How Our Community Foundation Is Taking Newark Rugby's Impact to the Next Level

Newark Rugby Club's dedicated community outreach has reached an exciting milestone, recently featured in the Newark Advertiser as we step up our mission to support, mentor, and inspire young people across the town.

While coaches from our Kelham Road base have engaged schools for years — reaching 2,500 local youngsters last season alone — the launch of the Newark Rugby Community Foundation marks a major expansion in what we can achieve together.

While sports coaching remains at the heart of what we do, the Foundation is branching out to provide genuine life and career opportunities for young people. Through a collaboration with You Can Do Sport at the YMCA, we are delivering the practical components of the BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma in Sports Coaching and Development.

Recognising that many young people are seeking high-quality alternatives to traditional university pathways and student debt, the Foundation is working alongside local employers, FE providers, training organisations, and colleges to highlight apprenticeships and direct career routes. An open evening dedicated to these vocational and apprenticeship opportunities is scheduled for October 14, connecting local students directly with providers.

Our work extends deep into local classrooms. In response to requests from local primary schools for additional pastoral support, our team is delivering focused mentoring alongside sports sessions. As Alan Staines, Trust Chairman, puts it: "It's just connecting with them outside of the classroom and linking behaviour to outcomes, giving them some focus on what is and isn't acceptable, and just engaging with them... we give them structure and use the rugby values to try and support them."

The Foundation continues to broaden access across all ages and backgrounds. In partnership with Barnby Road Academy, coaching has expanded to pre-school and reception children through our Young Explorers Programme. We have also renewed our focus on developing girls' rugby across the district, with ambitions to establish dedicated competitive squads as numbers grow. And by teaming up with The Orchard School, we are ensuring youngsters with special educational needs have access to adapted, high-quality rugby sessions.