Coventry Rugby Foundation
Your foundation
The Coventry Rugby Community Foundation is a registered, fully regulated charity working hand in glove with Coventry Rugby. Our core objective is to lower barriers to sport and promote health equality within the local community. We achieve this by creating and running community programmes that increase access to sport for targeted groups who may otherwise be marginalised and/or unable to participate.
The Foundation run programmes under four main themes:
Education
Disability Sport
Elderly & Isolation
Youth Intervention
The Coventry Rugby Community Foundation is governed by a board of volunteer trustees, underpinned by Coventry Rugby’s Community Team who are deeply embedded in the local community.
Trustees
John Edwards – Chair
Tom Bromwich
Andrew Carpenter
Chris Gregory
Peter Rosborough
Nicola Rzeznik
Mike Varnon
Sian Haynes
Community Team
Lesley (Wes) Blair
ABOUT US
Coventry Rugby Community Foundation Ltd., is an independent, registered, fully authorised charity working hand in glove with Coventry Rugby. Governed by a board of independent trustees, our aim is quite simple … to transform lives in the local community through the ‘Power of Sport’.
There is a lot of research that shows physical exercise and sport can genuinely enhance both physical and mental well-being. We believe that the power of sport should be accessible to all regardless of physical ability, age, gender, ethnicity or socio economic background.
Whilst we focus on the city of Coventry and county of Warwickshire, ultimately our aim is to provide opportunities for people from all walks of life to realise their potential and achieve the very best they can.
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As a charity we raise funds to spend in our community and help us to give opportunity to those who, for a variety of reasons, are unable to benefit from the opportunities in life many of us take for granted.
A summary of our projects can be seen below.
Whether it’s the holiday camps of Project 500, caring for deprived children, or the new Coventry Netball, supporting young girls in taking up and pursuing sport into adulthood, our programmes offer thousands the opportunity to participate in a wide variety of sports and enjoy the benefits of social interaction.
Background
Established nearly 15 years ago, Coventry Rugby Foundation is a fully independent UK charity. It was formed to drive charitable work in the community and quickly established programmes designed to help those who were in need of a lift in life.
Led by an independent trust board of volunteers, the Foundation raises funds from charities, corporates and individuals. It then deploys the funds in the community to help give opportunity where there is little.
Programmes like Reading and Rugby date back to the origins of the Foundation, helping young children have fun in school whilst learning and exercising. Project 500, conceived in 2019, initially sought to feed 500 children in the school holidays.
Giving children a safe place to come and enjoy all sorts of sport, games and healthy food, this hugely successful programme has given opportunity for thousands of children from deprived backgrounds to participate in activities they would otherwise have little possibility to do.
Beliefs
We transform lives in the local community through the power of sport.
We believe that the language of sport has a unique ability to breakdown educational and cultural barriers; we believe that sports participation can enhance both physical and mental well-being; and we believe that the opportunity to participate should be available for people from all walks of life, regardless of physical ability, age, gender, ethnicity or socio economic background.
Our Programmes
Working with Coventry Rugby’s Community Team, supported by a dedicated team of volunteers, we run a diverse range of programs designed to provide life changing opportunities, primarily based at the home of Coventry Rugby, the Butts Park Arena.
Project 500
Project 500
Project 500
The Joseph Rowntree Institute estimate that around 50% of children in Coventry live in poverty. Growing up in poverty affects educational and health outcomes throughout the whole of life; and for children living in poverty, the school holidays are a time when they’re often at their most vulnerable... no food, no plan of action, no structure, no supervision, no role models.
In partnership with Coventry Rugby, we are determined to help children escape the downward pull of poverty.
Project 500 works with children from deprived areas (often recommended by schools) during the school holidays.
They play a variety of sports, learn to work in teams, have fun, are fed wholesome food and receive a family food parcel for one week. More than 1,000 children participate in the Project 500 programme every year, including many with special educational needs.
Reading & Rugby, Netball & Numbers
Reading & Rugby, Netball & Numbers
Reading & Rugby, Netball & Numbers
Combining sport and learning to inspire approximately 270 disadvantaged children and young people in Coventry in the last year, encouraging them to fulfil their potential by improving their health, education, wellbeing and future prospects.
A total of 360 hours were provided through the delivery of weekly two-hour sessions to schools across Coventry.
The focus is on improving literacy and numeracy skills while encouraging physical activity among children and young people.
Primary school children engaged in one-hour of structured reading or numeracy exercises, followed by an hour of physical activity and games led by Coventry Rugby Community Department’s qualified coaching team.
Wheelchair Rugby
Wheelchair Rugby
Wheelchair Rugby
Our Walking Rugby sessions are perfect for those over 50 who are looking to get more active, delivering physical and mental benefits.
As the name suggests, running is forbidden, as is passing the ball higher than shoulder height.
There are also no high tackles – or indeed any tackles – and, crucially, no scrums, rucks or mauls, making it perfect for all abilities.
Walking Rugby
Walking Rugby
Walking Rugby
Coventry Stampede is Coventry Rugby’s official wheelchair rugby team.
Many just come and take part for fun but the Stampede also competes in League fixtures, with the GBWR 5s Championship season underway now!
Coventry Stampede is Coventry Rugby’s official elite wheelchair rugby team, providing those with disabilities with the opportunity to excel. Coventry Stampede provides a warm and welcoming environment, created for those with disabilities to keep fit, develop new skills, have fun and socialise.
The team benefit from having a 3x GB Paralympian in Wheelchair Rugby and a level 2 qualified coach, Mandip Sehmi as head coach and development officer.
Coventry Academy
Coventry Academy
Coventry Academy
The newly launched Coventry Rugby Regional Academy is committed to nurturing young athletes through high-performance coaching, holistic development, and a clear pathway to professional rugby.
The Foundation supports the Academy by providing opportunities for children with talent from disadvantaged backgrounds to participate in the elite development pathway.
Netball
Netball
Netball
Working to improve the physical and mental well-being of young girls in Coventry, increase participation numbers in primary and secondary schools, whilst also creating pathways to elite performance level.
FOUNDATION 150TH ANNIVERSARY APPEAL
In order to do this vital work in Coventry and Warwickshire, we raise funds from charities, business and individuals. This enables us to provide the facilities, food and expert coaching we need to reach out to our community.
In 2024, the year of Coventry Rugby’s 150th anniversary, we have launched an appeal to raise further funding to carry on our important work. We aim to raise £250,000 to help us make a real difference to those who need a helping hand at this time. We want to ensure that we leave a lasting legacy in our community in celebration of this amazing 150th anniversary milestone.
We will do this by expanding the reach of our existing projects and introducing new initiatives to address some of the unaddressed need that is on our doorstep.
We appeal to our Coventry Rugby supporters and the Coventry and Warwickshire business community to help us help others in need by donating to the Coventry Rugby Foundation 150th Anniversary Appeal. CLICK THE LINK BELOW to donate:
This is Our Club in Our City
According to a population project by Coventry City Council in 2016, there are 81,957 children and young people (under 18) living within Coventry. We’re their biggest supporters but we can’t do it without the donations, assistance and generosity of sponsors, businesses and stakeholders.
By investing in Coventry Foundation, businesses invest in the city of Coventry and its community. Together we can provide tangible results for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) plans and commitments.
We deliver hands-on coaching programmes, educational offerings including sessions focused on literacy, sessions on health, nutrition and psychology, girls’ rugby clubs and much, much more.
Our city. Our club.
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