GBWR announce their club of the month for April 2023 as Newcastle Wheelchair Rugby Club.
The club of the month is an initiative aimed at highlighting the wheelchair rugby clubs playing within Great Britain and learning more about how they work, who runs them and their future ambitions. Read on to find out how Newcastle Wheelchair Rugby Club are embracing a digital world to further improve and grow their club, how they are starting a junior wheelchair rugby section aswell as recruiting for a second wheelchair rugby fives team and a Paralympic discipline team also.
It has been a great start to the year for Newcastle Wheelchair Rugby Club, they are growing rapidly due to their digital media strategy, plus their committed and hard-working volunteers, and players. In 2023 alone they have raised £38,583, recruited four new junior players, five new adult players (three females and four under 25), three new volunteers (physio, photographer and wheelchair technician) and ordered eight brand new rugby wheelchairs. They have also secured a new 2023 kit sponsor deal with JM Glendinning Insurance Brokers. The new team sponsor bought the club new playing vests (home and away), hoodies and t-shirts.
The club’s success has been credited to their ever-growing marketing and digital presence with just under 40,000 social media followers and over 65 million video views on TikTok in 2022. In 2022, Newcastle WRC used their social media accounts to attract more female players and players under 25 to the northern club.
Newcastle WRC’s wheelchair rugby fives team, the North East Barbarians, have been pivotal in getting the new Northern Development League off the ground, with the help from Penrith Pumas WRC and the North East Bulls WRC. The club are working hard to enter a second team into the wheelchair rugby fives league in 2024 and they are aiming to enter a team in to the Wheelchair Rugby: Fours league in 2025.
Head Coach, Mick Armstrong has been awarded his level one coaching certificate and is looking to gain his level two in 2023. Assistant Coach, Adam Robson and Team Manager, Sharon Storey are now refereeing, and Equipment Manager, Duncan Paylor has completed the GBWR Introduction to Officiating course.
Newcastle Wheelchair Rugby Club are now a community interest company and are now offering wheelchair rugby corporate team building days to inspire the corporate world while playing our beautiful sport, wheelchair rugby – click for more information.
The Barbarians are always recruiting in the North East of England. If you or someone you know have a physical impairment, spinal injury, amputation, or any permanent physical disability and you want to get involved, you can learn more about the club aswell as contact them through their website.
