Friends of Scottish Rugby continues support for state schools with Selkirk High School donation

The support from Friends of Scottish Rugby has continued in recent years through an ongoing partnership with Scottish Rugby’s state school programme, where the Friends of Scottish Rugby fund the purchase and distribution of rugby balls to schools across the country.

Now into its fourth consecutive year, the annual donation of around £5,000 has enabled hundreds of rugby balls to be distributed through School Rugby Officers, helping schools deliver rugby activity both within curriculum time and through extra-curricular programmes.

Among the schools to benefit from this year’s donation is Selkirk High School, where the support comes during a period of significant growth for girls’ rugby within the school.

Led by Selkirk RFC Development Officer Kieran Westlake and supported by School Rugby Champions, participation in the girls’ game has increased rapidly over the past year. Recently, the school fielded 28 Under-14 girls at a Tier 1 rugby festival in the Borders, a major milestone for a school programme that has developed quickly from a standing start.

The donation from the Friends of Scottish Rugby has provided valuable equipment for the expanding programme, while also serving as recognition for the commitment shown by the pupils involved.

Kieran Westlake, Selkirk RFC Development Officer, said: “It’s not just about receiving quality rugby balls, it shows our girls team that their hard work results in recognition and they’re really excited that they’re being acknowledged for all of their commitment.

“We’re only a small school compared to some of the others and the fact that we can have 28 girls available to us, and be able to field three teams here today, is amazing. So receiving the Friends of Scottish Rugby balls feels like a good thank you to the girls.”

The Friends of Scottish Rugby organisation have donated more than £600,000 to grassroots rugby projects through the years, supporting initiatives ranging from youth development roles to facility improvements such as floodlighting and pitch drainage.

Their continued support of the state school programme is helping provide more young people with access to rugby across Scotland, while also recognising schools like Selkirk High School that are creating new opportunities for pupils to engage with the game.