Read how your support creates leaders & promotes equality in sport

As a not for profit organisation, all profits generated by our business are gift-aided to our parent charity Newground Together.

Recently, Newground Together received an application from Calderdale Community Coaching Trust (CCCT), a professional rugby league club based in Halifax. Through Newgrounds’ very popular Community Grant programme, CCCT was successful in their application and received a grant. The purpose of the grant was to create better opportunities for equality in rugby, a sport traditionally dominated by males.

By creating female role models within their coaching team, Calderdale Community Coaching Trust hoped to attract and increase female participation in rugby from ages six up to adulthood. They also wanted to improve membership of the local community league clubs and increase volunteer numbers.

The funding paid for two existing team members to gain a level 2 UKCC Rugby League Coaching qualification. Kara Colvin, who undertook the training, said, “I can play rugby with my eyes closed but being able to show others how to do it isn’t as easy as one would think. The course itself was challenging and helped me grow as a player and a person. I truly am grateful for being able to do this course, and the benefits have been huge.”

With a love of the sport from a young age, Kara initially played to show others that she was just as good as the boys, but it soon became the best thing she ever did. Kara has gone on to coach at several primary and high schools, promoting rugby in the local community. As a result, many children have now joined local community rugby league clubs.

Kara went on to say, “I always have the same message when I coach in the community – work hard but play harder. Rugby is a game for everyone. All sexes, all abilities and all races of life. It’s an inclusive sport, and as long as I can get this message across to the younger generation, then the future of rugby is a brilliant unbiased one.”

By training two team members to deliver training, it’s estimated that 450 people have benefitted, with many young girls joining local community clubs. A sharp increase in volunteers has also been seen with 100 hours of volunteering delivered to the Healthy Holiday camps.

Chris Mitchell, who applied for the funding said, “The funding we have received from Newground Together Community Grant Programme has enabled us to grow our coaching team and grow a love for rugby. This funding allowed us to train two volunteer coaches who have gone on to deliver training to schools and community groups. Without the funding, we wouldn’t have been able to. It’s been a really successful initiative.”

Belle Paterson, Community Development Officer at Newground Together, said: “Although the funding focused on helping two club members become qualified coaches, the ripple effects can be felt much wider. The funding has successfully enabled more young people, especially girls, to think of rugby as a sport they can take part in. Chris and his team are creating a new generation of people who want to play rugby and not shy away from it just because they are female.”

As always, we are 100% committed to gift aiding all our profits to charity. But, without your support, our charity wouldn’t be able to help groups like the Calderdale Community Coaching Trust and many others.