Royal London and The British & Irish Lions announce four £10,000 grants to grassroots women’s rugby clubs

• The award demonstrates Royal London's commitment to supporting the women's rugby game from grassroots to elite level.
• The grants follow Royal London's £3 million 'Levelling the Playing Field' investment through their partnership with The British & Irish Lions.

Royal London, the UK's largest mutual pensions, protection and investment provider, today announces the first winners of its annual Championing Women and Girls' Rugby Award. Four grassroots rugby clubs, one from each Union, will receive a trophy and a £10,000 grant to invest in their women and girls' rugby programmes.

Set up in partnership with The British & Irish Lions, the Championing Women and Girls' Rugby Award grant scheme is designed to celebrate outstanding initiatives by local rugby clubs from across the four unions in supporting women’s rugby.

The four clubs are:

Guisborough RUFC, England

In just two years, Guisborough RUFC has built its women and girls’ section to become a cornerstone in the local community. A small but mighty club with strong values of education, respect and community, and a ‘one team’ ethos, the club goes above and beyond to create a safe and inclusive environment to help more women to discover a love of rugby.

Cooke RFC, Ireland

Cooke RFC has a truly well-rounded offering and pathway for women and girls, including opportunities for every age and ability, which include minis, touch, sevens, mums-only, through to a senior team competing in The All-Ireland League. The club’s dedication to its women’s programme and strong female participation and leadership translates throughout the club from players to coaches, referees and the executive committee.

East Kilbride RFC, Scotland

East Kilbride RFC has seen significant growth since 2022, particularly due to its outreach, onboarding, education and social programmes, including special support of parents. The club works hard to develop female coaches and referees, with significant female representation in these roles as well as on the committee. 

Clwb Rygbi Caernarfon, Wales

Clwb Rygbi Caernarfon has created a strong club culture over the last 25 years for players but also coaches, volunteers, parents and spectators. The club is dedicated to promoting rugby for women and girls of all backgrounds within its community, supported by outreach, access initiatives and welcoming culture. Its Môr Ladron female hub, re-established last season, has grown into a strong community support in North Wales supporting player pathways for girls throughout their teens.

The grant scheme received over 120 applications over the summer and put them through a two-stage judging process. The award judging panel included the ex-England international Shaunagh Brown, representatives from Royal London and The British & Irish Lions, as well as an independent grant funding expert.

Royal London and the Lions will visit each successfully awarded club over the course of the season to present a trophy and see first-hand the impact of the funding. By celebrating and showcasing these leading clubs, Royal London hopes to inspire other clubs to invest in women and girls’ rugby sections.

Susie Logan, Group Chief Marketing Officer at Royal London said:

"Developing the community game to level the playing field for women is a key part of our partnership with The British & Irish Lions. This award is a key part of that and celebrates groundbreaking clubs and enables them to achieve more."