Club is taking Giant strides in community

A HOST of Huddersfield Giants players – including Jermaine McGillvary, Tom Holmes and Leroy Cudjoe – headed to the Zone yesterday to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Huddersfield Giants Community Trust, the charitable arm of the club.

And half-back Holmes realises the importance of the connection between the club and the community.

“I think it’s really important,” he said.

“We had a meeting last week about the work that’s done here at the Huddersfield Giants Community Trust and I think what struck me was how vital it is for us to get out there and work with the community

“There are a lot of people who look up to us, so I think us helping in the community is really massive.

“What they do here is really impressive and we’re all glad to be a part of it, it’s an excellent facility.”

Holmes emphasised the role that the first team play in being an inspiration for the next crop of players and fans coming through the club. “I think it’s massive,” he said. “When I was young, it would make your day to meet one of your heroes and I think we need to realise that we are that to the next generation and we need to inspire them.”

Holmes also spoke about the widerange of services delivered by the Community Trust, including vital work done in education, sports, its Partner Schools Programme and its work with the National Citizens Service.

He said: “I don’t think a lot of people realise how much goes on off the field, but there’s a lot that goes into it.

“It’s a 24/7 job for the people here. Without the Community Trust, you wouldn’t have a positive impact in the Town and you won’t have the next generation coming through.”

Fellow Giants star and England winger McGillvary also highlighted the life-changing effect the Huddersfield Giants Community Trust has on the town.

He said: “It changes lives. A lot of people in the local area get involved in the community and it’s a really good thing for the club to be involved with.”

McGillvary drew attention to the personal impact having the firstteam and the Community Trust involved in Huddersfield had to his own career and hopes, as a star of the Giants, he can have a similar effect alongside the excellent work done by the HGCT.

“I go back to when I was a kid, when I was playing Eorl Crabtree used to come down and do presentation evenings and it was amazing for me,” he said.

“To grow up and play with him – he’s still a hero to me now and it was an honour to be alongside him.

“For myself now, I don’t know whether I’m in the same bracket as Eorl but I think it’s time for me to give back. I’ve played for my country and played in a World Cup final so maybe they’ll be looking up to me as an inspiration and if I can take some time to help coaching or answer questions that they have, I’m happy to do it to give back to the community.”

McGillvary drew particular attention to the positive effect of the Community Trust’s work with the Rugby League Development Pathway, one of three pathways delivered by the Trust’s Education department.

“When the Category Three Academy first kicked off, they brought me down to talk to them,” he said. “I said when I was a player, there was nothing like this, no safety net for players if they don’t make it.

“Either you were in or you were out. Now if they don’t make it, they learn skills that will allow them to stay in the sporting side of the game and they’ll have the qualifications to do that.

“These lucky.”

Grace Lenihan, marketing and communications manage r , said: “We are incredibly lucky to have worked with some great partners on our refurb, we have spent many long days deliberating over the details.

“It was fantastic to have the support of the first team at our celebration. “We wanted to get it right and it was amazing to have people down here to see what we’ve been working so hard on.

“We hope that this is another step to linking closer with the club.”

What they do here is really impressive and we’re all glad to be a

part of it