ROBERTS Bakery is helping children to get active and develop their rugby skills by sponsoring Northwich Rugby Club's budding young players.

The family baker has enabled the club to buy new kit for children to use when training sessions resume after lockdown.

The club, which is run entirely by volunteers, saw huge growth last season and now has around 100 children aged between three and 12 on its books.

Sponsorship has funded a new set of training bibs, hats, shorts, socks and water bottles.

When Covid-19 restrictions ease, the club plans to spend the rest of the donation on bean bags, a parachute and tackle pads.

The equipment will be used by the club’s SuperStars junior section and the Mini Stags, a new tier for boys and girls aged between three and five.

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Northwich Guardian:

Northwich Mini Stags, from left, Arlen Chubb, 4, and Carter Naylor, 3, with club mascot Staggy

Sam Naylor, mini and junior section chairman, said: “We have reflected recently on the progress that has been made since SuperStars was launched and there is so much to feel positive about.

"However, in order to grow in a responsible and sustainable way, we will need to call on support from those who are as enthusiastic as we are about providing an opportunity for children to try rugby.

“That is why the response we’ve had from Roberts Bakery has provided us with such a lift. Like ours, theirs is a name that people in the town associate with community spirit and wanting to make Northwich a better place to live, work and play.”

Mike Roberts, deputy chairman at Roberts Bakery, added: “We’re passionate about our community and about encouraging more local youngsters to engage with sport, so we’re delighted to support this club. It’s wonderful to see what the club has achieved already and we’re sure it will be even bigger and better when the children can return to action.”

Part of Northwich RUFC, the club is based at Moss Farm leisure complex on Moss Lane, Winnington. It runs Sunday morning training sessions for Mini Stags (aged three to five) and SuperStars (aged six to 12) at 9.45am and 10.30am.

Roberts Bakery started out in 1887 as a modest grocery store which sold freshly-baked bread to customers in its home town of Northwich.Now, more than two million loaves a week can be seen rotating in the iconic cooling towers at the front of the bakery.

The company delivers to customers throughout the north of England, north Wales and the Midlands. For four generations, the Roberts family has continued the skilled tradition of baking fine bread, with members of the Roberts family still actively working for the business