£1.5m awarded to the RFL Community Trust to support a brand-new climate action project ‘Try for Tomorrow’

Thanks to National Lottery players, Rugby League has received over £1.5 million from The National Lottery Community Fund, the largest community funder in the UK, to help the Rugby League communities across the country to reduce the impact of human activity on the climate through 'Try for Tomorrow’. 

This social impact programme will help tackle climate change through dedicated and action-filled educational sessions on food, energy, transport, waste, nature and water delivered in our community to 200 schools. It will also support 100 community clubs to become more sustainable by launching ‘Utility Benches’ that are multi-banks, acting as a catalyst for climate action! 

Over the next three years, the RFL Community Trust and strategic community-based partners are excited to inspire, empower and connect people across the sport to take meaningful steps in the fight against climate change. By linking climate action to everyday life through the exciting vehicle and incredible sport that is Rugby League, we trust that we can bring communities together to empower one another and to create lasting change. Remember, small changes make big impact!

Partners in the project include: 

To find out more, click here.

RFL Community Trust Chairman, Marc Lovering, said: “At the RFL Community Trust we are thrilled to receive £1.5 million from The National Lottery Community Fund to launch Try for Tomorrow, made possible by National Lottery players across the country. We are committed to supporting our communities and working alongside partners to inspire and educate people to begin their climate action journey and tackle climate change! Through the power of our sport, we can bring communities together and prove that small changes really do make a big impact.” 

Nathan Atkinson, Founder of Rethink Food, said: 

“We’re incredibly excited to be part of the Try for Tomorrow project and to work alongside such inspiring partners across Rugby League and the wider community sector. At Rethink Food, we believe education and community action have a vital role to play in creating a healthier, more sustainable future, and this project provides an amazing opportunity to engage young people, schools and communities in meaningful climate action. 

"Through practical learning around food, sustainability and everyday choices, we hope to empower the next generation to understand that even small actions can create lasting impact. Together, we can help work towards healthier people and a healthier planet.” 

Dr. Kath Edgar, Head of Research at Substance also said: “Substance are delighted to be the lead evaluation partner for this inspiring project. Try for Tomorrow is a bold and timely initiative that brings together the power of sport, community action and environmental responsibility. We are excited to support the partnership in understanding its impact, capturing learning and helping to demonstrate how meaningful community based climate action can create lasting benefits for communities across the Rugby League network and beyond.”

About The National Lottery Community Fund:

They are the largest non-statutory community funder in the UK – community is at the heart of their purpose, vision and name.

They support activities that create resilient communities that are more inclusive and environmentally sustainable and that will strengthen society and improve lives across the UK.

They proud to award money raised by National Lottery players to communities across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and to work closely with Government to distribute vital grants and funding from key Government programmes and initiatives.

As well as responding to what communities tell The National Lottery Community Fund is important to them, their funding is focused on four key missions, supporting communities to:

1. Come together  

2. Be environmentally sustainable

3. Help children and young people thrive

4. Enable people to live healthier lives

Thanks to the support of National Lottery players, they distribute around £500 million a year through 10,000+ grants and plan to invest over £4bn of funding into communities by 2030. They are privileged to be able to work with the smallest of local groups right up to UK-wide charities, enabling people and communities to bring their ambitions to life. 

National Lottery players raise over £30 million each week for good causes throughout the UK. Since The National Lottery began in 1994, £47 billion has been raised and more than 670,000 individual grants have been made across the UK - the equivalent of around 240 National Lottery grants in every UK postcode district.

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