Darlington Mowden Park are delighted to announce that they have teamed up with a local wheelchair rugby team to form the DMP Bulls. The team, who previously competed as the North East Bulls, will become fully fledged club members under the Mowden Park constitution.

Mowden Park Managing Director Lee Rust commented: “We are delighted to finally make the announcement and to welcome our newest Club team and members. As well as thanking the Bulls volunteers and players we must also pay tribute to our Community Programme and staff who have put a huge amount of work into making the partnership happen. The result is a fantastic reflection on both parties and the shared values and intents.”

Mowden Park Chairman Mick Birch (pictured) went on to add: “It’s absolutely fantastic that we’re able to welcome the Bulls into the Mowden Family. I’m personally thrilled to have them as part of this wonderful club and I’m looking forward to seeing them develop over the coming years. Our Club now has more than twenty teams regularly turning out and I’m certain all of our current members will be as equally pleased to see another side wearing Mowden Park colours.”

The DMP Bulls will compete in the highest level of club competition, Division 1 of the BT Super Series, and will begin their campaign on Saturday 30th September in the first of 3 weekend mini-tournaments. Dale Thompson, Regional Development Officer for GB Wheelchair Rugby (pictured), was equally pleased with the new merger: “It's great to see that a partnership has been formed between the two clubs. Mowden Park are a big club with a good family ethos which will coincide nicely with the Bulls values. It’s an excellent step forward for both parties and I hope both clubs can benefit greatly from the partnership.”

DMP Bulls come into the 2017/18 season on the back of a new summer signing, Coral Batey joins the club having been a part of the Paralympics GB squad that competed in Rio last year. She comes to the Bulls after a successful season with Division 1 runners up West Coast Crash. Looking ahead to the coming season, DMP Bulls Chairman Graeme Smith commented on the team’s prospects: “We’re really looking forward to starting the season as an official Mowden Park team. The partnership is a real positive for wheelchair rugby in the region and we hope it will help us progress as a team in years to come.”

In order to raise money for GBWR, Ex-Mowden Park player, Andrew Kennedy, is competing in this year’s UK Truck Pulling Championship. He won the event last year and is looking to retain his title this year. He has been raising funds to donate to charity off the back of competing in the event and this year he has decided to donate all proceeds to Great Britain Wheelchair Rugby. You can donate to Andrew’s JustGiving site by clicking here

Stay tuned for more news on the Bulls as they begin their 2017/18 season.