Bendigo Spirit and McKern Steel forge stronger community ties with renewed partnership
Bendigo Spirit is proud to announce the renewal and expansion of its partnership with McKern Steel for the upcoming 2025-26 Women’s National Basketball League (WNBL) season, marking a significant milestone in community engagement and health education across the Bendigo region.
McKern Steel, through its McKern Foundation, has been a driving force behind the highly impactful ‘Fresh Fruit Friday’ initiative, delivering over 1,000kg of fresh fruit weekly to more than 13,000 students across local schools. This renewed partnership will see Bendigo Spirit players actively supporting the program by visiting schools and delivering curriculum-aligned presentations on healthy eating and nutrition.
The collaboration will see Bendigo Spirit player ambassadors delivering tailored sessions that align with school curriculum standards, ensuring students not only receive fresh produce but also gain valuable knowledge about nutrition and healthy lifestyle choices.
“This partnership is more than just a sponsorship – it’s a shared commitment to the wellbeing of our community,” said Dan Jackson, General Manager of Bendigo Spirit. “Fresh Fruit Fridays is a program that resonates deeply with our values, and having our players involved in educating kids about healthy choices is incredibly powerful. Michael McKern has been a long-time supporter of the Spirit, and it’s fantastic to see his vision continue to grow through this initiative.”
As an official Club Partner, McKern Steel is making its largest community investment to date, reinforcing its dedication to fostering healthier futures for young Australians.
Michael McKern, founder of McKern Steel and former Bendigo Spirit Board Member, shared his enthusiasm on the new deal.
“We’re thrilled to deepen our partnership with Bendigo Spirit. Fresh Fruit Fridays has always been about giving kids the best start possible, and having Bendigo Spirit players involved brings a whole new level of engagement and inspiration.
“We have always supported Bendigo Spirit, having player ambassadors as part of our program in the early days, including Kelsey Griffin back in 2015. Kelsey was our original ambassador and played a key role in helping drive the club’s direction towards community involvement, so it’s great to connect again for positive impact to our program, as well as the financial support to the club.”
For more information on Fresh Fruit Fridays, visit www.mckern.net.au/celebrating-10-years-of-fresh-fruit-fridays