Richmond has extended its association with its community development partner, Parklea, for a further three years. 

The partnership, which was launched in 2014, has used football to strengthen the communities based in Cardinia Shire, one of Australia’s high growth corridors.

Parklea is an Australian owned company leading the way in property development within Victoria, which has a strong presence in Cardinia Shire.

In the last few seasons, Richmond has held number of training sessions and fan development activities in the region.

With the backing of Parklea and in conjunction with South Eastern Melbourne Medicare Local (SEMML), the Club has also implemented the pilot program ‘Tiger PAW’ (physical activity and wellbeing) for local schools, which is designed to improve vital life skills for children, by using the power of AFL football to influence changing behaviours.

“Working with Parklea has helped us create a strong presence in the Cardinia Shire area, an area we identified as important to Richmond, given it is a high-growth residential growth corridor that is already home to a large number of Tiger fans,” said Richmond CEO Brendon Gale.

“We know that football is a great tool for supporting communities and influencing change for the better, and we believe we have already made inroads in this area.

“Parklea has been a major land developer within the municipality, intent on creating ‘communities’, and we’re keen to continue our work together to create positive community outcomes for the shire.”

Parklea CEO Andrew Herbert said: “Partnerships such as this are integral to the success of the community.”

“The program aligns the Richmond Football Club and Parklea objectives of bringing education and AFL experiences to the Cardinia community.

“Parklea is proud to continue this partnership, delivering on our promise to improve and shape the way our south east community lives, works and plays.”