3rd June 2015
Copeland Rugby League Development Foundation’s (CRLDF) Reading Project will continue to run in schools across the Copeland thanks to a grant of £25,000 from the NMP Community Fund.
The fund, administered by Cumbria Community Foundation grant aided the CRLDF £10,000 to run a pilot last year. Due to the success of this project, a further £25,000 has recently been awarded to continue the service for another year and ensure more school children benefit from the scheme.
The project provides reading support to school children who may have reading difficulties or be reluctant to learn. The children will work with trained rugby league players from Whitehaven RLFC to improve their reading.
The Chair of the Foundation, John Cox, said: “One of the very first organisations to sponsor the Foundation was NMP. They have financed numerous initiatives from transport costs to rugby festivals and we are delighted to be associated with NMP on this major expansion of the Schools Reading Project.
“As an ex-headteacher I know the importance schools place on reading skills and we have trained our deliverers to maximise the benefits to the children involved.
“Local, professional players are seen as role models by the children and the children want to please their heroes. The players thoroughly enjoy this new contact with schools and can see significant progress when they fill in the child’s report book. There is a real feeling of achievement on both sides.
I want to sincerely thank NMP for their long standing support for the Foundation and for the Copeland community in particular.”
The children will also have the opportunity to be involved in after school rugby coaching sessions. The children benefit from one to one support from community role models and the project has already seen improvements in basic reading and attitudes to learning.
Iain Irving, General Manager of NMP said: “NMP is delighted to support the Copeland School’s Reading Project and for Copeland Rugby League Development Foundation to continue its fantastic work in helping local children improve academically and have fun at the same time.
“We are proud to sponsor initiatives like this which operate in the heart of our communities, providing opportunities for the next generation living in West Cumbria.”
Willie Slavin, Chair of Cumbria Community Foundation’s West Cumbria Grants Panel said: “It’s brilliant to be working with Nuclear Management Partners to award funding to such a valuable project. We have seen the success of projects like these in Allerdale and the work Copeland Rugby League Development Foundation is doing with young people in their area will make a real impact on the young people personally and academically.”
The NMP Community Fund is now open for applications for 2015, to find out more about funding click here or call 01900 825760.