A rugby volunteer who refused to let injury get in her way of making an impact at Novocastrians Rugby Club has been recognised nationally after being shortlisted by the Rugby Football Union for the Honda Volunteer of the Year Awards.

Micha Newman, 23, is a player at the Longbenton-based club and has been nominated in the Unsung Hero category which recognises local heroes who have had a major impact in their clubs and communities and demonstrated their commitment to the game over the past 12 months.

Micha will now head to the national final at Twickenham in September when volunteers from across the country are celebrated as part of Honda’s Volunteer Recognition Programme.

Three overall winners will be announced on the evening for each of this year’s categories: Unsung Hero, Connecting the Community and Game for All, which recognises volunteers who have provided an inspirational and diverse offer to engage with their local community.

After sustaining an injury Micha has used her time on the sidelines to earn her level two coaching badge, allowing her to support the players and still take an active role in the club.

The changes she has made mean that there are now 30 girls training at the club with Micha coaching three days a week, with membership enjoyment higher than ever.

Speaking at the regional Northumberland Rugby Union CB award ceremony, Micha said: “It’s just an honour.

“Helping out at Novos was to keep me involved in the game, so I have to thank the club for helping me as well.

“We both made each other's season!

“Women’s rugby is definitely on the rise. We’ve got lots of girls who have only just been introduced to it, so seeing people enjoying the sport at whatever age is amazing.”

Club members nominated Micha for her efforts in boosting enjoyment and membership and transforming the girls setup, saying: “Some people would have stepped away from the sport after suffering an injury, but Micha threw herself into coaching, much to our club’s benefit, as we now see over 30 girl’s absolutely loving learning their rugby from her on a weekly basis!”

The Honda Volunteer Recognition Programme brings the opportunity to thank those who have gone above and beyond this year for teams, clubs, referees’ societies and educational establishments.

With Honda recently coming on board as a partner, and supporting volunteering in the grassroots game, this year’s Awards will help to recognise and celebrate volunteers for their achievements and efforts, both on and off the field.

Speaking about the awards, RFU President HH Jeff Blackett said: “I am delighted that through the Honda Volunteer Recognition Programme, we are able to recognise the exceptional work that has gone into getting Rugby Clubs back up and running over the last year. There are so many outstanding volunteers who have really made a difference and the Honda Volunteer of the Year awards provides a great opportunity to say thank you.”

Jean-Marc Streng, President Honda UK, added: “Honda was built upon the Power of Dreams, that same challenging spirit can be found in abundance at local Rugby clubs up and down the country. “Honda UK is proud to help recognise the volunteers who work tirelessly to support their local Rugby communities.”

Over 100,000 volunteers give back to grassroots rugby, week in, week out. From the kit washers to the line painters, the bus drivers to the tea makers, the game that we all know and love wouldn’t be the same without the people who work tirelessly behind the scenes.

Volunteers are the backbone of grassroots rugby in England. If you’d like to get involved and make a difference at your community club, visit: www.englandrugby.com/volunteering