Annual Report 2015/16

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KINGSTONE PRESS CHAMPIONSHIP FOUNDATION OF THE VEAR HIGHLY COMMENDED BRADFORD SPORTS AWARDS

FOUNDATION

Creating Opportunities and Nurturing Potential

“Sport has the power to change the world... It has the power to inspire, it has the power to unite people in a way that little else does. It speaks to youth in a language they understand. Sport can create hope where once there was only despair. It is more powerful than Government in breaking down social barriers”. Nelson Mandela

Junior Bulls Academy We have established, and plan to grow, sessions for 4-11 year olds to provide a fun, high quality introduction to rugby league. The sessions, supported by professional players, have been effectively designed and are well attended. This year has been a pilot and the lessons from this year will serve us in stretching the model further across Bradford.

Heritage Our Birch Lane Heroes, Heritage Lottery Funded project continues to deliver positive outcomes. We have seven volunteers working on the project that has exceeded its outcome targets and research continues to unearth new information. The project worked alongside Bradford Bulls RLFC to deliver an Armed Forces Day that won the Rugby League Championship Project of the Year.

2015 has been an exciting year for the Bradford Bulls Foundation, which has continued to grow over the last year. This was recognised in February 2016 where we were finalists in the inaugural Active Bradford Sports Awards for the Special Recognition Award.

Partnerships

We have adopted Football Foundation's ‘Upshot’ software across all areas of the Foundation in order to measure our work allowing us to be more specific in measuring our impacts.

We have several successful partnerships that are helping to improve outcomes in Bradford. We have supported Bradford University by coaching their rugby league team. We have also helped the University and Bradford College form a wheelchair rugby league team. This has led to a new partnership with ‘Cycling for All’ and Bradford Disability Sport and Leisure. We continue to work with our established partners such as One in a Million among others. As Trustees we are privileged to support such a wonderful team making a positive difference within our community of Bradford and beyond.

Schools In 2014 there were only 1600 registered players in Bradford and there was a need to raise the Foundation's engagement within the community, schools and academies. We have employed a PE graduate and qualified primary school teacher to deliver and lead the schools work we deliver. He is also a qualified Level 2 coach and community rugby league player and this has improved our strategic partnerships with schools seeing an increase of around 25% in this figure during 2015.

Warren Evans Chairperson, Bradford Bulls Foundation

We delivered a programme of work with a local housing association, Incommunities. This funding was to improve health outcomes in Upper Key Stage 2 and has allowed us to employ an additional two level 2 rugby league coaches. We are proud to say that both coaches are graduates of our successful BTEC course, which was visited by Iain Duncan-Smith. The result of the work with Incommunities was calculated to have a positive social value of over £3 million. Having all three employees in place has allowed us to improve our offer and deliver more sessions to schools and community clubs supporting the development of the game in the district.

Vision: To provide positive activities and experiences to adults, children and young people, regardless of gender, religious belief, cultural heritage or abilities. The Foundation uses the power of sport to educate, motivate and inspire the local community.

Community Clubs We have established a Community Club Connections Scheme and employed another new development officer who has already grown the scheme from seven to thirty four clubs. This scheme is still developing but clubs have benefited with support in the following areas; • Fundraising: We have provided ideas, player appearances, and opportunities for the clubs to become agents for The Bradford Bulls Lottery • Governance: We have helped establish protocol and better governance arrangements • Peer support: We regularly share good practice with clubs creating a positive relationship • Coach Education: We have employed a Coach Educator within the Foundation allowing us to deliver Continued Professional Development to coaches and accredited courses. He is an ex-international rugby league player, Coach Educator and qualified teacher.

Mission: Ignite, Innovate and Involve To ignite enthusiasm and passion to replace low self-esteem, limited ambitions, anti-social behaviour and exclusion with positive lifestyles, healthy nutrition, education and caring about others. We foster confidence, self-expression and heightened horizons in innovative exciting ways. In order to be a successful instrument of change we ensure we involve our community in our decision-making processes and activities.

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OUR CHARITY IN NUMBERS

INCREASING PARTICIPATION We aim to provide every school child in the Bradford district with the opportunity to play, participate and consume Rugby League.

ONE

12 34 56

12 34 56

24,458

ADMIT

We endeavor to create a friendly and respectful environment in all clubs, schools and festivals and we continue to provide support to improve the teaching, coaching and facilities for all players. Sky Try has made a massive contribution to the picture of rugby league in Bradford helping to support and develop grassroots participation. We have been running a number of projects including Primary and Secondary School Rugby League coaching sessions, Embed The Pathway and making The Big Games Bigger. In addition, we were chosen as one of five Foundations to pilot Animalates. This was a new scheme to engage younger children using short videos featuring mascots and Rugby League players to demonstrate a combination of Rugby League and Pilates skills. In addition, we have run an under 9s competition and re-established the Bradford Schools competitions. All of our projects have contributed to a 51% increase in the number of players registered with local clubs between 2014 and 2016 to 2440 players. There has also been an increase in the number of females playing the sport, as currently 109 are registered with clubs. The number of players registered with the Bradford Bulls Wheelchair Rugby League team has also seen a positive increase.

“Thank you for all your amazing work this year. Children from Fearnville Primary have loved having you in and we are looking forward to more of the same next year” Daniel Cassidy, Fearnville Primary

Junior Bulls Academy This has been a fantastic success in providing an accessible and fun way for juniors and infants, aged 4-11, to become involved in rugby league. Supported by Bradford Bulls player Ethan Ryan and regular appearances from other first team players, membership packs and rewards have been introduced helping emphasise the team ethic. The children have had the opportunity to experience ‘game day’ at Bradford Bulls and participate in the Rugby League Summer Bash acting as player mascots. Several children have moved on to join their local amateur clubs to continue their rugby league journey.

Embed the Pathway Bradford Bulls is an “Accredited England Player Development Club” designed to develop the talent of Under 12s, Under 13s and Under 14s in the local area. The Foundation delivers this programme engaging over 120 boys in 2016. In addition, over 20 sports coaches in schools and community clubs have received training to enhance their knowledge of player development and how to develop future stars of the game.

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“The RFL Embed the Pathway partnership will support the progress and development of junior players and coaches throughout the community and secondary schools,” John Bastian, Head of Youth Bradford Bulls

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Provident Community Ticketing Scheme In partnership with the Bradford Bulls main sponsor this season has seen individuals who have never witnessed a live Rugby League game, receive a free match day ticket to a Bradford Bulls home game. We have distributed over 7,000 tickets to beneficiaries from across the region to schools, community clubs and community groups including disability and equality groups.

Wheelchair Rugby League The team currently competes in the Development League and since its launch in 2009 has had over 70 members. Volunteers of the team are passionate and committed to delivering regular fun, inclusive and awareness raising sessions to local primary schools.

Connecting Communities We have been invited to help deliver a programme to engage more people from the black and minority ethnic communities to participate in Rugby League. This has been in capacity building phase with more outputs expected next year.

PROVIDENT TICKET DISTRIBUTION

14%

Activity Camps

35%

14%

37%

In the school holidays, we run themed rugby camps for children between the ages of 4-11. We ran two camps over four days in Cumbria to increase awareness of Rugby League in that area and ran two rugby and multi skills camps at Odsal. Due to the success of the Rebels Dance Team, a dance camp also ran alongside our 2016 Summer Camp which enabled us to reach out to and engage young females. Over 130 children have attended the camps with aspiring coaches volunteering their time to gain vital practical experience. Community clubs

Schools

NFP Organisations

Unknown

Incommunities Housing Association Programme We worked with Incommunities Housing association to deliver physical activity sessions to over 200 children and young people. Using their own methodology Incommunities have qualified our work as having a social value of over three million pounds.

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IMPROVING HEALTH OUTCOMES

IMPROVING EDUCATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT

We aim to get more adults, seniors and disabled to participate in physical activity and promote key health messages in all our activities

We aim to support educational establishments in improving outcomes for young people as well as developing and growing our own post 16 education provision

Walking Rugby Following a successful pilot, the Postcode Community Trust, have provided funding to enable us to deliver Walking Rugby sessions for men and women over fifty. This slower paced version of the game engages older people in physical activity and encourages the formation of social networks reducing social isolation. Free sessions will be delivered in 10 locations across the district from September 2016, partnering with Age UK Bradford and District and operating out of local community centres where they are comfortable. Sessions will initially start with passing and catching, stretching, space awareness and teamwork promoting fitness, well-being and friendship.

Reading with The Bulls In partnership with Boots Opticians, Reading Matters and the National Lottery, eighteen individuals have received training to become Reading Mentors including Bradford Bulls first team players. They have visited local primary schools to listen to children reading, two schools have participated so far with forty sessions been delivered. This project is due to continue during the 2016/17 academic year.

“The walking Rugby was fantastic, it made the men feel young again!’ Chris Watson, Eccleshill Mechanics Institute

Extra Time with The Bulls We have recently received significant funding by BBC Children In Need to run “Extra Time with The Bulls.” The project provides disadvantaged children in Bradford the opportunity to take part in sport, physical activities and team building activities through after-school sessions. The main focus is health and wellbeing and funding has been granted for three years with the first group starting in September 2016.

Play Touch Rugby League In conjunction with the Rugby Football League we currently run a summer and winter touch social league for people aged 16 and above. Play Touch Rugby League’s non-contact nature enables us to engage new players and reconnect with ex-players both male and female at all levels, providing an outlet to both improve health and wellbeing.

Bradford Bulls Learning Academy

Bradford Disability Sport and Leisure (BDSL)

Our education classrooms were refurbished thanks to support from various sponsors and funders. They were officially opened by the Lord Mayor on 29 September 2015. The Academy successfully delivered BTEC Level 3 in Sport and an NVQ qualification under the Advanced Apprenticeship in Sporting Excellent (AASE) programme which is delivered in partnership with Loughborough College. The BTEC was also available to others outside the ASSE programme bringing the total number of students attending the academy to 20 learners. Five of those students went on to University and 3 gained full time playing contracts with the Bradford Bulls.

The Coach of the Bradford Bulls Wheelchair Team delivers fitness sessions bi-weekly at Bradford College. These are for service users with sensory impairment. These sessions are delivered in partnership with Bradford Disability Sport and Leisure. It is funded by Sport England. Over twenty people, whose ages range between twenty and seventy, regularly attend. All participant face their own challenges, yet inspire one another with the support of coaches to reach their goals .In addition, we delivered a series of two-hour rugby league sessions. For some this was their first introduction into rugby league. All participants enjoyed the sessions. They completed their personal goals, with varying degrees of complexity, dependent upon ability.

Cycling and Running Clubs The Provident stadium provides a safe traffic free environment with lighting, security and various route options.Therefore we are piloting the establishment of both a cycling and running club. This is being done in conjunction with Bradford Cycling Club, Cycling for All and with Bradford Athletics Network. We hope to grow these clubs and increase participation in these sports.

“We support the delivery of the education aspect and ensure the quality of the programme is of the highest calibre and meets national standards” Rob Payne, Loughborough College

Coach Education Over the last twelve months we have supported 41 new coaches in gaining their Level 2 or 3 qualifications. Six courses are due to run during 2016/17 with the aim to get 180 more coaches qualified.

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CELEBRATING HERITAGE

SUSTAINABILITY

We aim to showcase the rich heritage of Rugby League in Bradford and maintain and enhance the archive collection of items relating to the history of the Club, its players and its ground

We aim to ensure the long term sustainability of the Foundation by increasing our funds from a diverse range of income streams. We strive to have an effective governance system with skilled trustees and volunteers to support and enhance our work in the community

Birch Lane Heroes

We are mindful that we need to extend and diversify our income streams to make our charity robust and sustainable. We are keen to work with partners in traded services and delivery of events for the purpose of raising funds. We have also begun a journey to engage corporate partners to support our work.

Work on this three year Heritage Lottery Funded project continued to uncover more stories of Bradford Northern players who paid the ultimate sacrifice in the First World War.Two new names being added to the information plaque. The Foundation have had support from fans and those connected to the Foundation to lay a poppy wreath at their final resting places; five out of seven have been laid so far. In addition, every ‘Bulletin’ match day programme contained stories of players who survived the war. These activities have resulted in contact being made with the descendants of some of the players.

EXPENDITURE EXPENDITURE EXPENDITURE

INCOME

6%

5%

19% 19% 19%

8% “My son has enjoyed every session of the art club. He has learnt many different perspectives of art and has become very knowledgeable.”

11% 11% 11% 81%

Parent, Bowling Park School

24% 24% 24%

Cultural partnership We inspired children to get arty while learning about the heritage of Bradford Northern. Bowling Park School which sits on top of the clubs old Birch Lane ground, was used to run a pilot after-school art club. The children learnt about what happened to the team in the First World War, using different sketching techniques to create their portraits. The use of 21st century technology was exploited, inspired by David Hockney, to recreate the players portraits using iPad art. The techniques offered children the opportunity to learn from a local artist. They also visited Salts Mill Art Gallery to view Hockney's work. As a result the children achieved an Arts Awards (Discover). The feedback from the school was excellent, not just in terms of their new skills, but in relation to their personal growth and development.

46% 46% 46%

Traded services

Donations

Event fundraising

Grants

Sport participation Education Sport participation Education Sport participation Education Health Heritage Health Heritage Health Heritage

Events and Fundraising As a registered charity we fundraise to support our delivery as well as raising funds in partnership other local charities. To achieve this we have held many events including :

Rugby League Museum We supported Bradford Council's bid to Rugby League Cares to be the location for the new National Rugby League Museum, which is planned to open in 2020. We look forward to supporting the project through to completion.

• • • • •

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In association with The Centrepoint charity we held a Sleep Out to raise awareness of youth homelessness. We held a Nando’s Takeover evening where Bradford Bulls players cooked and served food for supporters. 20 individuals took part in a 15,000 ft Tandem Skydive. In partnership with The Forget Me Not Children’s Hospice we organsied a Poker evening at Grosvenor Casino. We partnered with Yorkshire Cancer Research in the Bradford City Runs and the Lantern of Life Carol Concert.

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The Bradford Bulls Foundation is able to run many different projects and initiatives that help the community of Bradford, thanks to the support of its funders and partners.

Contact Details

Registered Charity Number 1106608

@BullsFoundation

The Bradford Bulls Foundation

[email protected]

www.bullsfoundation.org