Derby County Football Club's work in the local community is to benefit from a new sponsorship agreement with Derbyshire Building Society.

The Society has got behind the Derby County in the Community scheme as part of its commitment to supporting local charities, community groups and organisations.

Derby County in the Community has recently been awarded charitable status and currently delivers a diverse range of activities throughout the county of Derbyshire, engaging with in excess of 30,000 children and adults each year in the core delivery programme.

It was awarded the national FA Charter Standard Award for Excellence in 2005/6 and has been short listed for the Derbyshire Business Awards for the past two years.

Graham Picken, Chief Executive of Derbyshire Building Society, said: "We have enjoyed a long and successful relationship with Derby County and the club has developed significantly during our three-year tenure as main sponsors.

"Our main sponsorship has helped to enhance our brand both regionally and nationally, but we now feel the time is right to move our focus to supporting Derby County in the Community's ongoing development.

"As a regional building society we believe strongly in supporting the communities to which we and the majority of our members belong to.

"The Society has a branch presence at Pride Park Stadium and next season we will be sponsoring Derby County in the Community and the club's mascot Rammie.

"We are also delighted that we will be extending our commitment to our Rams Account for a further three years. The Rams Account currently has balances of over £42m and has already contributed over £1m to the club's Academy.

"We are delighted that another leading local business, Bombardier, has agreed to be the club's main sponsor and we wish Derby County every success in its bid for a swift return to the Premier League."

Tom Glick, President and CEO of Derby County, said: "Derby County in the Community is one of the strongest schemes in the country and this backing from Derbyshire Building Society will help it to go from strength to strength.

"The Society and Derby County Football Club have enjoyed a long association and we thank them for their generous sponsorship of the last three years - while we are naturally overjoyed that we are able to continue our thriving relationship in this way.

"The strength of Derby County in the Community its reputation for excellence and quality that has been developed since its original inception in 1999.

"This new funding coming in from The Derbyshire will allow Derby County in the Community to move forward further to meet an ever-increasing demand and allow for scheme development and expansion."