On Saturday 1 October, Warriors Community Foundation hosted its first Mixed Ability Festival involving teams from around the country.
Present were the two Community Foundation sponsored teams, Shropshire Stags and Worcester Wanderers, along with other teams from Swansea, Castleford, Letchworth and Combat Stress.
There were also players from clubs throughout the Midlands and surrounding areas.
The festival was all about making new friends and having fun, which proved the catalyst for an exceptional day of Mixed Ability Rugby, despite the unpleasant weather.
Mixed Ability Rugby is an inclusive form of Rugby Union. The game allows players with profound disability and illness the chance to play the game most of us take for granted.
The game is played to full rugby rules with mild adaptions, such as uncontested scrums and players being able to opt out of contact by wearing a suitable item of clothing, and enablers who assist with the game for certain players.
The festival saw players with learning difficulties, personality disorders, Down's syndrome, autism, decreasing bone density (brittle bone syndrome), chronic lung disease, cerebral palsy and PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) to name a few, but the list isn’t exhaustive and players are given every opportunity to experience rugby.
The festival is very inclusive and offers a fantastic opportunity for participants.
For more information on Mixed Ability Rugby, please contact simon.northcott@warriors.co.uk.