On Sunday our All-Abilities Rugby league group took the field immediately before Brothers A -Grades game against Atherton Roosters.

These participants have been taking part in sessions each week on Wednesday at Brothers Leagues Club and Fridays at Stan Williams Park. We regularly have more than 25 participants attend the sessions with Tim Rumford our Head of Coaching and Jordan Biondi-Odo, our engagement officer. What is even more impressive is that around 60% of this group are the original members of the small gathering we started with a couple of years ago!

Our partnership with ARC disability services has grown in this time, they are a great organisation to work with – we are only one of number of programs which ARC co-ordinates for its service users and its fitting for the Brothers Cairns organisation to be involved with ARC, as they aim to provide meaningful activities for those who may otherwise not get the opportunity. This aligns perfectly with the great work Brothers Cairns does in the community for the community – and a reminder to everyone that when we don the butchers stipes, it’s so much than a game a footy or a team – it’s who we are!

In addition to the ARC participants, we now have several All-Abilities participants who we have engaged in the wider community via our work with Cairns Regional councils’ ‘Go Sport for Everyone’ initiative.  This is an Australian government led program which we are proud to be involved in locally.

We are also proud to be driving social inclusion and offering our All Abilities group the opportunity to be involved in our great game as part of our great club.