Coalville-based Aggregate Industries is thrilled to announce the success of its ‘Concrete Rugby’ partnership with the Leicester Tigers Foundation – helping to reach out to a whopping 1,081 school children across Leicestershire.
First introduced in schools in November 2016, Concrete Rugby is a unique community initiative run in collaboration with the ten-time English Rugby champions to promote a healthy lifestyle, team work and self-confidence in young people as well as introduce key rugby skills.
The programme, led by Leicester Tigers Rugby Development coaches, saw local school children learn how to play touch or contact rugby with PE-style coaching sessions promoting the lifestyle benefits of sports and exercise. Pupils also got to take part in a discussion covering a wide range of issues; from healthy eating, drugs, road safety through to the dangers of peer pressure and digital safety.
The programme proved massively popular and was delivered to a total of 1,081 children, in 43 classes, across 13 secondary schools – putting rugby firmly back on the radar for many.
This latest activity comes amid recent reports that 91 per cent of parents admit that their children do not get the recommended 60 minutes of physical activity a day needed to ‘maintain a balanced level of health’.1
Blaine Bonnin-Ward, Rugby Development Officer at Leicester Tigers who leads the programme, said: “It has been a fantastic first nine months which has helped to bring the importance of a health and wellbeing firmly to the forefront for local children and schools.
“A great example of the programme’s success is our work with Rushey Mead School, Leicester. Although football and cricket are traditionally more popular sports, our programme has coerced a renewed passion for rugby with over forty children now attending the afterschool club and many even joining local rugby teams.
“Another highlight is the continued success of the girls’ rugby club at Saint Martin’s school, Nuneaton. Many of the girls hadn’t played rugby before but following the Concrete Rugby programme, they formed a team, coming second place in a girl’s rugby festival and more recently made the final in a separate tournament.”
Chris Hudson, Managing Director, Asphalt & Readymix Concrete at Aggregate Industries, added: “As a business committed to giving back to the communities in which it operates, we feel incredibly passionate about our ‘Concrete Rugby’ initiative.
“The unfortunate reality is that a large number of children in the UK don’t play outdoors or exercise nearly enough, while child obesity rates are still disturbingly high. As such, initiatives as these have a vital part to play in helping to raise awareness of a healthy lifestyle and the role sports can play in this. The programme has proven even more popular this year and we are already busy planning for next season’s instalment.”
To get involved with Concrete Rugby email [email protected] or for more information on Aggregate Industries visit www.aggregate.com