Sport

Pembrokeshire Youngsters experience ‘Fit, Fed, Fun’ camps

Published

2 years ago

August 12, 2022

THE Welsh Rugby Union is setting new standards within world sport with its recently launched rugby-themed “Fit, Fed, Fun” camps to support children and families throughout Wales during the school holidays.

This new initiative is being run in partnership with WE Soda, the world’s largest producer of natural soda ash which is an essential ingredient used in the manufacture of many everyday sustainable products such as glass, detergents and electric vehicle batteries.

The WRU “Fit, Fed, Fun” camps are free to attend and are running throughout Wales this summer during the school holidays, feeding thousands of children in some of the nation’s most under-resourced areas.

The camps are open to all children, but will specifically target children who will benefit from free meals as well as the fun activities on offer.

The programme will be gradually expanded over the next three years and has the objective of reaching all areas of Wales by 2025, providing around 600 camps each year. In this first year, the camps are already on target to support more than 8,000 children across 165 camps already planned in Pembrokeshire, Bridgend, Newport, Conwy, Powys, Gwynedd, and the South Wales valleys.

Feeding the children a hearty breakfast and lunch is a key focus of the camps, with rugby coaching and fun activities for children of all ages and abilities hosted by experienced WRU-trained staff. As part of the programme, the children will also learn about the benefits of looking after their community and the environment.

The initiative is only able to work on such a large scale due to close collaboration with local authorities and regional community foundations and with funding provided by WE Soda, the community partner of the WRU.

Princes Gate Mineral Water, the official water supplier to Welsh rugby, are providing natural mineral water and all food at the camps is sourced locally.

“Our first priority is to ensure no child attending goes hungry or thirsty,” said WRU community director Geraint John.

“From our experience with the first camps trialled this Easter, we noticed some children were arriving hungry and so we have now introduced a hearty breakfast to start the day. Feeding the children is very important to us and we have worked hard to provide quality healthy meals that all the children enjoy.

“The children will learn about looking after their community and the environment, with a focus on recycling and reducing waste.

“And of course there is a strong rugby element too.”

The camps are aiming to reach a more diverse group of children than ever before, groups which rugby may not have previously touched.

Learning whilst having fun is also a key element of the programme.

“The response to WRU “Fit, Fed, Fun” has been hugely successful so far and we could fill the places on our camps many times over, but our primary ambition is to provide support to those who need it most,” said John.

The “Fit, Fed, Fun” camps will be run at rugby clubs, sports centres, schools and local authority venues across Wales, with each event specifically targeting those children and groups who will most benefit from the programme.

The camps run alongside a separate provision for children with Special Educational Needs (SEN) being delivered as part of the WRU’s broader community rugby initiatives and inclusion strategy which forms a key part of the WRU ‘Jersey for All’ campaign to make rugby more accessible for all. This initiative is also funded and supported by WE Soda.

John added: “We talk about there being a ‘Jersey for All’ in Welsh rugby and this programme is about making that statement a reality for children of all abilities across our nation, ensuring that the opportunity to get involved with the game really is there for everybody.

“We are hugely grateful to WE Soda in particular for their support and partnership in this incredibly important initiative. I would also like to expressly thank our regional community foundations for their continued help and support in in our delivering this programme.”

WE Soda, headquartered in the UK, became the community partner of the WRU in March 2022. Commenting on the various community initiatives being supported by WE Soda, Alasdair Warren, Chief Executive Officer, said: “We are providing fun rugby-based activity camps and community support to some of the most underrepresented groups in Wales.

“Welsh rugby’s values are a perfect fit for our business and together we are using rugby as the vehicle to make positive social change in Wales.

“This is much more than just a participation initiative, it’s about getting involved and really supporting the community. Alongside important educational messaging about environmental responsibility, recycling and waste reduction, we are delighted to be involved in an initiative which is having such a directly positive impact on the lives of children throughout the country.

“This programme puts food directly into the mouths of the children who need it most, aiming to ensure that no child goes hungry during the school holidays.”

Sport

Letterston marksman wins junior athlete award

Published

1 day ago

January 21, 2025

Tom Sinclair

A TALENTED young athlete from Letterston has been honoured at the British Shooting Awards 2024.

Seren Thorne was shortlisted for the prestigious awards and attended the gala event held at the Imperial War Museum in Manchester. To the delight of her family and supporters, Seren was named the winner of the Rifle Pathway / Junior Athlete of the Year award.

This accolade highlights Seren’s exceptional skill and dedication to the sport, marking her as one of the rising stars in British shooting.

Her mother, Sian Thorne, expressed immense pride in Seren’s achievement, sharing photos of the memorable evening.

The British Shooting Awards 2024 celebrated excellence in the sport, with a full list of winners available on their official website.

PHOTO CAPTION: Champion marksman: Seren Thorne receiving the Rifle Pathway / Junior Athlete of the Year award (Pic: Supplied).

Sport

Previewing the 2025 Super Bowl

Published

2 days ago

January 20, 2025

Staff Writer

Each year millions of people across the world gather to watch one of the biggest sporting events of the year – the Super Bowl. Last year, 3.4 million people in the UK watched the Super Bowl, up 1.1 million from the previous year. Considering the growth in popularity of American football in the UK, we anticipate the viewership will be even higher for 2025.

The 2025 Super Bowl is scheduled to take place on 9 February 2025 at Caesars Superdrome in New Orleans, Louisiana.

NFL teams

12 teams began competing for a spot in the 2025 Super Bowl when the playoffs began on January 11. At this point, four teams were eliminated. This now leaves eight teams to compete in the Divisional playoffs. Four of these will make it to the Conference Championships before contesting for a spot at this year’s Super Bowl.

The eight teams left with a shot at competing in the 2025 Super Bowl are:

Philadelphia Eagles
Baltimore Ravens
Buffalo Bills
Detroit Lions
Houston Texans
Kansas City Chiefs
Los Angeles Rams
Washington Commanders

Last year, the Kansas City Chiefs took the title for the second year in a row. However, the latest Super Bowl odds puts the Detroit Lions as the favourites to win this year’s Super Bowl, following a series of impressive performances in the regular season.

The national anthem and halftime show

Before the game commences, a special guest performs the national anthem. Last year, Reba McEntire offered a moving performance of The Star-Spangled Banner, and this year the task falls to jazz singer Jon Batiste.

It’s not just the football match that people look forward to. Super Bowl halftime shows are a spectacle in themselves and many look forward to the performance as much as the game itself. This year, 17-time grammy winner Kendrick Lamar is headlining the halftime show. Lamar previously headlined the Super Bowl in 2022.

How can I watch the Super Bowl in the UK?

The Super Bowl is being broadcast to fans free on ITV, including live online via ITVX on your laptop, mobile, or tablet.

Sky Sports is also broadcasting the event which you can watch online via Sky Go, NOW TV, or using the Sky Sports mobile app. You could also head to your local pub as plenty of pubs in Pembrokeshire will be showing the big game.

Will you be tuning in?

With a surge in popularity for American Football, it’s anticipated that more people from the UK than ever before will be turning their TVs on for the big event this year. Will you be watching this year’s Super Bowl?

Sport

Division Four West rugby: Thrills and tight contests on a chilly Saturday

Published

3 days ago

January 19, 2025

Herald Sport

Exciting matches, hard-fought battles, and standout performances define the weekend’s action.

Dreigiau Emlyn Edge Harlequins in Close Contest
Dreigiau Emlyn 21 – Pembroke Dock Harlequins 15
Dreigiau Emlyn secured a narrow victory over Pembroke Dock Harlequins, strengthening their position in the top half of the table. Gethin Davies scored two crucial tries, while Deiniol Rees added three penalties and a conversion to steer the hosts to victory. The Harlequins kept the game competitive with tries from Craig Barnett and Tom Donovan, with Ben Hathaway converting one and kicking a penalty. However, Emlyn’s composed performance ensured they held on for the win.

Teirw Crymych Outgun Llangwm in High-Scorer
Llangwm 22 – Teirw Crymych 33
Teirw Crymych powered to a 33-22 victory over bottom-placed Llangwm, bolstering their challenge for the league’s top spots. Sion Williams and Morgan Jones led the visitors’ try-scoring efforts, with additional tries from Sion Owen and Nick Bevan. Adam Phillips was reliable from the tee, adding four conversions. Llangwm fought back with tries from Aidan Rees and Ryan Banner, while Harry Makepeace contributed two conversions and a penalty. Despite their spirited display, the hosts couldn’t match Crymych’s attacking prowess.

St Davids Win Key Clash Against Llanybydder
Llanybydder 17 – St Davids 29
St Davids took a significant step away from the relegation zone with a vital 29-17 win over Llanybydder. Harvey Godkin, Nathan Foster, Zac Morgan, and Morgan Griffiths all crossed the whitewash for the visitors, with Bob Froy converting three and adding a penalty to secure a bonus-point victory. Llanybydder’s John Evans delivered an impressive hat-trick of tries, with one conversion by Matthew Rowlands, but St Davids’ all-round performance proved too much for the home side.

Division Four West continues to deliver thrilling rugby as teams battle for position in a tightly contested league.