1284 founder George Oliver was invited to speak to Leicester Riders sponsors as the club’s business networking returned for the first time since before the Pandemic.

The informal business breakfast took place at the Morningside Arena on Thursday, with a friendly mix of sponsors and supporters.

George spoke about the origins of the business in the early months of the Pandemic and its subsequent growth into working with innovative organisations across the East Midlands.

He described why he made the decision to sponsor the Riders, how he first worked with Riders chairman Kevin Routledge while collaborating on an internship project at the Leicester Mercury, and how 1284 got its name.

Also speaking were:

• Kevin Routledge, who introduced the event and gave an update on commercial activity at the Riders - including the development of the new stadium extension
• Riders coach Rob Paternostro, who gave a review of the season to date on the court and after the BBL cup final defeat against London Lions
• Leicester Riders Foundation general manager Laura Shephard, who described its work in local communities - including an ambitious partnership with 1284START client Menphys
• Community fundraising manager Jessica Southworth, who outlined the work of Hope Against Cancer in funding ground-breaking research in Leicestershire.

1284 is sponsoring Leicester Riders guard Blake Bowman as he makes his BBL debut in the 2022-23 season.

George said: “It was really nice to be asked to speak as the Riders networking event returned after the Pandemic.

“There was a nice feel in the room, with some common purpose among sponsors interested in the progress of the club and foundation.

“Kevin summarised how the Riders intend to experiment with the format of their business networking offer in coming months so there will be something for everyone who wants to get involved.

“It’s been a great success for 1284 this season - a number of clients have attended matches and really enjoyed themselves. 

“The benchmark of hospitality is invariably how easy (or otherwise) it is to get people along and I’ve had no issues on that front.

"In fact, it's been the opposite - I’ve not been able to meet the demand for people wanting to come along to watch the Riders. It’s a great night out.”