“With most forms of rugby still reeling from the pandemic, it’s reassuring to know that walking rugby at Taff’s Well Rugby Club, continues to grow and grow. August saw the first walking rugby festival held at Taff’s Well with teams traveling from all over England & Wales. The splendidly branded gazebo provided through 1910 funding, provided the centrepiece for the event which attracted the attendance of senior WRU officials who poured lavish praise on it’s organisation and success.
It was great to see Jan and her colleagues sampling first hand, the enthusiasm of all the players who took part and see how the funding had contributed to the success of the day. The day proved to be the hottest one for many a year and it was a great relief that the planning of the event meant that no one was treated for any heat-related medical concerns. With experience gained, it is hoped that more and more teams will be invited to take part in future festivals, making it one of the most prestigious events of the UK walking rugby calendar.
Devon Tour
Another first for the ‘Pacemakers’ was the 4-day tour of Devon in October. The party of players looked resplendent in their new branded polos, training tops, bags and hats – mostly paid for by 1910 funding. We played on three days at Withycombe, Ivybridge and Topsham who had invited other teams from the Dartmouth and Exeter areas to make up mini-type festivals. The whole tour was a complete success making new friends with several of the teams we played planning to make the trip to Taff’s Well this year. One interesting anecdote was the fact that one of the clubs had to register the games as ‘internationals’ because of some red tape with the English RU. So the games were officially listed as walking rugby internationals! Plans are already underway to organise this year’s tour.
2023
With the playing of walking rugby on the increase, 2023 will see a flurry of activity as Taff’s Well will be playing in more and more festivals around England and Wales. Through our social media activity and connections, we have become one of the highest profile teams in the UK. I myself, run a Facebook page called ‘Totally Walking Rugby’ which caters for teams from all over the British Isles.
Grand Canyon Cycle Charity Ride
One of our number, Liam, lost his wife to cancer several years ago and has been raising money for Velindre Hospital ever since. Last September, he cycled over 500km through the Grand Canyon with many Welsh celebrities to raise more money through sponsorship. We, as a team raised around £700 to help him with his efforts. This year, he plans to do it again alongside another member of our team.
We continue to move forward as a group thanks to the generous funding made available through the 1910 Trust and we look forward to further fostering the relationship going forward.“
Photos taken by the Pacemakers Walking Rugby Team.
