'Vote for Swaffham project' call

Published: 2:42 PM May 21, 2008 Updated: 9:49 PM February 19, 2021

SWAFFHAM rugby club's youth chairman Ian Milligan has urged the people of the town to get online and help the club scoop Norwich Union's £50,000 top prize and unearth the next Jonny Wilkinson.

The local rugby club needs the funding to develop the coaching structure within the club to provide for the current increasing numbers of people taking up the game.

They will battle it out against sporting initiatives from across the UK for the next five months in an attempt to secure much-needed funding.

The initiative hope to secure a grant from the Norwich Union Community Sports Fund scheme and are appealing to members and non-members alike to help by voting for the project.

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Alongside the top prize there will be silver awards worth £12,500 and bronze awards worth £1,000, and all Norfolk residents have to do is vote for the local initiative on the website www.joinourteam.com

Milligan, who also acts as a coach, referee and coaching co-ordinator for the club, said: “This money would be spent on qualifying volunteers to provide coaching to players from the age of six all the way up to adult teams - including both boys and girls.

“It is our intention that these volunteers will help both at the club and also take the game into the wider environment, providing taster sessions and coaching in schools and local community events.

“This will require an amount of specific training resources and equipment to be available for these coaches.”

Meanwhile, Olympic gold medallist Darren Campbell - who is supporting the scheme for the second successive year - believes no-one knows what thelocal community needs more than those who call it home.

“It is a great scheme as the communities can get involved and decide on the initiatives they think can improve their local area,” said Campbell.

“It brings the community back together and they choose how to improve sport in the area and where funding should go.

“A lot of people and organisations give out funding but often the local community don't know where it has gone - but this is different.

“Money is vital in all sports including athletics. For me growing up on a council estate my youth club was one of the places I went to learn discipline, self respect and how to respect others and these kinds of initiatives will have the same impact on the kids of today.”

As the team behind UK Athletics, Norwich Union is committed to supporting athletics from playground to podium, making it easier for athletes to reach their full potential and for the next generation to get active for more information visit www.joinourteam.com