Haywards Heath Rugby Club is proud of its commitment to community support for sport at home and abroad. Despite its focus on making sure the new Clubhouse at Whitemans Green is open for all before the end of the year, while managing the unexpected challenges it has encountered – a huge task for a small team of volunteers – the Club has found the time to make sure its mission to support the growth of rugby wherever it can is fulfilled.

In the local area, this is demonstrated by way of the recent training sessions for U11 boys and girls from 14 different local primary schools including Balcombe, St Peters Ardingly, Bolney, Bolnore, Handcross, Harlands, Lindfield, London Mead, Sheddingdean, Southway, St Mark’s, Warden Park primary, Northlands Wood and Windmills. Volunteer coaches from HHRFC provided an introduction to rugby skills, mentored for the girls by players in the Heath Girls U16s, for teams of up to 10 girls from each school in the morning and 10 boys in the afternoon. A great opportunity to provide rugby insight and knowledge about the inclusivity and camaraderie that the sport offers that may not be available generally in the school curriculum.

At the same time the Club is committed to making sure that those that may not otherwise have the chance to play the game of rugby can do so. In the local area the Club supports a Rugby for All initiative supported by Sweeptech Environmental Services that subsidises young players who might otherwise, for financial reasons, not be able to play the game if not supported by the Club. But taking that premise further afield, HHRFC also provides second hand kit to players in Uganda via the Tag Rugby Trust - players who without this support would not have any appropriate sports attire to play in as a team. Last year’s Heath youth kit is now used by the Makuni Mighty Thunder in Livingstone, Zambia! A great way to recycle kit that would otherwise go to waste.

Any young aspiring rugby players wanting to try out this season can still join the HHRFC with ages from U6 to U16 and Colts plus dedicated girls squads at U12, U14 and U16 playing every week.