The RFL

Engage Super League Champions Leeds Rhinos have teamed up with major local company Hesco Bastion Ltd in a ground breaking initiative to help boost morale for those serving in the Armed Forces.

The partnership will see Hesco Bastion provide tickets for servicemen and women so they can enjoy some well earned relaxation at the rugby during their time back at home. The partnership will also see the families of those serving abroad being treated to a night out at the rugby at a family-friendly Rhinos home game courtesy of Hesco Bastion.

Commenting on the new initiative Rhinos Chief Executive Gary Hetherington said, "This is a unique partnership with the club and Hesco Bastion coming together to support the armed forces personnel and their families and at the same time as introducing Rugby League to a new audience."

Trishia Laidlaw, Managing Director of Hesco Bastion, added, "To be supporting the Rhinos and the armed forces is a natural thing for us to do and we are very pleased that Hesco Bastion can provide these opportunities."

George Taylor, the Armed Forces Development Officer for the RFL, added, "From a Military point of view this kind of initiative will have a great effect on the morale and welfare of the families at home and the troops away on operations.

"Also the partnership will heighten the profile of the game in the Armed Forces, the synergy between the partners, with Hesco Bastion heavily involved with the troops in theatre already and the toughness of the game, is a great combination.

"Rugby League is played across all three Armed Forces with over 600 servicemen and women actively involved in the game, which is a figure that we are hoping to grow with initiatives such as this," added Taylor.

England internationals Jamie Peacock and Danny McGuire helped launch the initiative at Headingley Carnegie along with members of the armed forces. Peacock has often expressed his admiration for the work done by men and women in the armed forces across the globe whilst McGuire's brother is a former soldier with the Yorkshire Regiment, so he knows first hand the challenges that families face whilst loved ones are overseas on active service.

Peacock commented, "I think this is a fantastic initiative. The fact that a sporting club and a successful local business can come together in a partnership to support those fighting on the front line and give them some downtime when they are back home is a great idea. There has been some tremendous work done in recent years to help those guys injured in the line of duty and it is great that now something is being done to celebrate the work done by everyone who does their bit for their country."

McGuire added, "I am sure that it will give the lads who are away fighting some comfort that their families are able to enjoy a night at the rugby thanks to the support of Hesco Bastion. We have all seen the terrible reports of deaths and injuries on the news and you pray that it is not your loved one that is involved. Often these guys have young families and I think it is a great gesture that a partnership like this has been organised so their kids can come along and watch us in action and hopefully that will put a smile on their faces."

As part of the new initiative, Headingley Carnegie Stadium will host an annual Armed Forces Nines Tournament as well as continuing to host the Trafalgar Cup clash between the Paras and Marines as Leeds Rhinos becomes a major partner of Armed Forces Rugby League.

Since 1990 HESCO Bastion Ltd has been developing and manufacturing Concertainer® units for the purposes of force protection, flood protection and erosion control. Concertainer units have become the most popular means within the military of protecting personnel and facilities against secondary fragmentation, saving countless lives and mission critical assets.

Based in Leeds, the company has grown substantially and now covers three closely situated manufacturing sites, all producing Concertainer units to ISO International Standards, Concertainer units are one of the UK's most successful defence exports, with units used by military organistations including the US Army, USMC, USAF, NATO and the UN in every major conflict area since the first Gulf war.

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