Ulster Rugby - Annual Report 2017-18

one-year development grant worth £55,000. If successful, this investment will be used to work with Clubs and key stakeholders to finalise the shape and structure of a three-year history project which will capture, archive, celebrate and showcase the memories and records of almost one hundred and forty years of rugby union history in Ulster. Decisions for the initial one-year development grant will be given in 2018 and if successful, a further application will be submitted for an additional £250,000 for the three-year project. — The Executive Office - An application for £30,000 has been submitted to the Central Good Relations Fund through The Executive Office to build upon the successful “Inclusive Rugby” programme. If successful, this one-year project will focus on Key Stage 2 pupils from some of the hardest to reach primary schools across Northern Ireland. — Active Belfast – A further application has been submitted to Active Belfast for £25,000 funding to build upon the successful ‘Get Active with Ulster Rugby’ project. If successful, the project will offer various recreational rugby variations, partnering Ulster Rugby with community groups and Domestic rugby Clubs to engage those with little or no involvement in, or access to, physical activity. Staff have also been instrumental in supporting a number of Clubs to secure funding for a range of initiatives across a variety of different funding programmes. This has included funds to improve facilities and support participation programmes. Again, work is ongoing with Clubs to support their further development through access to external funding programmes.

» Direct volunteer training programme for new and existing Club volunteers. A volunteer resource pack was developed to aid succession planning. » Give it a try programme for Clubs. Each Club facilitated its own twelve week programme which was tailored for new participants wishing to engage in rugby. — Public Health Agency – £20,745 of funding was secured to run a number of projects: » ‘UR Game’ targeted circa twenty (fifty seven actively engaged) disadvantaged and ‘at risk’ young people through a sixteen week rugby related physical activity and nutrition programme. » ‘Walking Rugby’ aimed to re-engage older people (sixty+) in an accessible and safe rugby activity which ultimately led to improvements in physical and mental wellbeing and social inclusion. Twenty one older people took part in the programme. » ‘Walk to the Rugby World Cup (2019)’ was designed to engage parents of Mini and Youth players in a form of physical activity (walking) whilst their children participated at the Club. Fourteen walking groups were established across ten different Clubs and a total of five million steps have been completed to date with twelve million being the final target. This equates to the distance from Kingspan Stadium to the International Stadium Yokohama, Japan, the venue for the final of 2019 Rugby World Cup. » Healthy Stadium and Take 5 Campaign - A series of videos were created to promote the Public Health Agency’s Take 5 Campaign, utilising various rugby role models and champions. The videos were showcased at Ulster Rugby home games. — Active Belfast - £10,000 of funding was awarded to deliver the ‘Get Active with Ulster Rugby’ project in conjunction with Include Youth and NI Alternatives. The project aimed to increase the health, physical fitness and overall wellbeing of sedentary people across three target groups of young people aged sixteen to twenty four, young mums, and males over thirty five. In doing this, physical activity based outdoor boot-camps were delivered for a six month period, interconnected with nutrition activities and capacity building opportunities for participants. Over one hundred people benefitted from project activities which took place at local community Rugby club venues. — Department of Justice – Ulster Rugby was awarded £3,000 to help deliver the ‘Don’t Tackle it Alone’ Domestic Abuse Campaign, in conjunction with the Irish FA and Ulster GAA. Campaign messages were featured in match programmes and played on video screens at two of Ulster’s home matches. Work had been ongoing throughout the year in the development of bids for other funding programmes. The Branch is currently waiting on decisions regarding the following applications: - — Heritage Lottery Fund – An application has been submitted to the Heritage Lottery Fund for a

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