “I love training and getting to spend every day dedicated to this sport [athletics] would be a dream come true!”

Kukri would like to congratulate Jess and all of the Team England athletes on their fantastic achievements at this year’s Commonwealth Youth Games.

We were proud to provide the kit that helped athletes to thrive in their sport and be honoured to represent their country.

Click here to relieve this year’s Commonwealth Youth Games.

#UnleashGreatness

30/06/202229/11/2022

Following a successful 2 years as the official sportswear provider to Leeds Beckett University we are excited to announce a further 2-year extension until 2024.

As part of the deal Kukri will continue to provide elite, bespoke sportswear, leisurewear and merchandise to staff and students.

“We are delighted to be extending our partnership with Leeds Beckett University. With reduced sport being played during the pandemic we are excited to increase our involvement with each sports club, continue to support students’ sporting journeys and deliver quality products for all at Beckett. We look forward to continuing to develop the partnership over the next two years and working with the university to grow the offering for students.” Josh Beal, Sales Director at Kukri Sports.

‘‘Leeds Beckett University is delighted to extend its partnership with Kukri for another 2 years’.

‘Sport, physical activity and wellbeing are integral parts of the Leeds Beckett student experience and we are pleased that Kukri is now able to continue to support our sports clubs, both on and off the field.’

‘We look forward to working closely with the Kukri team to support our vision and values and help our students achieve their longer-term goals and successes.” Sally Griffiths – Leeds Beckett University, Director of Sport.

Leeds Beckett University are one of the largest providers of sports courses in UK Higher Education and have an Athletic Union comprising 38 sports clubs and over 80 teams.

With a 190-year history, the Leeds Beckett values of excellence, inspiration and integrity are ideals we also maintain and we will be working alongside staff and students to continue to produce ranges of bespoke sportswear to uphold these values.

Kukri Sports are a global sportswear supplier offering superior quality bespoke garments, across multiple sports, from grassroots, to elite level. To find out how we can support your sportswear needs visit www.kukrisports.com