Rugby League World Cup 2021 (RLWC2021) has today announced Assura plc as the tournament’s Official Community Health Partner, further underlining their commitment to creating positive social impacts within communities.

Assura, a FTSE 250 company, develops, invests in and manages a portfolio of almost 600 primary care medical centres which are bases for NHS teams serving millions of people across the United Kingdom.

The sponsorship is Assura’s first in sport, and they join Eversheds Sutherland, Deloitte, Manchester Metropolitan University, Kappa, Kuehne+Nagel and Cazoo as official sponsors of RLWC2021.

As part of the sponsorship, the Assura Community Fund will launch a RLWC2021 Grants Programme with a minimum of £100,000 available to help  charitable and voluntary sector organisations deliver health and wellbeing activities.

The grants will educate and teach skills to contribute to improved emotional health and wellbeing, gaining support for life challenges and providing increased activities and opportunities to improve self-confidence, self-esteem and belonging.

The grants will be given to health projects working from or with rugby league community clubs, existing recipients of the RLWC2021 CreatedBy Capital Grants Programme, and within the eighteen RLWC2021 host towns and cities.

Online applications will open from 1 February 2021, with a submission deadline of 28 February 2021, and successful applicants receiving one-year grants by 15 May 2021.

The partnership will align with RLWC2021’s Mental Fitness Charter which is educating people to look after their own mental fitness, and of those around them, at a time when mental and physical health is such a priority.

Jonathan Neill, RLWC2021 Commercial Director, said: “Our partnership with Assura is another example of RLWC2021’s commitment to delivering positive social impacts, and the role that businesses can have in helping us deliver the tournament and our purpose led approach.

“Our partnership strategy has been focussed on bringing new brands into the sport and creating integrated and connected partnerships that meet our mutual objectives. The addition of Assura to our partner portfolio is tremendous news, and their community fund grants programme will make a positive difference across many communities.”

Jonathan Murphy, Assura CEO, said: “If there was ever a time when the ‘Power of Together’ was a crucial message, it’s now – and that’s why we are so excited to be partnering with Rugby League World Cup 2021 to create a legacy for health in local communities.

“We’re proud to be a business based in the Rugby League heartland of Warrington and with our shared ambitions on social impact, it’s a privilege to be working with the volunteers, players, support teams and partners on what will be such a special tournament.

“The scale of the task ahead to rebuild community health beyond the current pandemic is clear but  this partnership can play its part by supporting local health projects to reduce isolation, rebuild health confidence, skills and lessen health inequalities throughout the communities the tournament will engage.”

Follow all the latest news via www.RLWC2021.com and the official social media channels on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

For more information, contact:

Michael Gibson, Communications Lead, RLWC2021, michael.gibson@rlwc2021.com, +44 (0) 7435 556074

About Rugby League World Cup 2021

The Rugby League World Cup is the pinnacle major event of rugby league, globally contested every four years. RLWC2021 will be a breakthrough moment in the tournament’s history with the men’s, women’s and wheelchair competitions being staged together for the first time.

The three tournaments will take place across 21 venues throughout England. Both the women’s and wheelchair competitions will be contested by two groups of four teams, whilst the men’s tournament will see 16 teams compete across four groups.

RLWC2021 will be the most visible Rugby League event in history with all 61 games in the men’s, women’s and wheelchair competitions being broadcast live on the BBC.

Vision: Delivering the biggest and best ever Rugby League World Cup.

Mission: Creating inspirational moments that excite, engage and leave a long-lasting legacy.

About the Assura Community Fund

The Assura Community Fund was launched in 2020 to support health-improving projects in the communities around Assura’s buildings.

It is administered by Cheshire Community Foundation and, so far, has distributed more than £800,000 to organisations across the UK.