Inner City Rugby Programme Awarded Mayor’s Funding

Hitz, the inner city rugby coaching programme that targets some of London’s most deprived boroughs, has been awarded funding of £200,000 by the Mayor of London.
The award will allow Hitz to continue to deliver and further extend its programme across the capital over the next two years. Hitz is one of a select number of projects to receive funding from the Mayor’s Olympic Sports Legacy programme, which aims to increase participation in sport and physical activity amongst Londoners.
The Hitz programme launched in early 2010 and aims to reduce crime and anti-social behaviour and break down barriers between police and young people aged 11-19 year olds, by offering participation in rugby and supporting them into education, employment and volunteering. It is delivered by Aviva Premiership Rugby clubs Harlequins, London Irish and Saracens and is supported by the Metropolitan Police Service, Active Communities Network, Premiership Rugby, the Rugby Football Union, The Rugby Football Foundation and children’s charity Wooden Spoon.
Nic Scott, Equity and Inclusion Manager, RFU, said; “The Rugby Football Union is delighted and extremely grateful to the Mayor’s Legacy Fund for its funding of the Hitz project. With this support the Hitz team will reach thousands of children and young people across London, using rugby union to turn lives away from crime and anti-social behaviour, and towards sport and a positive, confident, ambitious approach to their own futures and their impact on society.”
The programme currently runs across the capital in six boroughs - Hackney, Islington, Hounslow, Ealing, Southwark and Croydon, with week night coaching taking place in local parks. To date it has reached a total of 1500 children and young people – for most of those taking part this has been their first experience of playing the game.
Wayne Morris, Head of Community at Premiership Rugby, said; “This significant contribution of funding by the Mayor of London means that we can keep the Hitz programme running for at least another two years which is fantastic news for our social inclusion work in inner city boroughs.”