Leeds Rhinos Foundation is launching a new project designed to support primary school children’s literacy and introduce them to rugby league by utilising the appeal of Leeds Rhinos’ mascot Ronnie the Rhino.
Ronnie will star in a series of new children’s books, which have been developed for young readers in the first two years of primary school.
The first book tells the story of how Leeds Rhinos’ biggest fan Ronnie the Rhino got involved in rugby league. Children from Wortley Primary School got a first chance to look at the book when Ronnie and Rhinos tar Jamie Jones-Buchanan visited the school to officially launch the first book in the Rhinos Reading series ‘Ronnie Gives Rugby League a Try’.
To launch the new title Leeds Rhinos player Jamie Jones-Buchanan visited Leeds schoolchildren at Lower Wortley Primary School to speak about the importance of reading and getting into sport and physical activity.
Speaking at the event Jones-Buchanan said:
“I think it’s great, we aim to change lives through sport, and there are many ways to do that and one of them is telling stories. We’ve got this fantastic game that we go and play over eighty minutes on a weekend and there is so much that goes on in between on and off the pitch and we need to share that and inspire other people.
“This book is just another way of inspiring the next generation, the youngsters to think about what they want to do with their lives, to think about what their talents are and how they are going to give them to the rest of the world.”
The new book will be available to schools as part of an educational package which aims to inspire key stage one children to get involved in rugby league and the benefits of playing a team sport.
Published by Scratching Shed Publishing Ltd, the new title also forms part of a wider project delivered by the Leeds Rhinos Foundation under the charity’s Rugby League Development Plan supported by Mears, to increase participation in rugby league.
Leon Crick, Rugby League Development Manager for Leeds Rhinos Foundation, who authored the book said: “The books will be aimed at the key stage one age group, which we believe is the key age group to start learning physical literacy alongside learning to read.
“This first edition is the beginning of what we hope will be a series of books designed to inspire young people in Leeds to pick up a ball and enjoy the game of rugby with the series following popular characters like Ronnie Rhino along with some of the stars of the Rhinos.”
The sixteen-page book, illustrated by Dave Bull and designed by Prime Design and Print, will also go on sale in the Leeds Rhinos club shop for £3.99 and will be available at selected bookstores and libraries across the city including Phillip Howard Bookstore as well as online at Amazon.co.uk.
On 15th May Ronnie the Rhino will be visiting Chapel Allerton Library for a free event.
To get your copy of Ronnie Gives Rugby A Try visit https://store.leedsrugby.com/roniie-gives-rl-a-try
Leeds Rhinos Foundation Partner Schools are entitled to a discount, for more information contact Gareth.Cook@leedsrhinosfoundation.org