RL Cares supporting frontline workers during Covid-19 pandemic

Rugby League Cares delivered mental fitness workshops to almost 1,000 key workers in the social care and energy sectors during September.

The charity is proud to have played an important role in equipping staff at the frontline of the Covid-19 pandemic with the skills and techniques needed to successfully manage their mental health in these troubled times.

The work builds on the success of the Offload men’s mental fitness programme that is running at four professional Rugby League clubs in the North West – St Helens, Salford, Warrington and Widnes – and other initiatives including Rugby League United and Ahead of the Game.

RL Cares has been working with staff at Community Integrated Care, a national social care charity, and at FTSE 100-listed energy suppliers SSE.

During September, more than 900 staff members at both companies participated in online workshops delivered by former and current Rugby League players and administrators.

Upwards of 90 SSE staff have joined the weekly sessions on Zoom to learn from the experiences of the likes of ex-Salford, Castleford and Hull player Lee Jewitt, former Halifax and Sheffield hooker Johnny Lawless and inspirational speaker Jimmy Gittins, who broke his neck playing for Sharlston Rovers in 2002.

Colleagues from Community Integrated Care have heard from former Leeds and Great Britain centre Keith Senior, ex-Wigan prop Dom Crosby and Nigel O’Flaherty Johnston, the player welfare manager at Leeds Rhinos.

Emma Goldsmith, Head of Community at RL Cares, said: “We have been delighted to have the opportunity to work with SSE and Community Integrated Care during what has been a very challenging period for all their staff.

“The responses we’ve had from all the people who have taken part in the mental fitness workshops has been incredible: as well as sharing their own experiences from their sporting careers, our presenters have been able to offer lots of tips and advice on how the staff at SSE and Community Integrated Care can stay healthy.

“Our outreach work runs alongside, and helps fund, the important programmes we deliver to thousands of people within Rugby League and we are looking forward to continuing to make a positive difference to the lives of everyone we engage with.”

Community Integrated Care is the Official Social Care partner of the RFL, Super League and RLWC2021. Our initiative with Community Integrated Care further enhances its relationship with the sport and engaged colleagues based from the Highlands of Scotland to Hampshire in England.