Schoolchildren from Bolton’s Olive Tree Primary School were at Heywood Road last Sunday (4 February) to see Swinton Lions defeat Widnes Vikings to secure a quarter-finals spot in the AB Sundecks 1895 Cup.
The school serves Daubhill’s predominantly South Asian community, and is being introduced to Rugby League through vice principal and former Rugby League match official Harry Neville, and Dr Ikram Butt, founder of the British Asian Rugby Association (BARA) and the first South Asian to play for England.
Olive Tree children attended last year’s Super League Grand Final at Old Trafford and were flagbearers for England at St Helens in the opening match of the Tonga series. And yesterday a new cohort from more than 20 families enjoyed an unforgettable first taste of live Rugby League – made possible by Swinton Lions’ efforts on and off the pitch as part of the club’s ‘Going beyond the tryline’ project.
On the pitch, Olive Tree children proudly served as pre-match mascots and joined hands with schoolchildren from the local community post-match for a memorable lap of honour. And off the pitch, the club went to great lengths to ensure that every child and their parents felt welcome and valued at Swinton Lions.
Harry Neville of Olive Tree Primary School says: “A big thanks must go to Mark Robinson and Damian Ridpath of Swinton Lions for making this all possible. Their efforts are commendable and they are really striving, with us, to build roots in our community who are new to the game.
“All our parents and carers enjoyed the day and commented on their eagerness to attend further live matches. Rugby League is more than just a sport – it’s a driver for good and brings all communities and faiths together as one great RL family. Thank you to Swinton Lions.”
The groundbreaking collaboration between Olive Tree Primary School, the Rugby Football League, BARA and Swinton Lions goes beyond the tryline, representing a collective effort to break down societal barriers and champion inclusivity.
Dr Ikram Butt, founder of the British Asian Rugby Association, adds: "We are thrilled by the success of our ‘Going beyond the tryline’ project – testament to the unwavering support from the Rugby Football League, Olive Tree Primary and Swinton Lions RLFC. Without their tremendous dedication, this achievement would not have been possible. Rugby League stands as a beacon of inclusivity, warmly embracing communities from all walks of life."
Swinton Lions’ Damian Ridpath says: “It was wonderful to see so many families and new Lions fans attending the game on Sunday. The foundation is working really hard with communities and to make Rugby League accessible. The project with Olive Tree has been a wonderful success so far and within this school year so far over 120 young people predominantly from South Asian communities have taken part in Rugby League activity.
“We are just at the start of this journey and are developing the resources to ensure we sustain a long term engagement for young people within the sport of Rugby League under the Lions banner.”
Olive Tree is an ‘Islamic ethos’ school, situated in the Daubhill (pronounced Dobble) area of Bolton. It’s values – peace, trust, fairness, equality, respect and compassion – are universal, applicable to individuals of any faith or no faith and sitting hand-in-hand with core British values.
