Glasshouse and Maleny Little Athletics Centres are leaping into a new year with brand new sports gear thanks to grants and donations from Coles.

Coles Sippy Downs donated five new marquees to Glasshouse Little Athletics while Maleny Little Athletics have purchased new high jump mats with a $4,400 grant from the Coles Little Athletics Community Fund.

Glasshouse Little Athletics Centre Manager John Byford said the centre was thrilled to receive the new marquees from their local Coles store.

“A number of our marquees were damaged in a thunderstorm that hit our club carnival last season,” he said.

“We are both incredibly excited and grateful to be receiving these marquees from Coles as we know these marquees are of a great quality.”

“These marquees will allow us to provide sun protection to athletes and volunteers at our home meets as well as at other centre carnivals, regional and State Championships.”

Coles Regional Manager Heath Grant said Coles was pleased to continue its support of the Sunshine Coast’s budding athletes and parent volunteers.

“Little Athletics Centres do such a great job in the community to help kids lead healthier, happier lives – that’s why we’re keen to support them where we can,” he said.

“Coles Sippy Downs have been donating hundreds of bananas each week to Glasshouse, Maleny and USC Little Athletics centres for the past three years and when Glasshouse told us about their damaged marquees, we were delighted to be able to help them out with five new ones.”

“We’re also pleased that four Little Athletics Centres on the Sunshine Coast — Maleny, Bli Bli, Maroochy and Deception Bay — have received grants totalling nearly $15,000 from the latest round of the Coles Little Athletics Community Fund.”

Little Athletics Queensland Sunshine Coast centres have received nearly $50,000 from the Coles Little Athletics Community Fund since it was established in November 2018. Funds for the grants are raised through the sale of specially marked chiller bags designed by Aussie kids, with ten per cent of every bag sold directed to the Fund.

Coles has raised more than $1.68 million for 376 Little Athletics centres to buy new equipment and have donated more than 3.5 million bananas to little athletes across the country since 2017.