Project unearths origins of women's rugby league

The Ulverston Wildcats, pictured here in 1983, had to battle sexism and tradition

Boxes of medals and trophies have been discovered as part of a project celebrating women's rugby league.

The collection shows the origins of the grassroots game since it kicked off in Furness, Cumbria, more than 40 years ago.

It forms part of The Pioneering Years, a project by Barrow Raiders Rugby League Club which asked people to gather memories of rugby league women.

Mary McPortland, a director at the club, said women's rugby league was doing well "because of the people" that had "gone before".

The collection will be on display at Barrow Raiders' home, the Northern Competitions Stadium, on Saturday.

The collection, which includes this clipping from the Sunday Sun, celebrates the origins of the sport

The project celebrates the lost history of women's rugby league in towns across the north.

It coincides with the 40th anniversary of the founding of the first women's teams and the establishment of what would become the Women's Amateur Rugby League Association.

The exhibition coincides with the 40th anniversary of the Women's Amateur Rugby League Association

Ms McPortland said players had battled sexism and tradition since the first teams were founded.

"But I've also got to say, without the work of key men, we wouldn't have been a team because we had fantastic trainers and coaches and supporters who were male," she added.

“And it just tended to be the odd comment really, and we just shrugged it off.”

The project asked people to gather memories of rugby league women

Project organiser Julia Lee, an RFL director who was the first woman to referee rugby league, said she had made it her "mission to start telling the stories of some great women”.

"When I go out now and talk about these pioneers, but also go out and watch women's games, there's a real acceptance of the talent that these women have," she said.