SPORT and its benefits to communities is to be the focus of a 10 year project and the news has been welcomed by the rugby league community.

Sport England has this week announced their Uniting the Movement campaign. The 10 year vision is designed to keep physical activity in-focus after the Covid-19 pandemic.

Chief executive of the Rugby Football League Ralph Rimmer said: “The collaborative and insightful way that Sport England has developed this strategy puts the whole sector in a strong position to meet the challenge of the recovery of our communities from the pandemic, and to fulfill a central, powerful role in creating a healthier, happier and fairer society.”

Workington Town RLFC have welcomed the fresh impetus to get young people into sport. A spokesperson for the club said: “Sport is important in so many ways.

“Not just the competitive element but the camaraderie and the health and wellbeing aspects.

“We’ve found over the last 10 months how much of a miss sporting interaction is.

“When we get through the pandemic, it’ll be even more important and the more people who can access sport, any sport, the better.

The spokesperson said: “It’s great to see rugby league getting behind the campaign and we wholeheartedly support it here at Workington Town.”

Equality is a major focus of the initiative. When setting out their vision for the future Sport England said: Right now, the opportunities to get involved in sport and activity - and reap the rewards of being active - depend too much on your background, your gender, your bank balance and your postcode. As we adapt and rebuild from the huge disruption caused by the coronavirus pandemic, we need to collectively reimagine how we keep movement, sport and activity central to the lives of everyone.”