The Leeds Rhinos Foundation’s weekly social rugby programme Tuesday Touch came to an end on the 31st March at Leeds Sports Centre and will restart with a summer programme on the 2nd June at Leeds Rugby Academy.
The final session of the winter programme that ran for a period of twenty two weeks through the winter months finished with a special party session, offering food and a final chance for the group to socialise before the break in the programme over the months of April and May.
The session was attended by Leeds Rhinos star Kallum Watkins who provided a Q&A with the group as well as presenting volunteers from the programme with thank you gifts for their support in organising the fixtures, taking subs and providing referees for the small sided games over the period.
The programme has been run and operated by community clubs development officer Sam Horner with the help of the volunteer referees, who as part of the development aspect of the programme, will move onto both the summer Tuesday Touch sessions as well as, referee at the Rhinos Challenge event staged at Butlins in Skegness.
The inclusive sessions have regularly received over 40 players, many of whom are long term members of the programme and play touch and masters rugby in the summer, using the winter sessions to keep fit and enjoy socialising with other members.
The sessions that run weekly from 7pm until 9pm, are open to players aged 14 and above, with players encouraged to come along on their own and join in with a team, or get involved by recruiting friends and work colleagues to form a team of their own for the evening.
Sam Horner commented on the benefits of the programme:
“The programme proves that the family of rugby league is very diverse and touch rugby epitomizes how people socially can come together of all skill levels, mixed gender, age and disability to create a programme for all. Our motto is get fit, have fun and play touch rugby league and we’ve certainly achieved that this winter.
"I’d like to thank our volunteers with special mention going to Caroline Biggs, Sophie, Jade, Shannon and Mark Shutt who have been invaluable to the programme along with our volunteer referees who have really developed as the programme has moved forward. Also a big thank you to Leeds Sports Centre for housing Tuesday Touch since October and supporting our needs each week.”
The new summer programme will start on the 2nd June with Leeds Rhinos Foundation Projects Officer, Adam Lunn at the Leeds Rugby Academy in Kirstall on the same 3G pitches used by the Leeds Rhinos and Yorkshire Carnegie players.
Adam is hoping to build on the success of the winter programme by attracting more players to the weekly sessions:
“We’re looking forward to starting up again in June, hopefully with some good summer weather at the Rhinos Academy at Kirkstall. We’ve had plenty of interest from the winter touch players who are excited to get going again and hopefully we can attract even more players along and get as many people enjoying the game as possible.”
The sessions cost £4 for use of the pitch and players of all abilities are welcome.
For more information on getting involved in Tuesday Touch contact adam.lunn@leedsrugby.com
You can view the video of the Winter Touch Programme below: