More than 200 children from nearly 20 schools in the Cabot Learning Federation (CLF) experienced an unforgettable rugby festival at Bears High Performance Centre.
The community festival saw youngsters from primary and secondary schools enjoy an action-packed day as part of the club’s strategic partnership with CLF, which is aimed at growing rugby in the region, identifying talent and attracting new supporters.
Supported by Bristol Bears Community Foundation coaches, the event included a visit from Bears stars Ellis Genge, Gabriel Ibitoye, Steele Barker, Meg Varley and Jess Sprague as they took part in a Q&A and signing session with the youngsters.
Genge said: “The impact that it has just someone coming in who they can say, ‘he plays for England’ or ‘he plays for Bristol’, their faces light up and the questions they start asking about ‘how can I get involved in rugby?’ I think that speaks volumes about what we can do in terms of having an impact on the rugby players of the future.
“You can feel it when kids come from the same upbringing as you as they’ve got that steel about them and you can see that they have a few things going on, and this is their escape. You can see that in the way they operate and the way they behave. I was the same growing up so just being here and seeing the impact we have is payment enough.
“I’d like to think we’re having an impact on the players of the future here. They seem to be enjoying themselves and if I can get kids from Knowle West, Hartcliffe, Withywood, Easton, St Pauls, Fishponds, Horfield playing rugby then I think that’s a success.”
CLF is a family of 35 schools across Bristol, Gloucestershire, South Gloucestershire, North Somerset and Somerset, supporting 18,000 children and young people aged 2 to 19 in the region from a wide range of backgrounds and demographics.
CLF Partnerships Manager, Andrew Bell, said: “It’s been an amazing opportunity for children and young people from not only our trust, but from other schools across Bristol. I think it’s really important that when we are able to provide opportunities like this, that we bring others along with us, I think it’s really good for the city.
“Seeing our children and young people’s faces when they walked into the building was a win and just for them to be able to run about and have fun together has just been so great to watch. Having guys like Ellis and Gabs along is just outstanding.
“For the children and young people we are supporting, seeing these professional athletes and having these role models available to them is just really impactful. Whether they actually go on to be professional athletes or rugby players is ultimately irrelevant, what we just need is for them to see people like Genge being successful because then our young people can do similar in the things they are good at.”
