The Harrogate Rugby Club has set up a foundation to help make the game more accessible to people of all ages, abilities and backgrounds.
The Harrogate Rugby Club Foundation will promote physical activity and teamwork amongst all age-groups and aims to benefit a thousand people by 2024.
It will host free tag rugby sessions for schools, as well as community fitness classes, walking rugby programs and mixed-ability rugby sessions.
The rugby club has acted as a social hub since its foundation in 1871.
The project’s mission-statement outlines its aims:
“From primary schools to retirement home, we are here to keep people physically and mentally fit throughout their life. Using rugby as a means to access areas of inequality, deprivation and hardship, we will ensure that everyone in the Harrogate community has the opportunity to benefit from the amazing game that is Rugby Union.”
The foundation will launch officially on Saturday 18th February, at a match between the Men’s 1st XV and Sheffield Tigers.
Local schoolchildren who have already got involved in the rugby club’s free tag rugby sessions will be pitch side at the weekend, taking up the role of ball boys/girls for the match.
Entrance to all matches this weekend will be free.
The rugby club has created a crowdfunding page for the foundation to raise money for free coaching in schools, as well as equipment.
To support the fundraising campaign, visit the crowdfunder page.
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Harrogate rugby club under 15s win international tournament in Portugal
Harrogate rugby club’s under 15s have won the International Rugby Festival Tournament in Lisbon.
The ‘Harrogate Raptors’ won the event in Portugal, beating Welsh side, Cwmbram, 12-7 in the final.
Matthew Grant, Harrogate rugby’s under 15s group manager said:
“It was a life changing experience for the kids. They won gracefully and represented the club really well. There was no fighting or trouble and everyone was well behaved.
“It was great that we brought 25 players and everyone got some minutes.”
Harrogate under 15s after winning the tournament
The tournament saw Harrogate play five teams from Portugal and Wales, winning all of them.
Oliver Spence, Harrogate’s captain, was named player of the tournament.
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The final between Harrogate and Cwmbram was 7-7 after twenty minutes, which took the game into extra-time. Harrogate then scored the ‘golden try’ to win the tournament.
The festival was held over two days and featured teams from across the world. The games were livestreamed across Portuguese TV and featured 118 teams throughout all age groups.