New award scheme for community clubs

This month sees the launch of one of our new recognition schemes; the ''President's XV Awards''.
The President's XV Award scheme seeks to identify and reward best practice in community rugby clubs with 45 projects receiving recognition for making an outstanding contribution to the development of grassroots rugby.

There are 15 categories that have been specially selected by the RFU President, Bob Rogers, that clubs can nominate themselves for. Reflecting the four themes of Community Rugby; More People, Better Places, Access for All and Enjoyment, all rugby clubs within England are eligible to nominate projects, as long as they have been run in a voluntary capacity by the club within the past 12 months. The closing date for nomination forms is the 1st February 2007.

Rugby World, the world's biggest selling rugby magazine, will be the official media partner of the President's XV scheme and will highlight the best of the bunch in their pages this season.

The winning club in each of the 15 award categories will receive £500, with two highly commended projects in each category each receiving £100 for their club. The winners, judged by a Panel including the RFU President, will be announced during April, with a booklet providing case studies of the fifteen winning, and two highly commended, projects in each category will be published and distributed to the game in May.

We want to receive as many nominations from clubs as we possibly can; if you can advertise this new awards scheme to all the clubs in your area, directing them towards the volunteering section of the RFU website (www.rfu.com/volunteer); that would be great. If you want any more information on the President’s XV scheme, contact Carly Jackson (carlyjackson@rfu.com) on 0208 831 6742.