Funding helps Rochdale Deaf Rhinos FC

Deaf Rhinos FC

A £5,000 Grow the Game grant from the Football Foundation will allow Rochdale Deaf Rhinos FC to develop the current adult football team for deaf and hearing impaired people and to create an under-21 and under-12 team. It will also help to train and develop the volunteers that run the club, through training courses and coach education courses.

The Premier League and The FA fund the Grow the Game scheme with £1.5m, which is delivered by the Football Foundation, the nation’s largest sports charity. The scheme is designed to increase participation in our national game by helping clubs to meet the essential costs of starting new teams.

Dewan Choudhury, Football Development Officer, said: “We are a club that provides football activities for deaf and hearing impaired people from the Rochdale Borough area, but we also get players from throughout Greater Manchester.

"The Grow the Game grant from the Football Foundation is going to make a real difference to our club and the wonderful volunteers that help run it. We want to continue promoting disability football and increase participation from the deaf community, but in-particular we are looking forward to providing opportunities for young deaf people by developing the youth and junior teams.

"We are based at Hopwood Arena in Middleton and the football coaching sessions are free for all Deaf Rhinos participants.”

Paul Thorogood, Chief Executive of the Football Foundation, said: “Congratulations to Rochdale Deaf Rhinos FC for working with the Lancashire FA to secure their £5,000 Grow the Game grant which will increase participation in the region as well as support football development in the area.”

If you are deaf or hearing impaired and would like to get involved with the club, we hold football coaching sessions 11am-1pm every Saturday morning at Hopwood Arena, Hopwood Hall College, Rochdale Rd, Middleton, Manchester M24. Please contact Dewan Choudhury (07980041772, email: d.choudhury@hotmail.co.uk) for more information.