Hornets Sporting Foundation sign the Armed Forces Corporate Covenant

Cllr Alan McCarthy - Rochdale Council Armed Forces Lead; Cllr Peter Rush – Wheelchair Club Interim Board; Wayne Rostron – Wheelchair Club Interim Board; Mark Wynn – Chairman, Rochdale Hornets; Niel Wood – Chairman, Hornets Sporting Foundation

Rochdale Hornets Sporting Foundation are delighted to announce that we have pledged to uphold the Armed Forces Covenant.

The covenant expresses Rochdale Hornets Sporting Foundation’s gratitude and appreciation 

Hornets' first act of commitment to the covenant will be the establishment of a Rochdale Hornets Wheelchair Rugby League team.

The team will be fully integrated between the armed forces community, the local rugby league community, and the general public of the borough.

Regular tournaments and fixtures as well as training sessions will be established to give all interested parties the chance to make friends and have fun taking part.

Rochdale Hornets Sporting Foundation trustee Niel Wood said: “The Hornets Sporting Foundation is a new charity set up to promote and support rugby league across the borough. Our mission is to get more people playing more rugby league more often. That includes service people, veterans, wheelchairs users, non-wheelchair users, in fact, the whole community.

"Signing the corporate covenant is just a further indication of the determination of trustees to ensure that the Foundation is totally integrated into the community that it is proud to serve.”

Rochdale Council Lead Member for the Armed Forces, Councillor Alan McCarthy said: “We are delighted to welcome on board Rochdale Hornets Sporting Foundation as part of the Corporate Covenant.

"Sport plays a major part in all three services; it encourages many positive things, such as courage, discipline, respect for others, integrity, loyalty and commitment.

"Often when veterans retire from the service they no longer participate in team events. Working with Rochdale Hornets Sporting Foundation and other organisations we can look at ways to encourage veterans to participate in sporting events.”

Serving Armed Forces Member and Rugby League Referee, James Collier added: “I grew up in the Rochdale rugby league community. I am still a part of the community as a match official and I will still be a part of the community once I leave the service, hopefully supporting the local club including the new wheelchair club that is planned for veterans and civilians alike.”