Trustees Karl and Martin went to present a cheque to Worthing Rugby Minis last week. Martin has reported back…

A sunny summer’s evening saw the Worthing Community Chest team head to Worthing Rugby Club to present our giant cheque for £1,488 to the ‘Rugby Minis’. The season has finished but summer is when a lot of non-contact rugby is played and so the fields were full of boys and girls of all ages, as well as the parents and volunteers who give their time and expertise to this club that keeps its boots and feet firmly in the heart of the Worthing Community. We were given a warm welcome by the Mini’s Tour Manager, Patrick Hooper and the Club Chair, Brian Vincent.

Our visit gave us the chance to see what our money had contributed to; a fantastic bit of kit designed for all ages. Our Chairman, Karl, was presented with an extra large version (a proper rugby size!) and he loved it so much that he changed into it on the spot and wore it with pride for the photoshoot. When you look at the number of young people involved and the spirit that the club inspires, it certainly feels like money well spent.

Rugby Minis under 7's

So what are the Rugby Minis about? Well, the club itself is long established, with a great history of playing in Senior Leagues. But they have nurtured a range of junior teams, from under 7’s to under 11’s and it was these teams that the money supported. The teams were playing in a tournament at Minehead and the new kit enabled them to represent themselves and the whole of Worthing rugby with style and pride. As the photos show, the new shirts have a great new design which has caused quite a stir; other clubs are jealous and apparently some Worthing players don’t want to take them off! (Rugby players should always be made to change their shirts on a regular basis no matter how fine the design!)

Worthing Rugby Club is a Centre of Excellence for Sussex Rugby and places great emphasis on health and safety and close supervision for all levels of young people who want to get involved in the oval ball game. We look forward to a member of the club joining our Appraisal Panel and will enjoy hearing good news about their future exploits.