Sports & Recreation Clubs
Compost Tea Spraying Systems
The world’s leading compost tea system
• Highest quality compost tea • Easy to use, easy to clean • Ready to use in just 24 hours
Fans from Scotland brave the weather
by teams with learning and physical disabilities. “It’s not like wrapping them in cotton wool. They do get injuries,” Mark tells me. The only real difference from the mainstream club game is the implementation of uncontested scrums, which are used, in part, to safeguard the players new to the sport, as well as to protect the neck instability experienced as a result of Down’s Syndrome.
I ask Mark how the Bumbles do for fixtures: “They’ve got a fixture list. In fact, there’s quite a lot of local clubs that will ring them up, and their veterans will say, ‘yeah, we’ll put a side out.’ They play a lot on Sunday afternoons. Castleford and Halifax have set their own sides up too, so the Bees have someone to play with some disabilities.” He also says that they not only get support from parents and friends but, if the senior side knows about a game, they will go and watch.”
The culture surrounding the game is no different to that of the usual club rugby scene. “They don’t go on about what’s ‘wrong’ with them. It’s lovely seeing them have a beer and that together. They all get a little bit cheeky,” Mark says. “The Bees have done it for the lads. The comradery is palpable on the day, and it’s great to see the support they all give each other.”
Whilst watching the first game of the tournament, between the Bumble Bees and ASSO Christo Rugby, I spoke to a few of the spectators and supporters. Sharon Deacon, from Keighley Albion Juniors, a Rugby League Club, was one of about forty volunteers from the club to come and help out at the tournament. She wanted her
young son, who has learning difficulties, to see how he could play with a group of like-minded people and just have fun. She told me, “It’s nice to see everyone being treated the same. All playing together.” Something that her son had not necessarily been used to while playing with other teams.
I also spoke to Chris Stone, one of the RFU Youth Development Officers at the event. He told me that the Bumbles were now “World Leaders” due to the tournament. “It’s new and there isn’t much support yet, but we would like somebody else to take it over and replicate it. Preferably somewhere overseas where it’s sunny!”
The increase in recognition and support as a result of the tournament will hopefully lead to the development of more teams, and the acknowledgment that it is a great sport to be involved in, no matter who you are.
Walking around on the first day of the tournament was a real pleasure, and seeing the players battle through persistent rain, and still be upbeat after the game was inspiring. “They had a great week and they all enjoyed themselves,” Mark told me after the event.
The Bumble Bees finished second overall, which was an unexpected and well-deserved result. The winners, Ireland’s Sundays Well Rebels, won the final 26-19, in what was said to be a cracking game with the host team.
WITH COMPOST TEA Compact Spraying Systems WITHOUT COMPOST TEA
ATV Mounted
Trailed
Tractor Mounted T: 01778 426600
www.martinlishman.com @Martin_Lishman
Demount
YEARS -
Agripower Contractors
Sports Turf Specialists
Sports turf construction and renovation, drainage & irrigation, hard & soft landscaping,
Tel: 01494 866776
info@agripower.co.uk www.agripower.co.uk
50 Years of Good Grounding PC OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2015 I 55
1
5
9
1
7
5
2
Tanks from 70 - 600 litres
Booms from 1m - 8m
0
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118 |
Page 119 |
Page 120 |
Page 121 |
Page 122 |
Page 123 |
Page 124 |
Page 125 |
Page 126 |
Page 127 |
Page 128 |
Page 129 |
Page 130 |
Page 131 |
Page 132 |
Page 133 |
Page 134 |
Page 135 |
Page 136 |
Page 137 |
Page 138 |
Page 139 |
Page 140 |
Page 141 |
Page 142 |
Page 143 |
Page 144 |
Page 145 |
Page 146 |
Page 147 |
Page 148 |
Page 149 |
Page 150 |
Page 151 |
Page 152 |
Page 153 |
Page 154 |
Page 155 |
Page 156