4 Coaches (Chris Packer, Chris Bell, Anton Malia & Lee Fretwell) attended Twickenham for the Crabbies National Rugby Awards having been shortlisted for the Youth and mini section of the year.

We were nominated by Kristina Coffey, Community Involvement Worker with Nottinghamshire Children & Families Partnership, (Family Action).

The nomination was not based on how big we are or how successful we are in competitions since we have only been established for 2 seasons but a demonstration of how a small community-based club has set up and established a mini section with 70 registered children, providing an environment for young children to develop new skills, particularly interpersonal skills and promote Rugby’s values of Teamwork, Respect, Enjoyment, Discipline and Sportsmanship.

At the start of 2015/16 season, Bingham RFC was approached by Nottingham Rugby Club to work in partnership with; Rushcliffe Borough Council and Rushcliffe Children’s Centre to pilot ‘Little Ruggers’. As a club, we were excited at the prospect of developing grassroots rugby with a view to offering a fun, rugby-based, non-contact activity programme targeted at boys and girls aged between 2 and 5. We saw it as an opportunity and worked closely with our local children’s centre to raise awareness and promote the pilot sessions. With their local knowledge of children and families with children aged between 0 – 5 the Children’s Centre was able to provide invaluable administrative support.

The first season was a great success and has since grown to the extent we now have 70 children registered with 50+ regularly attending

We have visited West Bridgford & Newark RFC and met our local RFU development officer to discuss how we can progress and have been fortunate to have received funding from; Latham & Co, Solicitors, Nottinghamshire RFU & The Sir Anthony Wharton Trust. We have utilised the funding to provide equipment & attendance at training courses.

Having seen who we were nominated with, we travelled to the awards in hope but happy to have got to the final 6 and to be rubbing shoulders with other more established clubs

Chris Robshaw (ex England Captain) is the ambassador for the event and we were fortunate to meet with some of the good & great of English Rugby.

A 3 course meal and a great evening despite losing out to Wigan RFC but a catalyst for us to continue with our progression and development.