Mayfield breaking new ground in 2024
ROCHDALE Mayfield started 2024 with a bang as they continue the club’s tradition of encouraging more young children into the sport of Rugby League.
The club feels it has a priority to promote and encourage young children into the sport to ensure player participation increases year on year.
Being a relatively niche sport within primary schools of the Borough, the club is looking to build on the solid foundations created in 2023 when, through generous sponsors and funding initiatives, Mayfield were able to regain some lost links and provide 22 schools (1500+ children / 236 hours) with an opportunity to learn and partake in a sport that they normally wouldn’t get to experience.
The success has is incredible with 20 children, having participated in one of the club’s four programmes, taking up the sport and now part of the Mayfield family.
And 2024 couldn’t have started of any better on the successful delivery of a four-day Holiday Activities & Food rugby camp for over 100 children.
The club has always delivered camps during school holiday but it’s usually at full capacity with children already involved at the club.
This year Mayfield wanted to go in a different direction and, working closely with Rochdale
Borough Council, Your Trust Rochdale & The Department of Education, they were able to utilise the great initiative and target a new audience for the very first time.
Although numbers were a little lower than expected, the club did have lots of new faces in attendance and the club secretary has since been inundated with enquires relating to children who want to get involved and be part of the everexpanding youth set up.
A club spokesman said: “The HAF programme is an exciting and rewarding initiative and again demonstrates the ambition of our club to always be moving forward with the times in providing a platform for everyone to have access to some form of physical activity through Rugby League.
“For me, having one new participant at our camp was a success but we’re absolutely delighted with the numbers we had and would like to pay tribute to all for supporting and giving our club the opportunity to provide your children with hopefully an experience to remember.
“Due to the success, planning is already in motion to hopefully provide another four days of HAF funded provision during the Spring Holidays with dates to be confirmed and the process of booking to be distributed in the near future.
“Mayfield Sports Centre is in the final stages of becoming an official RFL Community Wellbeing Hub and has a family and community-based centre feeling with the aim of bringing residents of the Borough together through sport.
“The club is always thriving to improve on and off the field with ambitions to provide a platform and opportunity to get involved, build lifelong friendships via a community club environment.
“The club’s coaching team, under the command of development officer Carl Abraham, is now in a position to offer a service and opportunities that many professional clubs would love to have at their disposal.
“We are very proud of what we’ve created so far but won’t rest on our laurels and rest assured our work in the community is here for the long haul.
“We’re excited to see how far we can take all of our programmes and having an open door policy has been the key to the success we’re currently having at the club.
“If you or your organisation want any information on what the club has planned, can provide or how to get onboard and join our exciting and rewarding journey then email info@rochdalemayfield.com or members@ rochdalemayfield.com and one of the team will be in touch.”