Westhoughton Lions ARLFC has become the first Rugby League club in Bolton to achieve the prestigious Sport England Rugby League Clubmark Award. This is a huge achievement for the club who are leading the way for other amateur rugby league clubs across Greater Manchester.

Sport England Clubmark sets generic criteria for national governing bodies of sport to accredit their clubs against in order to create safe, effective, and child friendly environments. The RFL and BARLA have in turn been responsible for developing and setting sports specific standards and accrediting clubs against the national framework. County Sports Partnerships and Local Authorities, support the scheme locally. Clubmark brings benefits such as promoting clubs within their communities, increasing participation levels, developing coaches and volunteers at clubs, and raising standards.

Andy Harland, National Development Manager said These successes signal not only a significant achievement by clubs situated within the Greater Manchester Sports Partnership boundaries, but also the strengthening of the amateur game in the Bolton area. The award to Westhoughton Lions can only help to promote the initiative further.

Matt Birkett, North West Regional Development Officer commented "The ongoing roll out of the Sport England Rugby League Clubmark standard throughout the Rugby League Community will bring many benefits, including more sustainable opportunity for all to participate and progress in all sectors of our sport.

I know Westhoughton Lions have worked extremely hard to achieve the minimum standards of Clubmark and this should be rewarded. In short, the club has now been rubber stamped as having met high standards in the playing programme, child protection, sports equity and ethics and club management. Parents can be relaxed in the knowledge that their child will receive training in a quality environment, with qualified staff.

Westhoughton Lions will celebrate their 10th anniversary in 2007 and feel the acquisition of the Clubmark award is befitting of the amount of work that has been put in by their many volunteers over the years.

The club has built itself up from having just one team to now servicing teams from Under 8s through to Under 17s as well as founding and Under 12s and Under 14s girls teams during 2006.