30 July 2010
EDF Energy Networks has contributed £250 to a Kent rugby club to help improve the quality of their training as the club work towards securing a position in the South East League.
Pete Hayward applied for the grant under the Team Sports Award scheme which provides grants for sports and community organisations. He has been a member of Vigo Rugby Club, of Vigo Village, near Maidstone, for 21 years. He joined aged just nine and for 11 years he has been a first-team player.
Pete, who works for EDF Energy Networks as a clerk for the Capital Programme department based at the Chatham depot, said, “All funding is greatly received.
“We are a charity and run on money from contributors, the bar which is self-funding and all members pay weekly subscriptions. Money is needed for food for the teams and opponents, new kits, match officials and police checks.”
Members at the club, located on Harvel Road, range from four to 16-year-olds who play tag and mini rugby to adults up to the age of 50. The club has more than 100 registered players.
Nigel Merchant, the club president, said: “At the moment the players come to match days wearing different kits. This is the perfect amount of money for things like bibs to separate teams and improve the quality of training. We want to put the money towards something that can benefit the club for years to come such as training aid equipment and training bibs.
“We are a rural local club and donations of this nature may not seem a lot to some, but for a club like ours £250 will go a long way. We are very grateful.”
The club was recently able to build an extension on its clubhouse with new showers and facilities for disabled people. There are now plans to raise money over the next few years to refurbish the kitchen so healthy meals can be cooked for members.
Vigo Rugby Club was created in 1969 in the back of an old pub called the Vigo Inn. In the early 1980s it moved to its current location which was transformed by a dedicated team of volunteers from a deserted area, left by Gravesham Council, into three rugby pitches. Vigo is the first rugby club in Kent given a seal of approval by the Rugby Foundation Union meaning that all coaches are checked by the Criminal Records Bureau and trained in first aid.
Through the Team Sports Award scheme many sports and community groups have benefited from financial assistance. Last year more than £13,000 was donated to sporting groups connected to company’s staff.
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For further information, contact James Barber in the EDF Energy press office on 01293 509147.
Notes to Editors
EDF Energy
EDF Energy is one of the UK’s largest energy companies, producing around a fifth of the nation’s electricity from its nuclear, coal and gas power stations, as well as combined heat and power plants and wind farms. The company provides power to a quarter of the UK’s population via its electricity distribution networks and supplies gas and electricity to more than 5.5 million business and residential customers. It is the number one supplier of electricity to major business in the UK.
EDF Energy’s safe and secure operation of its eight existing nuclear power stations at sites across the country makes it the UK’s largest generator of low carbon electricity. EDF Energy is also leading the UK's nuclear renaissance and has published plans to build four new nuclear reactors, subject to the right investment framework. These new plants would generate enough low carbon electricity for about 40% of Britain’s homes. They would make an important contribution to the UK’s future needs for clean, secure and affordable energy. The project is already creating business and job opportunities for British companies and workers.
Through Our Climate and Social Commitments EDF Energy has launched the biggest environmental and social programme of any UK energy company. EDF is the official energy utilities partner and sustainability partner of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The company is also helping its customers and others use energy more sustainably through products and initiatives such as Read, Reduce, Reward and Team Green Britain.
EDF Energy is part of EDF Group, one of Europe’s largest power companies. Following the integration with British Energy in 2009, the company employs nearly 20,000 people at locations across the UK.