Pro-active Community Rugby League clubs across the UK have benefitted from improved facilities thanks to Engage Mutual’s ‘engage with your club’ initiative.  
 
More than 80 clubs signed up to the initiative with over 30 holding action weekends where players past and present, committee members and fans were invited do their bit and help out. Volunteers were involved in various activities from painting and grass cutting to fitting of new showers and roof repairs.

Led by former Super League title sponsor Engage Mutual, in partnership with Rugby League Cares and the RFL Facilities Trust, the initiative aims to attract participation from club members at all levels.  

By galvanizing community support through a volunteering event, grassroots clubs across the UK have the opportunity to improve their facilities at relatively low cost.

Some famous faces in the shape of current Super League players including Jamie Peacock, Lee Briers, Sean O’Loughlin, Sam Tomkins and Josh Charnley lent their support to the initiative as they returned to their roots and volunteered at their former clubs.

Speaking of the initiative James Ogden, Sponsorship Executive at Engage Mutual, said:
 
“Community Rugby League clubs are integral to the future of the sport. This is where the next generation of Super League stars will come from, and they also play an important part in the local community.

“The aim of engage with your club initiative is to help improve the provision of Rugby League within communities by highlighting the valuable contributions made by volunteers as well as enhancing facilities.

“The initiative has been a great success as 80 proactive clubs signed up to take part this summer.”

Each registered club was provided with posters to help advertise their event, as well as discount vouchers for Dulux decorator centres. Each club that registered before 24 May was entered into a draw to win an official support pack, with 30 fortunate clubs receiving t-shirts, posters and a donation of £50 towards materials.

Chris Rostron, Rugby League Cares General Manager said: “We are delighted by the success of ‘engage with your club’, which has developed even further from the successful initiative created by Engage Mutual and the Rugby League Foundation last year.

“The support clubs and volunteers have received from Engage Mutual has been outstanding and this really is a wonderful example of a grass roots project making a genuine difference to our clubs, volunteers and communities.   

“We can’t thank Engage Mutual enough for their support, which goes much further than sponsorship, and is more about a passion for Rugby League and the people that make the sport happen.

“We would also like to thank all of the participating clubs and volunteers for taking part in the project, and for making such a difference in your local communities. There have been some amazing transformations and we look forward to seeing who will collect the prestigious prizes made available through the RFL Facilities Trust and Engage Mutual at the Community Awards later this year. “

All clubs participating in an action weekend were invited to fill in a post-event questionnaire to show how the event helped the club.  

From the responses, two clubs which are deemed to have held outstanding ‘engage with your club’ events will receive £2,500 each to boost club coffers. While all other registered clubs will be entered into a free draw to win one of 10 cash prizes of £1000.  

Successful clubs will be announced at the Engage Mutual Community Awards event on Saturday 6 October 2012 at Lancashire Cricket Ground.

For more information about the initiative, including pictures and a video please visit:  www.engagemutual.com/rugby

Details of the Community Awards can be found at http://www.rugbyleaguecares.org/events#event6