EVERY child who signs up for membership of Roary’s Pride at our game against London Skolars at the Vestacare Stadium on Sunday will be entered into a draw to become a player escort at the home game against Hunslet on Good Friday, April 19.
Player escorts are teamed up with a player and walk with him down the tunnel and out on to the pitch, staying on the field with him during the pre-match formalities.
For any young Roughyeds supporter this is a fabulous experience, providing a memory that will last for a lifetime.
Those new members who don’t get to be player escorts at the Hunslet game will be invited to become the club’s official flag bearers at the same game.
This involves carrying a giant club flag out on to the pitch shortly before kick-off in a new RFL-led initiative that used to be exclusive to Super League and international games but is now relevant to all club games.
This is another great experience for young people and one they won’t forget easily.
Any young fans who can’t get to the game this Sunday can still join the ‘Pride’ and be flag bearers on Good Friday.
This is the first of several ‘money can’t buy’ opportunities for members of Roary’s Pride. Watch this space !
Membership will cost £10 a year and will include the following Pride-branded goodies:
A cap, drawstring bag, water bottle, pin badge, wristband, pencil, certificate, a signed picture of Roary, a fun meeting every six weeks and the opportunities referred to above.
Said Roary, our loveable lion mascot:
“Membership is terrific value for money. I’ll be very proud to be head of my pride, made up of young Roughyeds supporters. We’ll have a lot of laughs and a lot of fun.”
On entering the ground on Sunday you’ll see a gazebo where Roary and his helpers will be meeting and greeting you and signing you up for the Pride.
In the ground we’ll also have about 150 young people from local schools, plus teachers, support staff and parents. It’s one way the club can show its support for The Oldham Pledge which takes education beyond the classroom and is designed to prepare young people for what they can expect to find in the wider community when schooldays are over.
Hathershaw College will be with us plus children from these primary schools: St Edward’s RC, Broadfield, Lyndhurst, St Joseph’s RC, Greenhill, Medlock Valley, St Anne’s RC, Freehold, St Thomas’s, St Martin’s, St Matthew’s and Delph.
Pupils involved in this nationally-recognised scheme sign up for a selection of 14 pledges which might appeal to them.
One of them is to attend a sporting or creative event and that’s where we come in. If we can sow the seeds of rugby league interest in just a few of these people it will benefit them and maybe benefit the club in the longer term.
More importantly, though, we are demonstrating our support for a scheme that is designed to produce well-rounded citizens with concerns for their community in the Oldham of tomorrow. Can there be a better cause than that in the world of school, young people and preparation for adult life ?
The youngsters who are with us on Sunday will do a lap of honour at half-time and we know our fans will show their appreciation of their Pledges and of their involvement in the scheme.
We will have no shortage of player escorts and flag bearers. It should be quite a day !
