4 December 2007: The Tag Rugby Development Trust (www.tagrugbytours.com) was founded in 2002 and became a registered charity in April 2005. It was set up to initiate, develop and sustain the playing of Tag Rugby in primary schools in rural areas of developing rugby nations such as Uganda, Zambia & India and through partnership in Tanzania and Mongolia.
The structure is designed to feed into existing rugby development programmes in the host countries, and the Trust achieves its aims through volunteer led development tours, culminating in a festival or Tag Rugby between participating schools.
Rugby offers participants the benefits of health and fitness, encourages confidence and develops team-work. In working with children in developing countries, TRDT aims to provide an opportunity to individuals where previously none existed. We also pass on the wider message of the role sports can play in society, that of transcending political, cultural and class barriers.
TRDT specifically aims to:
- Introduce locally sustainable rugby playing and coaching skills to rural communities;
- Challenge gender stereotypes in society;
- Provide an inclusive programme to thousands of children; and
- Provide opportunities for members of the rugby community in the UK to volunteer their skills and pass on their enthusiasm for the sport to others.
Trevor Martingell says: “Our coaching and development programmes offer schools the opportunity to broaden the curriculum and introduce their students to critical life skills that are often difficult to address in the classroom; these include teamwork and co-operation, communication, competition, leadership and planning. We believe that many of these skills are important to the children. Additionally, an important component of the TRDT long term plan is the inclusion of educational scholarship programmes and bursaries.
“In 2007, we have run three Tours in a year for the first time. We returned to previously visited destinations, covered 20 schools, coached over 2000 children, and hosted six tournaments involving 480 children and 30 UK and 20 local volunteers.”
“We now have two full-time Development Officers in Uganda, and they continue our work throughout the year. We are in the process of recruiting our first employee in Kolkata, India.”
If you would like to get involved in the TRDT programme, please contact Trevor directly at info@tagrugbytours.com.