11 August 2005

Nailsea and Backwell Rugby Club will be honoured at the home of English rugby this weekend.

The Somerset club will receive a special Year of the Volunteer Plaque in recognition of the club’s contribution to the sport on the pitch at the Middlesex Sevens on Saturday 13th August. Collin Barter, Nailsea and Backwell’s Clubman of the Year, will be at Twickenham to pick up the award. Nailsea and Backwell are one of just nine clubs to receive the award.

Three seasons ago Nailsea & Backwell RFC found itself in a position where volunteer recruitment within their junior teams was becoming difficult. However, they began development planning in line with the RFU Seal of Approval and Sport England Club Mark, to the extent they became the first recipients of the award in Somerset and now can boast a growth of 300 junior section members compared to 150 three years ago.

The club are now at the sign off stage of the third year award and have full volunteer staffing throughout the club. Age group managers carry out the volunteer co-ordination to such an extent that the club has age group trips abroad on a regular basis. The coaches coach, the managers manage and the club moves from strength to strength with club members working in the local school cluster also as volunteers

Paul Maines, Junior Chairman of Nailsea and Backwell, said: “It is difficult to imagine how we could have achieved such growth or indeed been awarded the Seal of Approval without the support of our army of volunteers.

“Without volunteers it is hard to see how any successful club can function effectively. We owe an enormous debt and thanks to all those people who give up their time and share their expertise for the benefit of our club.  Nailsea & Backwell Rugby Football Club would like to say a big thank you to all our volunteers.” 

August has been designated Sport Month in the Year of the Volunteer and England’s World Cup winning captain Martin Johnson CBE applauded those involved in grassroots rugby

“Volunteering is the satisfaction of doing something worthwhile - seeing the kids enjoy themselves and the smile on their faces.  You live off the enthusiasm they have for what they do,” said Johnson

Fellow World Champion Jason Leonard OBE added: “There is a great deal of reward in helping people of all ages and volunteers are needed across the board.  Everyone is a part of a big family.

Carole Thelwall-Jones, the RFU’s Constituent Body Volunteer Manager, said:  “There are 36,000 volunteers involved in rugby, from groundsmen through to club secretaries, and without them we would not have the vibrant sport we have.

“We should recognize our volunteers in this of all years and encourage others to get involved in rugby – their contribution makes a difference.”

“We feel it is appropriate to mark Sport Month by awarded these plaques at the home of English rugby to the bedrock of the sport, those who run community clubs. They are but nine from 1800 who rely on volunteers and deserve recognition for their efforts.”

In addition, 52 VIP ties and scarves have been awarded to volunteers in the first seven months of this year.

Roger Draper, Chief Executive of Sport England, said: "Volunteers really are the lifeblood of sport in this country, playing a key role in developing and supporting sport - including rugby - at all levels. It's fantastic to see rugby volunteers from Nailsea and Backwell RFC being thanked this Sport Month as part of Year of the Volunteer, and great to see them honoured at such a high-profile event at Twickenham - one of the country's iconic sporting locations."

Notes

• The specially commissioned YV05 plaques will be presented at the Middlesex 7s on Saturday 13th August 2005 to 9 rugby clubs from throughout England -  Cranleigh RFC (Surrey), Grasshoppers RFC (Middlesex) Heath (Yorkshire) Keresley RFC (Warwickshire) Kirby Lonsdale (Cumbria) Northwich RUFC (Cheshire)  Nailsea & Blackwell (Somerset) Oundle RFC (East Midlands) Windsor RFC (Berkshire).  The tenth plaque will be displayed at the Museum of Rugby, Twickenham to honour all those who volunteer throughout the game, including the team of 35 Museum tour guides and Honorary Stewards.
• Year of the Volunteer (YV05) is a Home Office supported initiative led by CSV and the Volunteering England Consortium. The YV05 campaign includes a series of themed months – with August being Sport Month.
• Over 36,000 people volunteer to support grassroots rugby in England.  They volunteer in clubs, schools, colleges and universities.  Their freely given time and effort enables over 500,000 people to play our sport.  Through their hard work hundreds of thousands of children enjoy healthy exercise and learn teamwork.
• Since England won the Webb Ellis Cup in November 2003 an additional 2,856 people, an increase of 8.6% are giving their skills and time freely.
• More than half of volunteers aged between 25 and 44.  Nearly 3,000 volunteers are aged 16-24.
• In 2002, figures showed that volunteers give 4,945 hours a year to their rugby club, worth (at minimum wage rates) over £22,000 to each club. The average hours per week spent volunteering at clubs during the season is 123 hrs.  This equates to 4,872,758 volunteer hours in total.
• In November 2004 the RFU and Sport England created the ‘Volunteer Fund’.  They have invested £119,403 in 27 projects aiming to recruit 2,978 new volunteers.
• The RFU will launch a new Volunteer Recruitment DVD next month including contributions from Jason Leonard and Martin Johnson.