GROUNDBREAKING Greenock Wanderers are the first rugby club in Scotland to put a maternity policy in place to show full commitment and protection for players.

The rugby club, which has one of the best set-ups for women and girls sport in Scotland, is ahead game yet again as they commit to their players.

With many of their team recently giving birth, Wanderers director Beverley Addison, a specialist family solicitor, decided to act to help them return to playing the game.

They have pledged to give annual specialist training to support female athletes and offer free legal advice for those undergoing fertility as well as providing physiotherapy to all those players during pregnancy and after giving birth.

Former Wanderers Women captain Beverley said: "Many of us have been playing together for ten years, since it all started. I felt like it was time to put a maternity policy in place, setting out the club's commitment to players and what they can expect.

"We are very much a family and we want our players' children to be welcome.

"It is very important that we support our female athletes and help them return to playing. We want to break down barriers and make sure nothing stops players getting back to what they love."

Off the field, Beverly is one of only a handful of family lawyers specialising in fertility law around surrogacy, assisted or donor conception and adoption.

So she was keen to combine her two passions and promote the game.

Beverley added: "It is so important that we help and support women in sport whenever and in whatever way we can."

Greenock Wanderers are following the lead from England's Women's Rugby side who have only recently set out their own policy.

It includes a promise to provide a quiet room for breastfeeding as well as offering children of players the chance of membership at the club.

There is also a section of the policy that deals with the menstrual cycle and how that affects performance and can lead to a risk of injury.

One of the first players to benefit is club captain Emily Gray who recently returned after the birth of her baby boy Alfie, now ten months.

Greenock Telegraph: Greenock Wanderers maternity pledge

Emily said: "I have been playing with the Greenock Wanderers for about ten years since I was at university. It is part of my life and something that I don't want to give up. It was such an honour to be made captain.

"I think it is fantastic that there is a maternity policy in place. It makes us feel so supported and we know the club is helping us in every way they can.

"It is a bit different when you come back at first, but the club has always been so supportive. I started to train about three months after having Alfie. It is not something I ever expected I would be able to do.

"It is lovely to know that our babies are also welcome."