Rugby Football Union - MP joins RFU and RFUW on Parliamentary Sports Fellowship

MP joins RFU and RFUW on Parliamentary Sports Fellowship

by Simon Mills


	Mark Lancaster with England players Natalie Binstead and Catherine Spencer photo by rugbymatters.net

September 2, 2008

Mark Lancaster MP will be examining the work of the Rugby Football Union and the Rugby Football Union for Women in depth this season.

Lancaster, the Conservative MP for Milton Keynes North East, made his first visit to the RFU last month as part of the Parliamentary Sports Fellowship Scheme.

He watched the senior England squad go through their pre-season fitness testing at Twickenham and met senior figures in the organisation, including RFU Chief Executive Francis Baron, Chairman Martyn Thomas and RFUW Managing Director Rosie Williams.

Then he got to see the skills of the successful England Women’s team first hand, attending their international fixture against Canada at Esher RFC last week.

Over the 2008/09 season he will visit a number of projects showcasing the work of the RFU and RFUW staff and volunteers at all levels of the game, including the work of the RFU Community Rugby Coaching team in his constituency.

"I’m delighted to be working with the Rugby Football Union this season," said Lancaster, who is the Shadow Minister for Overseas Development.

"As a passionate sports fan, the opportunity to learn about the issues facing all levels of rugby is a welcome one.

"I hope to see at first hand the work going on in local communities and find out more about how the RFU is trying to increase participation and secure more funding and facilities for its member clubs."

The Parliamentary Sports Fellowship Scheme, managed by UK Sport, aims to build links and increase knowledge sharing between Parliamentarians and sports organisations,

Participants spend seven days working with sport or sport-related organisations involved in the leadership, management or business of sport. The scheme would be run over a period of one year but with some flexibility to be extended to two years if necessary.

It is also a two-way scheme, giving organisations the chance to spend an equivalent amount of time in Westminster and increase understanding of policy-making and Parliamentary procedures among sports bodies.

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