Young people from Northampton Saints Foundation have been developing important skills for the future by helping to renovate the clubhouse at Long Buckby Rugby Club.
As part of a project run by Volunteer It Yourself and supported by Travis Perkins, Toolstation and Sport England, students taking part in the Foundation’s Hitz and Aspire programmes were invited to get involved in the renovation of the building on Station Road.
Long Buckby RFC was selected as the lucky winner out of all the grassroots clubs who entered Northampton Saints’ competition to receive the makeover, after the team found it would benefit the most from being involved in the project.
Young people were joined by Foundation Ambassador Tom Wood, who helped the students get to grips with some painting. He said “It’s great to be able to do some practical activities with the young people out of the classroom, and particularly in the surroundings of a local rugby club. I have been lucky in that rugby has given me a great deal, so getting involved in projects like this one give me the opportunity to give something back, not just to the students, but also the wider community.”
The Foundation’s Employability Lead, Craig Phillips, believes projects like this one are invaluable for building team spirit and helping develop new skills to last a lifetime.
He said: “This is the second time the students have been involved in a project like this, and they are always a huge success. Being taught in a classroom isn’t for everyone, so these kind of experiences help bring things to life and spark ideas about what they might want to do in the future. For the Foundation as a whole, it also gives us the opportunity to give something back to our local community.”
Every young person involved in the project will receive a Level 3 Health and Safety and Level 3 Painting and Decorating qualification to support their employability skills for the future.
