Rugby’s free and changing young lives in Dagenham
Dagenham Rugby Club’s youth rugby is completely free for the second season.
Thanks to the generosity of their sponsors, Dagenham Rugby Club are offering youth rugby for free for a second season. The age grade section’s main sponsor, LPS Scaffolding, owned by newly elected Club Captain Liam Power, is funding youth rugby for over 200 children, across five boys’ teams and three girls’ teams.
Club Secretary, Mark Newson says: “If it wasn’t for us offering youth rugby for free, I don’t think we’d have 70% of the kids we do. Many families in our area just don’t have the funds. For some of the children coming to rugby and getting a hot meal, it’s the only hot meal they have all day.”
More than just rugby
The benefits that the children and young people get from their time at Dagenham are huge. Some of their young players go on to achieve great things in rugby, with previous players gaining rugby scholarships in the USA, recognition at county level, with Saracens’ academy and representing Dagenham’s own first team. Many gain much more than their on-field rugby experience.
“Through playing rugby here, our young players gain life skills and learn the core values of rugby. Some of our youth players have even gone on to gain employment through links at the club. This is really important in our borough as there are lots of people struggling for employment,” says Newson.
A home-from-home
From their thriving youth section, the club has gained keen and passionate volunteers to help across the club, from becoming trained first aiders and coaches to key committee members. The club also offers DBS checks to parents who give lifts to games to other team members, so that they can help those without transport get to games.
Parent and newly elected Membership Secretary, Dannii Playle, whose son Sam plays for the U16s, said: “The club provides a home-from-home for all the children. In my son’s age group, there are about 25 boys. I don’t think we’d even have half that number if the rugby wasn’t offered free. In some cases, the club has funded socks, boots and gumshields, so that everyone feels like they belong.”
