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THE CLUB HAS BEEN FORMED IN ASSOCIATION WITH DURHAM RUGBY LEAGUE SERVICE AREA AND THE RUGBY LEAGUE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM.


Funding
Initially Funded mainly by contributions from grant agencies allowing us to charge participants a minimal amount in order to get the sport out to as many people as possible and bring sport to people who not necessarily have been able to take part before.. We got through the first year by applying to awards for all, the co-op, community foundation, Coalfield Regeneration Trust having received our first grant from Easington District health Forum of £481 for stationary and some safety equipment. We obtained our first ever sponsorship from PCS Ltd for our under 11's in the first year and have continued to have a very good working relationship with that local computer firm. However we are continually looking for sponsorship from both local firms and large corporations to work in partnership with us.
Training and Competitive Events!
We have been training since the summer of 2002 now starting with loaned equipment some Rugby fans had leant us to start off with.. At present we are teaching from age 7 to 15, open age men and women. Following receiving interest from a lot of adults in the area we decided to start training the open age men’s team well ahead of our original two year plan, playing friendly games in the first year and entering the North East Totalrl conference in the 2004 getting through to the North East final and gaining promotion to the new premier division in 2005 the Pumas were the only team to beat Cumbrian opposition from the North East. The Pumas junior division continues to grow, now have under 8/9’s regularly training at the club and competing at schools in an inter school district league as well as under 11s and North East League winning under 13’s. We are also building and under 15’s team. The Pumas Women’s team, the only one in the North East now compete in the WRL development league.


Development
Rob Laverick the treasurer and Coach Co-ordinator is also chairman of the Durham Rugby League Service Area which started various after schools clubs in the East Durham area to promote Rugby League and generate another club in Durham County. We are also training up more coaches paying for their courses and expenses, this does however provide a development opportunity for people in the area where they get to add another skill to their repertoire that perhaps they had never thought of before. This is done in association with the Rugby League Development program. We are registered with BARLA and the North East Rugby League as PETERLEE PUMAS ARLFC. The club is also taking part in the Sport England VIP and Rugby League Volunteer schemes which promote best practice in managing and organising volunteers so that both the club and the volunteers get the best they can from each other. We are also applying for charity status to help us achieve more of the goals we envisage.
A major part f the development was achieving club mark which proves that we carry out best practice and are good and safe place for people to bring their children and that the club is run properly. The club was presented with the award at half time at the Tri Nations Game between Great Britain and New Zealand in 2004 where our under 8’s team also played a curtain raiser game. Pictures of this great day in our clubs history can be seen on the pumas website.
The move to Helford Road saw the club move from strength to strength and plans to develop a floodlit training area are in full swing with the full support of the RFL and the town council. Hopefully the plans for the new club house should also come to fruition in the next 2 to 3 years. thanks to Support from Peterlee Town Council and members of the facility and
Helford Road
.
One of the main objectives as already mentioned is to increase participation and the Pumas work very hard with the Rugby League Development Officers, Councils, Education Authority and Schools to encourage youngsters to take part in Rugby League. The number of Schools participating is increasing all the time and we are taking part in a programme of satellite sites at schools for children who cannot travel to Peterlee or for those who would like to try the game out in more familiar facilities before coming to the club, this should get under way in 2004/5.


CLUB MARK, means that Peterlee Pumas ARLFC are a SAFE, EFFECTIVE AND CHILD FRIENDLY place for your child to be.
The Rugby League were the first sport to achieve Club Mark which is a Sport England driven initiative to develop a network of quality sports clubs in order to encourage young people to take up sport and improve their sporting talents.
What this means to Peterlee Pumas is that our governing body, The Rugby Football league ensures that all its Rugby League Clubs are onboard with the club mark philosophy. This ensures that players, coaches, officials and administrators will be given guidance and support in producing best practice in whatever they do with regards to the club and the sport of Rugby League.
Coaches, Officials and volunteers will be able to attend the latest courses to ensure they are up to date with the latest practices. Players will receive the benefit that comes from having highly trained dedicated people running the club.