Rams receive much needed support with CBILS loan
Dewsbury Rams is pleased to reveal that it has received some much needed support from Barclays Bank through the Government-backed Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS). The news comes less than a week after the Government pledged funds to safeguard the future of rugby league. The loan will help to secure the future of the club, providing flexible funding to meet fixed costs, so that the stadium and its facilities will still be there for players and fans once normality returns. The funds will be used to help temporarily replace the cash flow lost from non-rugby-related facilities at the club […]
The challenges and opportunities of Conference cancellation, by David Hyomes
It is disappointing but inevitable news that the 2020 National Conference League season has effectively been cancelled. As with everything else it is impossible to predict when current restrictions will be lifted and it would seem that the physical contact that a game of Rugby League involves makes any speculation about an imminent restart purely that – speculation! All clubs in the Premier Division and Division One had played two games, in Division Two all had played two games, with the exception of Wigan St Judes and Saddleworth Rangers, who had only played one. In Division Three clubs some clubs […]
Government backing for Rugby League in Coronavirus crisis
The RFL has secured significant Government support to help the sport and its clubs through the unprecedented financial challenges caused by the current public health emergency. The Government has announced an emergency loan of £16 million to be administered by the RFL, in partnership with Sport England and the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS). In their announcement, DCMS highlighted Rugby League’s importance to the communities in which it is established, and the boost that will be provided to the sport and the North by staging three World Cups – Men’s, Women’s and Wheelchair – in the autumn […]
Top of the hill, by David Hyomes
I remember many freezing windy Sunday mornings of my youth when I used to walk the short distance from home in Henley Avenue to Overthorpe Park, where I would watch the maroon shirts of Gate Inn take on opposition from somewhere else in our glorious valley in the Heavy Woollen Sunday League. It was always noticeable that the crowd watching the Rugby League game was much bigger than the gathering watching football on the neighbouring pitch. Gate Inn were previously known as Overthorpe Rangers, but, in 1988, a meeting of much significance took place at Thornhill Edge Club between the […]
Ray Abbey on his life in Rugby League
Dewsbury Rams’ player liaison officer Ray Abbey has an almost unrivalled history of playing and working in the sport of Rugby League. Today, he is a key member of staff at our club and his work and overall service to the sport was recognised with a Heritage Award at last year’s presentation night. As the club faces an unprecedented battle, Ray offered an insight into his own history in the sport and his views on the present situation. “My first experience of rugby league was when I was five years old going to watch my local club Hunslet Parkside on […]
The next steps for our club and game, by David Hyomes
Many seasons ago I used to contribute a regular page to the Rams matchday programme under the above title. For this week, I will return to that mode. Basically we are in a situation where many forms of employment and sport in its entirety has been closed down. Even going back to the very early days of March, nobody would have predicted the current situation. Indeed, as Rams fans, we were on the crest of a wave with a start to our Championship season that stunned much more vaunted rivals in our league. Challenge Cup progress in the soggy wilds […]
Rams receive much needed support with CBILS loan
Dewsbury Rams is pleased to reveal that it has received some much needed support from Barclays Bank through the Government-backed Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS). The news comes less than a week after the Government pledged funds to safeguard the future of rugby league. The loan will help to secure the future of the club, providing flexible funding to meet fixed costs, so that the stadium and its facilities will still be there for players and fans once normality returns. The funds will be used to help temporarily replace the cash flow lost from non-rugby-related facilities at the club […]
The challenges and opportunities of Conference cancellation, by David Hyomes
It is disappointing but inevitable news that the 2020 National Conference League season has effectively been cancelled. As with everything else it is impossible to predict when current restrictions will be lifted and it would seem that the physical contact that a game of Rugby League involves makes any speculation about an imminent restart purely that – speculation! All clubs in the Premier Division and Division One had played two games, in Division Two all had played two games, with the exception of Wigan St Judes and Saddleworth Rangers, who had only played one. In Division Three clubs some clubs […]
Government backing for Rugby League in Coronavirus crisis
The RFL has secured significant Government support to help the sport and its clubs through the unprecedented financial challenges caused by the current public health emergency. The Government has announced an emergency loan of £16 million to be administered by the RFL, in partnership with Sport England and the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS). In their announcement, DCMS highlighted Rugby League’s importance to the communities in which it is established, and the boost that will be provided to the sport and the North by staging three World Cups – Men’s, Women’s and Wheelchair – in the autumn […]
Top of the hill, by David Hyomes
I remember many freezing windy Sunday mornings of my youth when I used to walk the short distance from home in Henley Avenue to Overthorpe Park, where I would watch the maroon shirts of Gate Inn take on opposition from somewhere else in our glorious valley in the Heavy Woollen Sunday League. It was always noticeable that the crowd watching the Rugby League game was much bigger than the gathering watching football on the neighbouring pitch. Gate Inn were previously known as Overthorpe Rangers, but, in 1988, a meeting of much significance took place at Thornhill Edge Club between the […]
Ray Abbey on his life in Rugby League
Dewsbury Rams’ player liaison officer Ray Abbey has an almost unrivalled history of playing and working in the sport of Rugby League. Today, he is a key member of staff at our club and his work and overall service to the sport was recognised with a Heritage Award at last year’s presentation night. As the club faces an unprecedented battle, Ray offered an insight into his own history in the sport and his views on the present situation. “My first experience of rugby league was when I was five years old going to watch my local club Hunslet Parkside on […]
The next steps for our club and game, by David Hyomes
Many seasons ago I used to contribute a regular page to the Rams matchday programme under the above title. For this week, I will return to that mode. Basically we are in a situation where many forms of employment and sport in its entirety has been closed down. Even going back to the very early days of March, nobody would have predicted the current situation. Indeed, as Rams fans, we were on the crest of a wave with a start to our Championship season that stunned much more vaunted rivals in our league. Challenge Cup progress in the soggy wilds […]