With the two-year countdown for the next Commonwealth Games underway, fundraising to send a team from the Isle of Man has begun in earnest.

The XXI Commonwealth Games will begin on 4th April 2018 in Australia’s Gold Coast featuring around 6,500 athletes and team officials from more than 70 nations. And while sportsmen and women are training hard to meet the qualifying markers, the Isle of Man Commonwealth Games Association needs to raise over ?100,000; the cost to send the team and officials.

President, Juliet Holt, explained: ‘The Association is a registered charity responsible for raising all the funds needed to send Team Isle of Man to the Commonwealth Games. We’ve been very lucky to have received generous support from companies based here over the years and we hope that will continue.’

Over the next two years the committee will be organising a range of exciting fundraising events, two of which have recently been confirmed.

The CGA Golf Day will be held on Friday 22nd July at Ramsey Golf Club. The event will be open to up to 20 teams of four at a cost of ?400 per team. It will be followed by a prize presentation and refreshments in the clubhouse. Overall sponsorship of the event is available, which will include naming rights for the event and company logo on invitations and event literature, as well as the opportunity to place banners on the course and in the clubhouse. For more information, contact Basil Bielich: bbielich@burleigh.co.im. 

On Saturday 6th August, Triskelion Polo Club will host a VIP Polo experience. A team of local players will take on HM Army Reserve team at Great Meadow in Castletown. Guests will enjoy private parking and an exclusive Champagne reception and lunch, before being able to watch the final of the weekend’s competition from a VIP area. There are only ten tables of ten available at ?1,000 per table. Guests will be joined by athletes and officials from Team Isle of Man.

The last time HM Army Reserve team played here, they attracted more than 700 spectators to Ballaugh Beach. This year’s match will be on a much larger scale, with outside catering for members of the public.

General Manager of Triskelion Polo Club, Frazer Houston, said: ‘We are very much looking forward to the event in August, where a team of our regulars will take on a very talented team from the Army Reserves. The sport is becoming very popular in the Island and I feel certain this exclusive event will be a wonderful experience for old and new fans.’

The CGA is seeking sponsors for the polo event has a range of packages available, including overall sponsorship. For more information, contact Juliet Holt: juliet.cgaiom@gmail.com.  

The CGA will also begin its quest to attract up to 15 Team Champions from the business community in the next few weeks.