Rugby – Wanderers Monday evening sports sessions

July 16, 2023 4:39 pm

Murrayfield Wanderers rugby club are reaching out to their local communities with Monday evening sports sessions at Roseburn Park (6-8pm) followed by a barbecue.

Sponsored by a charity named after a late, much lamented, rugby commentator, the Bill McLaren Summer Mashup largely consists of touch rugby training but also aims to provide access to fitness style classes involving boxing, judo, athletics and circuit style training from professional PTs.

The project will run until 7 August 2023 with a touch festival planned for Sunday 13 August. For more information or to sign up please get in touch with Marko on murrayfieldwanderersdo@hotmail.com

Wanderers vice president Jim McDonaugh said: “These are opportunities which families within our communities would not normally have access to.”

The ‘Mash Up’ builds on a successful pilot run during the pandemic.

“Some people from both our partner high schools, Tynecastle and Wester Hailes, have very limited opportunities to exercise and enjoy their rugby and do not have use of a platform where they can participate in positive socialisation during the holiday period.

“This is an effort to address this and improve the health and wellbeing of our communities

“Aided by Wandies Academy, Murrayfield Wanderers have, since 2018, teamed up with the ‘CashBack for Communities’ Foundation to offer the ‘School of Rugby’ programme for 8-18-year-olds from the Wester Hailes Education Centre, Tynecastle High School and their cluster of primary schools.

“Rugby and its core values are the vessel to not only improve the lives of the young people from a physical point of view but build confidence and personal qualities by using rugby as the ‘hook’ for engagement.

“We also work through a referral system with PE staff to try and introduce young people into the programme that would benefit the most. Factors that we would look at – but not limit ourselves to – are individuals who are at risk of exclusion from school or have poor school attendance and attainment, and any individuals whose health and wellbeing would significantly benefit as a result of being included in the programme.”