There were several excellent presentations made at the club’s recent successful AGM. According to comments on the Moseley Message Board and other feedback, the statistics causing most astonishment and applause were not the commendable year on year improvement in the Moseley 1st XV’s playing performance; nor was it the great achievement of doubling overall income in only four years; nor even the quadrupling of gate attendances since the dark days at the University.

“Moseley community work is more than any rugby club in the British Isles”

No - it was the staggering amount of the club’s community work – more we believe than any other rugby club in the British Isles (including Premiership ones) and the quality and extent of Moseley’s acclaimed Youth Section and award winning Mini and Junior Section

“Now a staggering 15,000 children coached by Moseley each year!”

Under Moseley’s schools programmes alone, our Young Professionals make 21,000 individual “contacts” with Birmingham schoolchildren each month during the academic year. (A more detailed review of the club’s outstanding community work is shown in a separate article below and in the AGM report).

This covers around 50% of all primary and 25% of all secondary schools in Birmingham, itself the largest unitary local authority in the whole of Europe. (This equates to around 15,000 children being coached each year as many “contacts” with the children are continuous).

In addition, in association with the local authority’s Connexions programme our Young Professionals make a further 12,000 “contacts” in the local community during the summer months working with young people who are at risk of, or involved in, juvenile crime.

Under this, Moseley is commissioned to work intensively with targeted young people throughout South Birmingham providing diversionary activity. During the holidays the youths are also taken on trips to local venues such as football, tennis, golf, cinema and bowling and introducing them to activities which they might not otherwise experience. 

“Community work gives tremendous advantages to society”

All this community work has tremendous advantages for society in general and youngsters in particular; it teaches teamwork, respect for others and leadership; it channels exuberance in a positive manner and provides an outlet for “excessive energy”.

All of which address the ever increasing problems of youth anti-social behaviour in society generally. (Moseley’s presence on Billesley Common has also already reduced crime there by 40% according to unofficial police sources).

“Moseley’s cost”

All Moseley’s community work requires money to run. While there is recovery of part of the Young Professionals’ cost for the work they do, the administrative overhead can be between £50K and £100K per annum and this is currently borne by your club;

In other words it is contributed to by you through income from members season tickets, gates, bar, club shop, hospitality boxes, programme and perimeter ads etc and of course sponsorship, when the club can get it and currently the generosity of some club stalwarts. Thank you all for this.

“Meeting the RFU’s own objectives”

Moreover and equally importantly it also meets one of the RFU’s own key objectives which under its own constitution states which states under clause 3.2 

The objects of the Union shall be: “To promote, encourage and extend the Game throughout England including (but not limited to) the coaching thereof, its development in Schools and at all youth levels….(Note especially the “throughout England” bit!)

What can we do to help?

We would like to expand these community programmes even further. There may be potential sponsors for some of our Community work out there who may be reluctant to support a rugby club generally (now that we are obliged to pay players!) yet may have a willingness to help, and be seen helping, community programmes which provide such considerable social benefits.

Such additional sponsorship would enable the club to maintain its community overhead and expand these services. We would like to think that Moseley Rugby Club has done an outstanding job so far. With just a little more help this can be taken to an even higher level. Alan Potter, our General Manager, would be pleased to hear from anyone who is able to assist in this respect and continue to make our great club the leader in this very worthwhile field. The club’s eventual aim is to be outstanding in every aspect of our activities. With your help, we can be.

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