West Country Hawks Wheelchair Rugby Club set to soar with Enable Law sponsorship

The West Country Hawks Wheelchair Rugby Club is ready to soar after entering an exciting new chapter of growth and athletic excellence.

This momentum is fuelled by a significant new sponsorship agreement with Enable Law, a leading personal injury and medical negligence firm headquartered in the South West.

By securing this vital support, the club is now better positioned than ever to enhance their presence in the sport, providing players with vital resources to excel on the court and also further solidifying the club's impact within the regional sporting community. 

Club chairperson Jesse Hayes is confident the Plymouth-based Hawks will flourish on and off the rugby court thanks to a show of support from the clinical negligence and personal injury specialists.

Under the new deal, Enable Law will be the West Country Hawks’ head sponsor, and the financial support will help cover overall running costs, including competition entry fees and venue hire, as well as new kit

Jesse, who lives with cerebral palsy and who took over as Hawks chair in March, said: “We are extremely pleased to secure this partnership with a law firm that specialises in helping people rebuild their lives following serious injury.

“The Enable Law sponsorship is an important step forward for what we do, and we are all very excited about how it will help the club go from strength to strength.

“The long-term growth of the West Country Hawks is our main objective and with Enable Law’s show of support we will raise the club’s profile in communities around the South West.

“Their backing will have a positive impact and means we will attract more wheelchair rugby players as well as volunteers so we further establish the Hawks as a sports club that our region can be proud of.”

The West Country Hawks was set up in 2011 to offer wheelchair rugby – often described as a blend of rugby, basketball, ice hockey and American Football – to disabled athletes throughout Devon, Cornwall and Somerset.

It is the only club in the region which offers an opportunity to play the Paralympic version of the sport, with training bases in Plymouth and Exeter meaning it covers one of the biggest catchment areas in the UK.

Michelle Biddulph, Enable Law partner and medical negligence and personal injury specialist, said: “The West Country Hawks Wheelchair Rugby Club is an inspirational sports organisation, and the Enable Law team are delighted that our sponsorship will help it power forward.

“I found out in a recent taster session with the Hawks that wheelchair rugby is an amazing sport, and I know that with our support Jesse and the team will welcome more new members and excel on a national and international level.

“As the head of a team of medical negligence and personal injury specialists, I recognise the many physical and mental health benefits that sport provides, and I look forward to seeing the Hawks kick on by empowering individuals with all forms of disabilities.”

Enable Law will work closely with Hawks volunteers to help more people discover the sport while building confidence and connections at an exciting time for the club. As well as providing entry-level opportunities, several current Paralympics GB athletes have come through the Hawks ranks, with several set to compete at the Los Angeles 2028 Paralympics.

After joining a Hawks practice session at the Plymouth Life Centre, Rob Antrobus, Head of Enable Law, added: “We are all looking forward to strengthening our partnership with the West Country Wheelchair Hawks to help grow the club across the South West. As the club’s main sponsors, it will be an honour to see Enable Law take pride of place on the West Country Hawks shirts because they are real champions of disability sport and provide invaluable resource for the community.”

Enable Law's headquarters are in Plymouth and the firm also has offices in Exeter, Truro, Taunton, Bristol, Southampton and London.

• The West Country Hawks are keen to hear from new players and volunteers, and anyone interested in finding out more can visit the club website.