Newcastle Wheelchair Ruby Club is looking to recruit new members to start a junior team to enable players to reap the many physical and mental wellbeing benefits the sport can bring. 
 

The club trains at Active Northumberland’s Blyth Sports Centre on a Tuesday evening and is putting a call out for new members to consider taking up the mixed sex sport which caters for all physical disabilities. 
 

It is now offering Junior Wheelchair Rugby taster sessions for 6–17-year-olds, inviting them to come along, meet the team and volunteers and have a go. All kit will be provided. 
 

The sessions are open to beginners and anyone with an interest in the sport and will incorporate the learning of the fundamental skills of rugby and include fitness and fun, game-based activities. 
 

Newcastle Wheelchair Ruby club already runs a successful adult team - the North East Barbarians - which has been training and competing for almost five years and is now playing at a national level in the championship league. 
 

The team is supported and sponsored by GM Glendenning Insurance, as well as local businesses. 

Mick Armstrong who helped to set up the club explains: 
 

“Wheelchair rugby is a totally inclusive sport for both men and women, with a classification process with various modifications which allows people with different types and degrees of disability to play one another. We supply the special wheelchairs, all that’s needed to get started is the ability to push your own chair around. 
 

“There are only two junior wheelchair rugby teams in UK and we are looking to form the third. 

“Our current players range from 6 to 72 years of age and our club welcomes both males and females with a whole range of physical and learning disabilities. 
 

“We train every Tuesday night and play three national tournaments a year.  We also have able bodied people come and train and help out too. It’s a fantastic community. 
 

Sam Beecroft who works for Active Northumberland is wheelchair bound after a motorbike accident when he was younger. He also plays for the North East Barbarians Wheelchair Rugby Team. 
 

He said: “I was always very sporting when I was younger, and particularly enjoyed swimming. After I had my accident which severed my spinal cord, I was told I would be unable to walk, which was a devastating time for me. 
 

“I heard about wheelchair rugby from a neighbour when I was in hospital and started to play at the Spinal Games. I really enjoyed it and decided I wanted to play it more and get better. 
 

“Joining the team has been lifechanging for me and has helped me to become both mentally and physically stronger which has had a really positive impact on my day-to-day life. 
 

“I love too that it is a team sport. We're all in the same situation. We work together and help each other to become the best we can be and we support each other off the court too – it's like a big family. Like any form of exercise, it’s also a great way of decompressing if you’ve had a bad day. It is competitive but it’s also great fun.” 
 

The junior wheelchair rugby team trains on Tuesday between 6-7 pm at Blyth Sports Centre with the adult team training taking place afterwards between 7-9pm 
 

If you would like to find out more ring 07946297323 or go to their website https://www.newcastlewheelchairrugby.co.uk/  

If you want to come along and give it a go, you’ll need to  email nebarbarians@gmail.com as the club will need to reserve you a chair.