Idle Eric signs for footie

26/06/2007

Health cartoon character Idle Eric is giving up the beer and turning on the tap to play football.

And it is hoped 15,000 amateur football players in Northumberland and Durham will join his team drinking tap water for general health and sporting performance.

Northumbrian Water’s sponsorship has been used to provide 15,000 water bottles for the Durham County and Northumberland Football Associations.

It is planned that the bottles will be used on match days to get the health message over to thousands of men, maintaining the momentum of the Idle Eric campaign.

Dave O’Brien, from South Tyneside Primary Care Trust, who jointly led on the project with independent marketer Kris Grey, said: “Idle Eric is a cartoon character who has been a men’s health icon since 2000.

“He is the invention of the Community Foundation who commissioned him from the creators of the Viz comic.  In last years campaign, Eric again proved himself as a valuable men’s health resource with an increase in his profile and a definite impact on men’s desire to visit their GP more often.”

Now Eric’s campaign continues in partnership with Northumbrian Water to promote the message of hydration. As Eric says: Eight glasses a day is the well balanced way!”

Reporters and photographers are invited to attend the kick-off at Durham County Football Association, Riverside South, Chester-le-Street (next to Durham County Cricket Club) on Wednesday 27 June at 10am. Sunday league players will be in kit to kick a ball outside and train on equipment inside drinking from the new special Idle Eric bottles. 

Idle Eric is normally a cartoon character but for the kick-off there will also be a real-life costumed character in attendance. 

Alistair Baker, Northumbrian Water’s Communications and PR Manager, said:
“Water is vital for a healthy life and this sporting partnership with the community foundation and the Tyne and Wear Primary Health Care Trusts is another extension to the work of the water company in promoting the many benefits of our top quality tap water.”

Francis Baring, from the Community Foundation said: “The Community Foundation serving Tyne & Wear and Northumberland, through the Men’s Health Fund, has been delighted to work in partnership with Northumbrian Water to communicate the important message of drinking water.

“Working in partnership with private and public sector organisations is important in efforts to get men’s health messages across, and the Fund hopes to form similar collaborative relationships in the future. We would like to thank Northumbrian Water very much for their help on this project.”

John Topping, Company Secretary of the Durham County Football Association, said: "Football is an ideal sport to assist in making men aware of health issues and the message regarding hydration is important.

“The County Football Association is pleased to be able to promote the Idle Eric campaign, and we have already received many contacts from clubs interested in obtaining the water bottles provided by Northumbrian Water.”

You can visit Eric on his website at: www.idleeric.co.uk

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For further information contact:

Alistair Baker at Northumbrian Water on 0191 301 6851
Francis Baring at the Community Foundation on 0191 222 0945