This month, we’re talking to Gillian Messer from the tax department of our Gosforth office who in her spare time, is the treasurer for Newcastle Wheelchair Rugby Club.
Tell us about the club
Newcastle Wheelchair Rugby Club was set up in 2019 to provide wheelchair users with opportunities to play rugby. Our club is open to players of all ages, genders, and abilities.
How did you become involved?
Around four years ago we were looking for activities for my son, Will, who is a permanent wheelchair user. Will loves ruby so I got in touch with the club and asked if we could go along and watch a game. They let him join in and he was hooked! Will’s involvement was the incentive to set up a junior team, and we now have six juniors - the largest number of junior members in the country for an individual team.
How often do you meet?
The teams train once a week at Gateshead Leisure Centre. The sessions involve playing practice games for adults and separately, for the juniors. We’re always looking for new members, and we provide all the equipment and support you need to get started.
Tell us more about wheelchair rugby
It’s really fast paced! Played indoors on a basketball court, the teams block, hold, and ram opponents to keep hold of the ball and get it across the goal line.
We run several types of rugby - Paralympic Wheelchair Rugby, Wheelchair Rugby Fives and Wheelchair Rugby League teams, including our women’s and girls’ squad, the Angels of the North.
Tell us more about the juniors
The junior team recently won the first Great British wheelchair rugby junior national championship trophy in Nottingham.
And how’s Will doing?
Will recently did an interview with Wooden Spoon - the children’s rugby charity. You can see the interview here.
Will has enough disabilities to play for the paralympic version of wheelchair rugby so watch this space!
How do we find out more?
Check out the Newcastle Wheelchair Rugby website for more information about the club: https://www.newcastlewheelchairrugby.co.uk.
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The information provided in this blog is for general informational purposes only and should not be considered professional advice. As far as we are aware, the content is accurate at time of publication. Torgersens assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions in the content or for any actions taken based on the information provided.
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