Leeds Rugby Foundation is proud to announce they have won the first ever Community Foundation of the Year award for 2013 which was presented at last night’s Super League Man of Steel awards in Manchester.
Leeds Rugby Foundation (LRF) is Leeds Rugby's charity that delivers projects in the heart of the community. LRF harness the power of sport to make a lasting, positive impact on individuals' lives. As Leeds Rugby's charity we have an amazing opportunity to truly change lives through sport.
The prestigious award highlights the continued efforts LRF have made in the local community which has ultimately seen us work with over 40,000 people, both children and adults, under our three themes of sport, health and education in the past year alone.
This has been done through rugby camps and festivals, primary and secondary school coaching, coach education programmes, day to remember programmes, sexual and mental health programmes, the launch of our new Tryzone Education Centre at Headingley Carnegie Stadium, along with a host of other hugely successful projects.
One of the major projects in particular which has so far been an undoubted success was the new inniative launched in November 2012. The ‘3 Year Development Plan for Rugby League in Leeds’ aims to increase the number of people playing, volunteering and watching rugby league, improve standards and focus on history and heritage.
So far this year LRF has coached 3,000 children through this new plan. This plus our wider work has allowed us to work with 16,000 primary school children in just 6 months. This project has helped community clubs to grow their under 7’s registrations. Last year there were two under 7 teams registered in Leeds, but with our support there are already six registered.
Chairman of Leeds Rugby Foundation, Dr. Neil Kaiper-Holmes commented: “This is just reward for Lucy Owen and all of her staff at the Foundation who have worked incredibly hard to put something back into our community and to literally change lives through sport. I am very proud of what we have achieved in these difficult financial times for all charities and would like to thank all of our sponsors, partners, associates and the general public for their generous support, without which we could not have done so much.”
LRF would also like to pay thanks to Leeds Rhinos, Leeds Carnegie and all the players who have made over 700 appearances in the local community over the year.
To find out more about Leeds Rugby Foundation and how you can get involved, please visit www.leedsrugbyfoundation.org.
Thank you for your continued support.