This course formed part of the WRU’s continuing efforts to provide volunteers with training opportunities, a priority clearly identified in the WRU Club Census.
Utilising the WRU’s Recruitment Grant, volunteers are able to attend the course and clubs also receive a year’s membership to the Institute of Groundsmanship, a leading organisation in grass pitch maintenance.
With the start of the new season approaching, 14 clubs responded to the WRU’s invite to attend the course with 26 volunteers taking part.
“This course is proving to be a successful volunteer training programme with the clubs reacting positively to it,” commented Julie Paterson, Head of WRU Group Compliance.
“This is our first rugby only course and I am very pleased with the response.”
In line with the results of the 2012 Rugby Club Census, the course was hosted at a club house giving the host club the opportunity to be part of the delivery of volunteering initiatives.
“It is important to the WRU that volunteers, both existing and potential, can see training courses being delivered locally in the community as means of encouraging more people to attend the training on offer,” added Julie Paterson.
With clubs under increasing pressure to maintain their grounds, the Grass Pitch training course aims to provide basic foundation knowledge of grounds maintenance to volunteers.
Triv Thomas, Committee member of Bryncoch RFC, was one of the group who attended on Sunday along with another colleagues from the club.
“As a club, we feel it’s important to share the responsibilities and where possible, to always have more than one person to lighten the load’ he said.
“The funding available for this course has led to two volunteers receiving the training. This will be essential to the maintenance of our pitches back at Bryncoch RFC.”
With the Resolven course a clear success, the WRU has already begun the process of looking at a course in the central part of Wales as well as in North Wales.
For further information on Grass Pitch training course, volunteer recruitment or training, please contact Claire Thomas on 02920 822438 or email cthomas@wru.co.uk.
