Ulster Rugby brings summer to Ballymena classrooms

DEVELOPMENT Officers from Ulster Rugby are touring schools across Ballymena this month, talking to pupils about its 2012 Summer Camps and a number of taster sessions coming up in April.

The 5 day Ulster Rugby Summer Camps, sponsored by independent retail group Centra since 2008, will take place at 14 province-wide locations during July and August and are for boys and girls aged 6-12. A series of taster sessions are also to be held during Easter week, 9-13 April, where children can sample some of the activities that take place at Summer Camps.

Ulster Rugby Development Officers are visiting dozens of local schools in March, distributing Summer Camp information and answering questions about the scheme. During the school visits they will be telling pupils that camps provide them with a great opportunity to build upon the coaching they receive in school, and also offer young people new to rugby the chance to experience the game and learn new skills. Children taking part in camps also get to meet their rugby heroes, as players from the Ulster squad visit camps across Northern Ireland.

Application forms for Ulster Rugby Summer Camps will be available from local Centra stores and on the Ulster Rugby website. As part of the registration package for this year’s camps, children will receive a kit bag, Ulster Rugby T-shirt, rugby ball and a voucher for a Magners’ League rugby match at Ravenhill. Further details on the booking process will be posted on www.ulsterrugby.com in the coming weeks.

Ulster Branch Development Officer Jonathan Gillespie said that the work of development officers in schools, together with the Easter events, will help explain the benefits of Summer Camp attendance. He added: “We are currently putting the finishing touches to the 2012 Ulster Rugby Summer Camp programme and will announce full details of the camps over the next few weeks. Once again, we are delighted to have the continued support of our partner Centra and look forward to working closely with them for another year of Summer Camps.”

Jennifer Morton from Centra commented: “Centra and its independent retail partners across Northern Ireland are proud to support grass roots rugby through our sponsorship of the Ulster Rugby Summer Camps. Our community sponsorship programmes focus on the health and well-being of young people and as well as backing the Ulster Rugby Summer Camps Centra also supports Action Cancer’s Health Action project, which educates children in healthy lifestyles.”

For further information on this year’s camps and to register your interest, email [email protected]. Full details of all summer camp venues will be announced after Easter.

Related topics: