DPD backs Northampton Saints on and off the pitch.

DPD has expanded its relationship with Northampton Saints Rugby Club with a wide-ranging package covering the men’s first team, the Loughborough Lightning women’s team and the Northampton Saints Foundation. The multi-season partnership will see DPD add to its existing branding across the front and back of the Club’s home and away playing shirts, by becoming the main sponsor of the Loughborough Lightning and supporting the club’s Foundation with funding for the next three years.

The partnership which brings together two organisations with a shared commitment to performance, teamwork, reliability and delivering consistently high standards, also includes stadium naming rights with Franklin’s Gardens now known as DPD Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens.

DPD will be the Principal Partner for Loughborough Lightning for the 2026/27 JAECOO PWR season. The firm’s logo will take pride of place on the front of Lightning’s home and away shirts throughout the league campaign, which kicks off on Friday 20 November, at DPD Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens.

As one of English rugby’s most respected clubs, Saints has a strong connection to communities across the Midlands and beyond. The club’s Foundation uses the power of sport and the values of rugby to inspire and support, thousands of individuals each year. Through education, social inclusion and employability programmes, the Foundation helps people build confidence, develop essential life skills, and access new opportunities in education, training, or employment.

The new partnership will see DPD become the headline sponsor of Foundation Day, the charity’s flagship annual fundraising fixture.

Justin Pegg, CEO of DPD UK, commented: “We are absolutely delighted to extend our relationship with Saints. We are excited about the upcoming season both on the pitch and off, especially with the opportunity to support Loughborough Lightning as well as the 1st team. “The more we have got to know each other, the more we’ve appreciated what the club is all about and how similar we are in terms of our shared values. DPD is proud to have one of the most diverse and inclusive teams in the country and the role that the Foundation plays in local communities is something that resonates very loudly with us. “Top to bottom it is a fantastic club and one that we are incredibly proud to partner with. This enhanced package means we really will be backing them every step of the way in 2026/27 and beyond. We look forward to building a relationship that is rewarding for both parties and the communities we both represent.”

Julia Chapman, Saints’ Chief Executive, commented, “We’re incredibly proud to be taking the next step in our partnership with DPD. From our very first conversations, it was clear that there was a genuine alignment between our organisations, not only in terms of our ambitions, but also our values.“The support DPD has already shown since becoming our Principal Partner has been outstanding, and the decision to become our Stadium Naming Partner demonstrates a real commitment to helping Northampton Saints continue to grow and evolve. “We are extremely grateful to DPD for their commitment to Loughborough Lightning, to women’s rugby and of course to the Foundation. Foundation Day is a hugely important occasion for us, bringing together the wider Saints family to celebrate and support the work we do across our communities. The overall package of support demonstrates the values that DPD stand for and we are delighted to be working alongside a partner that shares our long-term vision.”

DPD is a member of Geopost, a European leader in parcel delivery and solutions for e-commerce. Part of the La Poste Groupe. The company operates more than 10,000 vehicles in the UK from 85 locations and delivers over 360 million parcels a year. As part of Geopost, DPD UK has a Net Zero target of 2040, which is fully validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). DPD UK has confirmed that the UK operation is on track with the trajectory required to meet the group target. Over 38% of the final mile van fleet is now electric while DPD UK’s HGV fleet is partly fuelled by HVO (Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil), which can reduce engine emissions by 83% compared to diesel.