As a result of a proactive partnership with St John Cymru Wales, which was launched at the start of the 2012/13 season, the number of volunteers wanting to take part in first aid training has continued to rise. In the current season alone, the WRU Club Operations team has allocated funding to enable in excess of 1,200 volunteers at 92 clubs to complete rugby emergency aid training, their qualification providing a vital resource at grassroots level.
The rugby specific emergency aid course, now in its second year, remains popular with the WRU also providing equipment to clubs in addition to the training itself. Each club to complete the course receives medical grab bags as a vital resource and a means of supporting on going retention of volunteers.
Julie Paterson, WRU Head of Group of Compliance, said: “The commitment of WRU clubs to delivering rugby emergency aid courses has grown significantly since we launched this partnership at the beginning of the 2012/13 season.
“We remain committed to volunteer training and recruitment as an essential part of supporting the sustainability of clubs throughout Wales.”
Cardiff based club Old Illtydians have taken advantage of training with St John Cymru Wales in order to up skill volunteers at the club in the importance of first aid training.
Club Chairman John Manders, who attended the course at the club along with eight other volunteers, said: “Old Illtydians is pushing forwards with its club development and we felt first aid training was an important part of our ongoing volunteer engagement.
“We worked closely with the WRU Club Operations team to secure the funding and then with St John Cymru Wales to organise the delivery of the course in our clubhouse. To hold the course in our clubhouse was an important factor in volunteer attendance.”
Any club wishing to access funding for a rugby emergency aid course or any other volunteering initiative should contact Claire Thomas, WRU Club Support Advisor for Volunteering, on CThomas@wru.co.uk.
