Helping the Community: Wallsend RFC donates food to Newcastle Helping Street Friends

Following the cancelled U8's County Festival at Wallsend RFC on Sunday, 17th March due to the weather conditions, Wallsend RFC's volunteer Julie Bell, who runs their tuck shop, suggested that the pre-prepared food be donated to local charity 'Newcastle Helping Street Friends' instead of being wasted or thrown away.

Duke McIntyre, Chairman of Youth Rugby, said "without doubt it was easily decided the best thing to do would be to donate the 90 sausage rolls that we had freshly prepared and made that morning. Over the last couple of year Wallsend Rugby Club has really tried to put something back into the community and Julie Bell has embraced this ethos.  As a club we want to encourage people into sports and activity but Julie has also embraced community engagement. Julie has also started encouraging the club to donate regularly to a local food bank and we feel this should also form part of what a community rugby club is about."

"Julie also recently set a goal to raise £650 to buy a commercial coffee machine, so that their visitors and parents could enjoy a hot brew with their bacon and sausage sandwiches whilst watching the kids play rugby or train. Julie motivated so many people to contribute that within a matter of days she had raised nearly £800. The coffee machine was installed and our tuck shop was immedaitely up an running and self sustaining, creating a small but steady stream of income for the club. Julie is a great help to the club".

At NRU we thought this was such a fantastic story that we should share it.  We know there is some great work being done both on and off the field across Northumberland and this is a prime example of some of the fantastic community involvement being displayed at grassroots level.  Well done to all involved.