JUNIOR soccer players benefited from local financial support which saw them play in a major tournament in the New England region.
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Squadron Energy's Sapphire Wind Farm fund helped Inverell Football Club field teams in the Joeys Mini World Cup.
It was the first time the event had been held in the region since 2018.
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"We were excited to be able to support up-and-coming soccer stars to play this year, especially now that it's back on their local soil," Sapphire Wind Farm operations manager David Williamson said.
"This is what community sponsorship is about - we want to share the benefits of our projects with the local communities, and this is a huge win for the entire community as it brings people together and provides an opportunity for the next generation of soccer stars."
Inverell Football Club Secretary Laura Simpson said the club wanted to thank Sapphire Wind Farm for supporting its teams as the cost of living was hitting many families in the region.
"We don't believe that opportunities like this should only be available for families who aren't feeling the crunch of cost-of-living pressures," Ms Simpson said.
"We have a large following in the local area, and this was an amazing experience for the kids and broader community. We really want to thank Squadron Energy for supporting us."
Sapphire Wind Farm provided support for the under-9s, under-8s and under-7s to assist with nominations and to subsidise competition fees.
The teams were also provided with water bottles and marquees throughout the tournament.
The tournament caters for all levels of skill with all players and teams competing through to the last day.
After originally being hosted for eight years in Inverell the tournament moved to Hervey Bay Queensland in 2018 until 2021.
In 2022 the tournament was played in Lismore before moving back to Inverell this year.
Each of Squadron Energy's projects has a community sponsorship program, which provides funds or in-kind support to community organisations and events in the local project area.
Sapphire Wind Farm is the largest operational wind farm in New South Wales.
During construction it created 259 jobs and injected $25 million into the regional economy.
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