A recent Masters Rugby League curtain raiser to Featherstone Rovers v Hull KR inspired 6TK Methley Warriors Masters to provide new shirts for a local team made up of adults with learning difficulties from Millennium Care Services based in Featherstone. Methley had hosted Hull Dockers Masters in the game and both teams watched the lads from Millennium Care going through drills and taking part in a short game at half time organised by the Rovers foundation team, this led to the idea of giving something back to the game that the masters have all been lucky enough to play most of their lives.
Warriors Masters player Frank Slater explained: “This was the second time Featherstone Rovers had generously allowed us to play a curtain raiser and provided free match day tickets for all the masters players, we had also recently had a very generous playing kit sponsorship deal awarded to us by our kit Supplier 6TK SPORTS. This meant that we no longer had to purchase our playing kit and therefore had spare funds available that we wouldn’t normally have. Whilst watching the Millennium team on the pitch I suggested to a few of our players that it would be great if we could repay the kindness shown to us by the Rovers and 6TK Sports by extending the Masters Rugby ethos and spirit of inclusion for everyone by putting our spare cash into helping the Millennium team in some way.
“My wife Sally who works for Millennium Care suggested that a set of shirts would be ideal for the lads to use at Tag tournaments where they would play other teams with similar learning difficulties. As soon we approached Adam Drake at 6TK for the cost of supplying the shirts he jumped at the chance of designing and supplying the kit and kindly offered to match the funding by Methley.”
Adam Drake of 6TK sports added: “We were delighted to be approached by Methley to help provide new playing shirts, water bottles, balls and other equipment for Millennium Care. We are working with several clubs in Featherstone and the surrounding area at the minute, so to be able to help a locally based organisation who actively work to promote the game to their service users who would not normally be able to take part was an opportunity that we couldn’t turn down.
“Seeing the lads from Millennium Care kitted out in their new shirts at the presentation was fantastic and I hope that 6TK can continue to help the Millennium Care team enjoy their Rugby League in the future.”
The presentation of the new shirts to the team was kindly hosted by Featherstone Rovers Foundation during one of their regular sessions helping the Millennium team, this was followed by an enjoyable game of Touch Rugby involving players from Millennium Care, Methley Masters and Rovers Foundation staff. To further promote the Millennium team’s inclusion in Rugby League, a full game with rules adapted for them has also been organised for September and once again will be hosted by Featherstone Rovers.
Amy Hardman from Featherstone Rovers Foundation is delighted for Millennium Care: ”It’s fantastic that Methley Warriors Masters and 6TK Sports have sponsored a kit for the team. We have worked with Millennium Care for a number of years now & they thoroughly enjoy their weekly visits to the LD Nutrition Stadium to play Rugby League with Jamie Cording and our other coaches. We are all looking forward to watching them try out their new kit when they play Methley before the Hull KR game on 3rd September.”
