Rugby Football Union Report 2007

disabled children. A Payroll Giving scheme for employees has also been created, and has received the bronze award from the national Charitable Giving organisation.

The RFU promotes family friendly employment policies working with employees to achieve positive work life balance and has launched new corporate healthcare programmes for staff as well as running stress management programmes for coping in a high pressure work environment. Special arrangements have also been made for employee childcare with local nurseries, with trialling of a match day nursery for staff and spectators who need care for their children.

The Union has a regular programme of retirement planning for older employees and works, through its employee assistance programme and through career transition consultant partners, to provide positive outcomes for staff affected by redundancy or contract completion of sports specialists.

As an intrinsic part of the local community, the RFU employs a full-time Stadium Community Relations Manager, who works closely with local and transport authorities, the police and residents and distributes a quarterly newsletter to some 30,000 local homes and businesses. He also oversees a budget to sponsor local schools, sport and healthy lifestyle initiatives, charities and voluntary bodies. Twickenham Stadium facilities are also provided free of charge for a number of community events and initiatives.

Local residents living close to Twickenham Stadium are the only people with an allocation of international match tickets outside the RFU’s own membership. They can apply, via their own ballot, to purchase a pair of tickets from 400 available for every international match. The RFU also holds for neighbours 1,100 discounted tickets for every concert at Twickenham Stadium.

To lighten the impact of major events, the RFU works with the authorities and community representatives through the RFU Concert and Match Day Committee and has funded measures like: street cleaning, mobile toilets, traffic management and providing an event day shuttle bus service. Funding was also provided for the consultation and

implementation of an event day controlled parking zone to benefit neighbours.

The Rugby Football Union Charitable Trust has been set up to meet a wide range of charitable objectives, the RFU’s aim being to ensure that players experiencing hardship and who suffer catastrophic injury receive much-needed support.

At present there are some 120 disabled ex-players in England, their injuries stretching back around 40 years. Their needs and those of their families are complex and help is needed as an immediate response to injury and in the long term. They may need help to re-establish their careers, with specialist training or their families and carers may desperately need a break.

Those on the RFU’s disabled ex-player register are able to come to Twickenham international matches free of charge and, with the help of Wooden Spoon, the RFU has provided bars in the stadium specially adapted for wheelchair users.

The RFU’s Community Rugby Sports Medicine and Injured Player Welfare Team provide a comprehensive service ranging from injuries research to welfare support for injured players. Injuries which may cause permanent and total disability are followed up by the Player Welfare Officer, Dave Phillips who contacts clubs, visits players, advises on how help can be provided and establishes a partnership between the player, family, club and the RFU.

A report of the Catastrophic Injury Task Group was presented to the RFU Council after the group met regularly through the year. The group made recommendations regarding support and pastoral care for players who become permanently totally disabled, which have now been approved by the Management Board and Council.

Rugby union is a family and in 2006/07 the Rugby Football Union has set aside £533,000, which is £1 per paying ticket at England home matches, to support players who have suffered permanent total disability through rugby.