Social and sports programmes addressed to children and youth
The social programmes we engage in go beyond the three priority areas of fostering equal opportunities, road traffic safety, and environmental protection. A significant part of our efforts is devoted to initiatives intended to promote active and healthy lifestyles among children and youth. We attach great importance to supporting young sports talent.
Our flagship projects
‘In Search for the Champion’s Successors’
Ski jump to the top
With the assistance of the Polish Skiing Association, in 2004 we initiated the National Ski Jumping Development Programme ‘In Search for the Champion’s Successors’ to support the most promising young ski jumpers. As part of this largest social and sports project in the history of Polish skiing, since 2005 we have held LOTOS Cup ski jumping tournaments in Zagórz, Zakopane, Wisła and Szczyrk. We also finance sports equipment for clubs that train young ski jumpers. Since 2004, the most talented jumpers from 19 clubs in different parts of Poland received, among other things, 261 sets of skis and bindings, 237 skiing suits, 100 helmets, and 210 pairs of ski jumping shoes. By providing the clubs with professional sports equipment, we enable them to offer full training to children from the youngest age groups. Each year, after the end of the LOTOS Cup competition, the programme funds scholarships and awards for the best young jumpers who top the general classification of the tournament.
‘Football Future with LOTOS’
Football in a fair-play environment
‘Football Future with LOTOS’ (renamed ‘White and Green Future with LOTOS’ as of the end of 2015) is a programme we run with the New Lechia Gdańsk Football Academy to promote football among the youngest inhabitants of the Pomerania region. There are 14 centres cooperating with the New Lechia Gdańsk Football Academy as partner clubs or affiliated clubs within the framework of the project, which includes a common training programme for all the centres, training courses for the coaches, purchases of training and sports equipment, jointly organized football camps, and sports scholarships for the most promising players and for those in a difficult financial situation. Currently, the systematic long-term training programme covers more than 3,000 children, who train for and regularly take part in football games organized by the Regional Football Associations. The New Lechia Gdańsk Football Academy is expected to be a pool of talent for junior national teams and professional sports clubs.
