Mansfield Woodhouse-based rugby league club Sherwood Wolf Hunt have launched a new partnership with Mansfield business Hall-Fast Industrial Supplies to create a first for the town.

The family business is to become the main sponsor of the club’s junior programme, which has been developed to introduce juniors aged 9-16 into the sport.

Malcolm Hall, owner and managing director of Hall-Fast, said “We’re moving into our eighth year of involvement with our North Nottinghamshire Community Partnership with Nottingham Rugby, which has introduced thousands of juniors from the age of two to rugby union.

“We’re proud to add another community club to the list of clubs that we’re supporting in and around Mansfield and further afield.

“We’re very keen to be involved with the growth of junior rugby league, in what is the first programme of its kind to have taken place in Mansfield.

“As a proud Yorkshireman, rugby league is a sport I grew up with and I’m keen to see the sport develop outside the heartlands.

“This is just the start of our partnership with Sherwood, and we’re looking forward to a continued it in the coming years.”

Hall-Fast are currently heavily involved in Nottingham Paviors, with a clear focus on developing junior rugby.

Sherwood Wolf Hunt chairman Adam Bates added: “We are, of course, delighted to have Malk and his team on board, and already we’re benefiting from their support.

“They have a proven track record of supporting clubs to develop and I’m confident that with their support and guidance, we can continue to go from strength to strength.”

Wolhunt, based at Debdale Park, have grown rapidly into one of the Midlands’ strongest clubs, and will this year field two open-age teams, as well as teams at under-17s, under-15s, under-13s and under-11s.

For more information on Wolf Hunt’s junior summer rugby programme, go to https://wolfhuntrl.class4kids.co.uk/login or www.wolfhuntrl.co.uk