AFTER recently announcing a three-year sponsorship deal helping boost girls rugby in Salisbury, the city rotary club welcomed a special guest speaker to a recent meeting to talk about the impact of the sport – and the sponsorship.
Ben O’Neill, director of youth rugby at Salisbury Rugby Club, was the guest speaker at a recent meeting of Salisbury Rotary Club, which has provided funding to further boost the club’s Community Programme.
“Girls rugby is really a fantastic growth area. Up to the age of 11, we provide mixed rugby and then we offer both girls and boys rugby,” Ben said.
“At present, we have over 500 youth players taking part every week – including 85 girls. Five years ago, we had only six girls taking part – so with around 12 schools involved, you can see that girls rugby is going from strength to strength.
“We operate teams in the age groups of under 12, under 14, under 16 and under 18s, with most playing in competitive leagues and following the Dorset/Wiltshire and England pathway to development. As you would expect, safeguarding and safety standards are taken very seriously by the club at all times.
“We are very grateful to Salisbury Rotary Club, and our other sponsors, for their support that enables girls from all backgrounds to have the opportunity to experience and enjoy rugby.”
Clive Barnwell, president of Salisbury Rotary Club, said: “Salisbury Rotary Club is very much about supporting and being involved in our local community. And this initiative with Salisbury Rugby Club shows that by working together, we can change lives for the better.”
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