Impact 25 teams up with WI
While the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup is still more than nine months away, the tournament’s impact is already being felt.
As part of the Impact ’25 initiative, rugby clubs around the country are hosting activities for their local WI (Women’s Institute) groups.
Impact ’25 is an initiative funded by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport and is investing in rugby in order to enable more women and girls to get involved in the sport.
So far, the work with the WI has seen activities taking place at more than 40 rugby clubs and these range from film clubs to monthly meetings, as well as the more obvious rugby-related activities such as fitness sessions and walking rugby.
By teaming up, both Impact ’25 and the WI hope to encourage women who have not previously visited a rugby club to use the facility, whether that be for rugby specific activities or others.
It also helps to demonstrate that rugby clubs are an inclusive space for women, while also helping the club to further strengthen their community roots.
One of the club’s involved in the collaboration, Amesbury Rugby Club, has already noticed the positive impacts of the work with the WI.
Club president Duncan Souster said: “I think rugby clubs need to be able to show that there is more than just the game available to the community.
“We’ve got this wonderful example of somebody who had never heard of us and came along to an activity in the summer, thoroughly enjoyed it and is now volunteering for us.”
Volunteer Jo Sinclair explained: “I first came to Amesbury Rugby Club because my friend shared a post on Facebook regarding a fitness class on a Wednesday night.
“I love it and my way of saying thank you is to volunteer.”
