Bridge McFarland LLP is proud to support Hull FC’s Physical Disability Rugby League (PDRL) Team for the forthcoming season.
On 18th February, representatives Nicola Evans and Charlotte Dearlove attended Hull FC’s Sponsorship Day. It was certainly a fun-packed, if slightly chilly morning. They watched the Hull FC First Team in action during a training session, before seeing the PDRL squad take to the field for a session of their own.
Physical Disability Rugby League is one of the most inspiring and fast-growing formats within the Rugby Football League’s inclusive programme. The game mirrors the traditional running format of rugby league, with slight adaptations to ensure fairness and safety. Teams play full-contact rugby league, with players classified depending on their level of physical impairment. Certain players wear coloured shorts to indicate modified tackle rules, allowing the game to remain competitive while ensuring it is inclusive and accessible for all participants.
The result is a fast-paced, skilful and genuinely competitive sport that demands teamwork, resilience and tactical awareness. PDRL is not a token version of the game, it is elite community sport, providing athletes with the opportunity to compete at a high level within a structured national competition.
Hull FC’s PDRL team sits within the wider work of the Hull FC Foundation, the club’s official charity. The Foundation delivers a wide range of community programmes across Hull and the surrounding area, using the power of sport to improve physical health, mental wellbeing, confidence and social inclusion. From grassroots participation to disability sport pathways, the Foundation plays a vital role in ensuring rugby league is accessible to everyone, regardless of background or ability.
Following the training sessions, sponsors enjoyed a meet and greet with a first team player, with plenty of photographs and smiles all round. The morning concluded with a buffet lunch, where team and individual player sponsors had the opportunity to speak with players and coaching staff, learning more about the ambitions for the season ahead and the continued development of the PDRL programme.
At Bridge McFarland, we are passionate about supporting initiatives that strengthen our local communities and promote opportunity and inclusion. Sponsoring Hull FC’s PDRL team is about more than sport, it is about championing determination, teamwork and the belief that everyone deserves the opportunity to compete and thrive. Our trainee solicitor Charlotte Dearlove said the following about supporting the team:
‘Being part of a firm that actively supports local community teams, encouraging people with disabilities to take part in sport is inspiring. I have a family member who plays for the team and watching his physical and mental development over the years has been incredible. The team not only promotes inclusivity and offers greater access to sport in a world that often centres able-bodied people, but it also provides a sense of belonging and a community to be a part of. I am extremely grateful that Bridge McFarland recognised the profound impact the Hull FC PDRL team has on its players and wanted to provide the essential funding to allow this to continue.’
