Rocky’s legacy lives on through Oulton Raiders’ kit bank

Oulton Raiders have developed a great community initiative that supports people to enjoy Rugby League and has created a lasting memory for a man who gave more than 30 years to the club – Rocky Whitehead. The club has done this by converting a shipping container into a kit bank where players, coaches, and parents can donate kit they no longer need and swap it for something new.

The idea behind the kit bank is simple. Children grow quickly and Rugby League kit can be expensive. Oulton wanted to create a space where families could bring in good quality rugby boots, playing kit, and after match clothing that their children had grown out, and give those items a new lease of life.

If a player has grown out of their boots but they are still in good condition, they can bring them to the kit bank and swap them for a larger pair. The same applies to playing and training kit.

The initiative also helps new players who have never played Rugby League before as they can go into the kit bank, find some Oulton branded clothing, and immediately feel like part of the club.

The kit bank is free for all to access and goes beyond helping families save money or recycling old equipment. It has become something that represents the community spirit of the club.

The reach of the benefit extends beyond the Oulton community. The club has sent kit to Kenya to support Rugby League development and is preparing more to send again. Opposition teams have also been helped by the kit bank in instances where players have arrived at the club only to realise they have left their boots at home. Rather than a player being unable to take part, the club have been able to step in and lend them a pair.

On one occasion, a player travelled 45 minutes to play against Oulton Raiders and arrived without his boots. The player borrowed a pair of boots from the kit bank and went on to score the game tying points!

Rocky’s Kit Bank is the result of a lot of hard work from Oulton Raiders volunteers to get the project off the ground and keep it running. The project has been incredibly rewarding for the club and the volunteers involved as they know that equipment that would have otherwise been left in a cupboard or thrown away, is now helping another child enjoy Rugby League.

The most rewarding part, however, is that Rocky would have loved the idea. Rocky spent 30 years helping young people enjoy Rugby League and be part of the Oulton Raiders family. Giving children the opportunity to play and helping families when they need it is exactly the kind of legacy the club wanted to create for Rocky.

Now Rocky’s name lives on through the kit bank with every pair of boots, every shirt, and every piece of kit that helps another child get onto a Rugby League pitch adding another chapter to that legacy.