Opening Ronald McDonald Centre – the First Sports Centre for disabled children in Western-Europe

European Excellence Award 2011

At a glanceThe Ronald McDonald House Charities The Netherlands opened an unique sport centre for

disabled children, the first in Europe. With the help of a Princess and a football star Ketchum

Pleon achieved an overwhelming press coverage of all major media in the Netherlands.

Situation AnalysisIn November 2010, the Ronald McDonald Centre opened its doors in Amsterdam. The sports

centre is the first of its sort in Europe. The initial initiative was taken by Dennis Gebbink, father

of a disabled child and founder of sport club Only Friends that now participates in the centre.

Mr. Gebbink wanted to give disabled and chronically ill children the same opportunities to play

sports as any other child.

Objectives To show the Dutch population that Ronald McDonald House Charities has opened an unique

sport centre for disabled children. To help attract sport clubs to join the Ronald McDonald

Centre by gaining as much press coverage as possible for the Ronald McDonald Centre itself

as well as for the Ronald McDonald House Charities The Netherlands.

StrategyDelivering a tailor-made story to all major dailies, magazines, RTV and online media in the

Netherlands, combined with an unique opening ceremony and offering a camera opportunity

with celebrities.

HRH Princess Marilène van Oranje-Nassau (left)

and football star Marco van Basten (right) pose with disabled sporters.

ImplementationThe Ronald McDonald Centre was

officially opened on November 8, 2010 by

Her Royal Highness Princess Marilène

van Oranje-Nassau together with former

football star Marco van Basten and Ed

Nijpels, chairman of the Board of Trustees

of the Dutch Ronald McDonald House

Charities. They assisted two young

disabled sporters in the release of 400

colorful balloons from a gigantic football.

This was the sign to start a programme

with demonstrations of all kinds of sports

by disabled children.

ResultsOver 30 journalists attended and the

press coverage was overwhelming, both

in newspapers and magazines as well as

on radio, tv and internet. This included

elaborate items in all major daily TV

News programmes including the NOS

Jeugdjournaal, the Children’s News

Programme of the Dutch public service

broadcaster. In total, the media value

mounted to a breathtaking E 1,7 milion.

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Bron: Architectenweb.nl Datum: 05-11-2010 http://architectenweb.nl/aweb/redactie/redactie_detail.asp?iNID=24667

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Bron: VoetbalCentraal.nl

Datum: 10-11-2010

http://www.voetbalcentraal.nl/nieuws/57545/van-basten-opent-ronald-mcdonald-

centre-in-adam

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Bron: NOS.nl Datum : 07-11-2010 http://nos.nl/video/196703-yann-krijgt-duikles.html

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Ronald McDonald Centre

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Bron: At5.nl Datum: 29-10-2010 http://www.at5.nl/artikelen/51100/prinses-opent-sportcentrum-kinderen-met-handicap

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Bron: Parool.nl

Datum: 07-11-2010

http://www.parool.nl/parool/nl/4036/AMSTERDAM-

NOORD/article/detail/1046705/2010/11/07/Ronald-McDonald-Centre-volledig-

aangepast.dhtml

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Bron: NOS.nl Datum: 07-11-2010 http://nos.nl/video/196728-centrum-voor-gehandicapte-sporters-in-amsterdam.html

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Bron: NOS.nl Datum: 07-11-2010 http://nos.nl/video/196702-marc-van-den-tweel-directeur-ronald-mcdonald-kinderfonds.html

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Bron: NOS.nl

Datum: 08-11-2010

http://nos.nl/audio/196896-ronald-mcdonald-centre-een-paradijs-voor-gehandicapte-

kinderen.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3

A+nosjournaalaudio+(NOS+Journaal+audio