Make a Donation
And help us make a difference.
We need your support to be able to continue enhancing the lives of people in communities wherever Rugby League is played.
Rugby League Cares and the Featherstone Rovers Foundation are delighted to announce a women-specific programme of Offload, the charity’s hugely successful mental fitness initiative.
In an important first, the women-only workshops will be delivered at the Millennium Stadium on Post Office Road across 10 weekly fixtures throughout January and February 2022.
RL Cares has been running Offload as a men-only programme in the north of England for the last five years, during which time it has enhanced, and in many cases saved, the lives of thousands of men.
Featherstone Rovers have now secured funding from Live Well Wakefield to deliver Offload to women from across the Wakefield area from Wednesday January 12.
Utilising the life experiences of current and former Rugby League players, participants learn the tools and techniques needed to manage their emotions, cope with stressful situations and maintain good levels of mental fitness.
The sessions – called fixtures – are held in a relaxed and confidential setting and are free to attend for all women aged 18 and over.
Presenters on the Offload for Women programme at Featherstone will include former Rovers captain Andrea Dobson and current England women international players Amy Hardcastle and Tara Moxon.
Amanda Courtman, a Community Wellbeing Officer at the Featherstone Rovers Foundation, said: “We are thrilled to become the first Rugby League club to make RL Cares Offload available to women in our area.
“The programme has made a massive difference to the lives of the many men who’ve attended Offload here at Featherstone and there’s been a growing call for this brilliant programme to be opened up to women.
“We all live in tough times and many women are silently struggling to cope: Offload provides an opportunity for them to be with people who know exactly how they feel and to learn ways in which they can become happier and healthier.”
Wendy Barr, Health Project Manager at RL Cares, said: “It’s fantastic that the Featherstone Rovers Foundation have been able to secure the funding to enable us to roll out Offload to a female audience.
“We know from the feedback we get, both from squad members and health service professionals, what a massive difference Offload has made to men and we’re sure the programme will be well received by the women of Featherstone and the wider Wakefield district.”
Scott Copeland from funding partners Live Well Wakefield said: “We are excited to be able to further enhance the offer of community mental health support available in Featherstone through this funding.
“The effectiveness of Offload in supporting men’s mental fitness is well documented and when the team at Featherstone Rovers Community Foundation outlined their desire to adapt this to a female audience, we were keen to be involved.
“Using Live Well Wakefield’s strong links with local healthcare providers, we intend to support individuals to make their own decisions around what mental health support may look like for them.
“For the past six months we have been working closely with the dedicated team at Featherstone Rovers Community Foundation and we believe that everything is now in place to make these sessions a huge success and ensure that they are accessible to those who will benefit most.”
For more information about Offload please click here
For more information on Offload for Women at Featherstone Rovers please email amanda.courtman@featherstonerovers.co.uk
Offload for Women at Featherstone Rovers starts on Wednesday January 12 (6.15pm to 7.15pm). Fixtures take place in the Millennium Suite.
To sign up to the free Offload for Women at Featherstone click here
