Community Rugby
RFU Ready, Willing and Able
Dave Barton
1 L-R: Paul Hinkley-Smith from Brighton and Michael Palmer from Gatwick, Mike Wilkinson, is the RUAble webmaster Equity, Inclusion and Alexis Holding of the RFU Back L to R: Peter Cross, Lawrence Dallaglio, Linda Cook and Nic Scott of the RFU
Around 50 supporters in wheelchairs and their companions headed off to supper in a Twickenham hospitality suite after last month’s England v Argentina match. There they were greeted by international players past and present as well as being brought up to date with a new RUAble network, set up by the RFU to help ensure that the disabled spectator’s experience of rugby matches at Twickenham and other rugby stadia and clubs is as good as possible. Lawrence Dallaglio, Martin Bayfield and Steve Thompson were among those applauding the new venture and greeting the fans, two of whom: Paul Hinkley-Smith from Brighton and Michael Palmer from Gatwick, won membership of the England Rugby Supporters Club. Disabled supporter, Mike Wilkinson, is the RUAble webmaster and the venture is being supported by staff at the RFU, who were all at Twickenham to introduce it to the fans: Equity, Inclusion and Safeguarding Manager, Nic Scott, Linda Cook, the Ticket Office Adminstrator who looks after disabled access at Twickenham and Equity, Inclusion and Safeguarding Adminstrator Alexis Holding, himself a wheelchair user. Said Nic, “There’s an online virtual network; the facility to collate supporters’ feedback and disseminate this to sport grounds and the opportunity to share good practice in order to help improve the fans’ experience.” Alan Fleming, from Reading and a member of Tadley RFC goes to as many rugby matches as he can, from Twickenham Test matches to local games and has given feedback on Twickenham, Newbury, the Madejski Stadium and Tadley. “I think the RFU try very hard to look after wheelchair supporters,” he says. “This initiative is absolutely fantastic and something I am very happy to get involved with.” Archie Masters, 29, who was injured playing for St Dunston’s College, said “Old Dunstonians have been very supportive and built a ramp so that I can get into the clubhouse. I also go down to Beckenham where one of my best mates plays and that’s fully accessible. I have been to all the Six Nations grounds and you do get looked after well but Twickenham is the best. Getting everyone together is definitely a good idea.”
Making a Difference in Manchester
Tony Simpson
Rugby union as a catalyst for developing links between disengaged youngsters and the emergency services has a good track record in Greater Manchester. Initiatives bringing the police and the fire service into social and sporting contact with young people via rugby coaching have been very successful and the latest project in East Manchester is following a positive trend. Sergeant Daniel Wakefield of Greater Manchester police, Phil Clarke, the Strategic Rugby Union Manager for the City of Manchester and his team, together with the Sale Sharks Community Rugby staff are working together in the scheme. Added weight came in the considerable shape of England players Dean Schofield and Steve Hanley and Aldwinians are providing the venue at their Audenshaw headquarters. The city’s Youth Service has been ensuring information reaches the right ears and between 20-25 young people have so far been involved in the 10-week programme. Says Phil Clarke: “Sale Sharks were very good in getting behind the idea, the police had people with a rugby background to join the partnership and the RFU had Community Rugby Coaches available to complete a strong coaching team. Learning how to play the game and developing the skills involved is one part of the process, but it’s also valuable for the youngsters to share in the rugby environment afterwards. That obviously imposes certain social disciplines and the lads have responded brilliantly. Already we have six players who will be joining the club at the end of the project, while an unexpected bonus is that two of the police coaches have started playing again for the club. The project has been so successful that discussions are currently taking place with a view to spreading this project across the city.” “The development in the often problematic relationships between the police and young people in deprived areas within this project has been astonishing. It has been a learning curve for all involved with fantastic results,” says PC Daniel Wakefield.
Guarding the Future of Rugby
Young volunteers formed a guard of honour at the Investec Challenge England v New Zealand match at Twickenham Stadium. The RFU’s National Youth Council and Community Rugby Leaders were represented at the match and those involved in the vRugby programme, which sees 16 to 24 year olds each year stage something like 200 projects around the country linked to clubs, schools, colleges and universities. The newly-launched National Youth Council provides a sounding board for the RFU Community Game Board and gives young people in rugby a voice. Ten 16 to 24 year olds, on the Council, come from playing, administering, coaching and refereeing the game and a number are involved in vRugby. Young people aged 13 and 14 are taking the Community or Junior Sports Leaders’ Award at school and the RFU’s Rugby Leaders Foundation course complements this. Last summer, 16 community young leaders from four schools represented the RFU and the Child Victims of Crime police charity at the launch of the charity in South Africa alongside the Lions Tour week in Pretoria. They were outstanding ambassadors for more than 3,000 young leaders who take the Rugby Leaders Foundation course each year. Young Leaders are fundamental to the Rugby Union Young People Plan, which strongly supports the Government’s national PE and Sport Strategy for Young People. This aims for all five to 16 year olds to receive five hours PE and sport every week building on earlier success which saw young people doing at least two hours high quality PE and sport each week rise from 25% in 2002 to 90% in 2008. Also at Twickenham were the Rt Hon Ed Balls MP,Secretary of State for Children, Families and Schools and members of his team who met young leaders and other vital partners involved in delivering the ’Rugby Union 5 Hour Offer’. They include teachers, partnership development and competition managers who are working together with the full support of RFU Rugby Development Officers
Busy Time For England Deaf
Paul Bolton
England Deaf warmed up for their post-Christmas internationals by beating Eastern Counties One side Ely 19-5. The game at Downham Road followed an award ceremony in Cambridge where players and officials of the England Deaf Rugby Union were voted Charity of the Month by local radio station Star 107. England’s win included tries from centre Guy Lavery (Barnes), James Calver (Burgess Hill) and back-row forward Ian Collins (Sevenoaks) with Mark Lewis of Brighton landing two conversions. Lavery was voted England Deaf Man of the Match by the Ely committee. England are scheduled to play two internationals in the New Year against Wales at Broadstreet near Coventry on February 14 and Scotland at the GHA club in Glasgow on March 14. England Deaf were also nominated for the Singature Annual National Awards (below) further publicising their work.
Miller Homes League Breaks New Ground
Tony Simpson
The North West Intermediate Rugby Union Leagues, popularly known as the Miller Homes league, but also sponsored by Bateman BMW and Raging Bull Sportswear, was founded seven years ago with six leagues. The competition has now expanded to 14 divisions with the general trend ’onwards and upwards’. That is certainly true of the league’s comprehensive website, which this season has been decorated for the first time with a magazine section, which in keeping with league traditions, has also seen a rapid expansion. The on-line publication has moved from the inaugural eight-page effort to 15 pages by the third edition, the content embracing personality and club profiles, information on league issues and developments and a generous helping of ’rag mag’ humour to keep the whole thing light and entertaining. Statistics from the league show that 185 teams are currently in action each weekend. Finals day is always the high spot of the Miller Homes League season and once again the league top brass are inviting clubs who would like to stage the event to express their interest. The finals will take place on Saturday, May 1, 2010 and applications for the chance to host the event must be with League Secretary Reg Robinson by December 31, 2009. Contact 01524 770166 or 07730 102362 for details on what is involved.
Sportsmatch Doubles Your Money
The Sport England Sportsmatch programme resumes its grant making activities this month (December) for activities to take place during the 2010/11 financial year. Sportsmatch offers pound for pound matched funding to investments made by businesses, trusts and individuals into projects that encourage sports participation at grass roots level. Since it started in 1992 Sportsmatch has awarded over £48 million to almost 6,000 projects across the country, and has brought in over £58 million for these projects from the commercial sector. Applications can be submitted at any time. www.sportengland.org/funding/sportsmatch.aspx
Sealing the whole deal
Rugby clubs are embracing the need to develop across the board, with 14 now having achieved Whole Club Seal of Approval. And eight of them had their awards presented at the Investec Challenge Series, pitch side at Twickenham by the RFU president Mr John Owen. Ashby (Leicestershire), Windsor (Berkshire), Grasshoppers (Middlesex), Sidcup (Kent), North Dorset (Dorset & Wilts), Knutsford (Cheshire), Fylde (Lancashire) & Ilkley (Yorkshire) all attended one of the three matches to receive their certificates in front of a packed house at the home of England Rugby. Introduced to by the RFU in 2009 to build on the existing Mini and Youth Seal of Approval which recognised quality provision of youth rugby, Whole Club accreditation requires evidence of good practice in other areas. These include club management, player development and recruitment, child protection, sports equity, coaching and refereeing, as well as the recruitment and management of volunteers. With another 112 clubs predicted to be working towards Whole Club Seal of Approval in 2010 the future for club development is bright.
