L

This Foundation Day, Saturday May 16th, you can be part of something truly special. You can Change Young Lives, like L's...

Lauren has been part of Bath Rugby Foundation for years now - and her journey is one that truly captures what belonging can mean.

She joined us just before her 16th birthday, encouraged to attend our Hi5! Club while at Threeways School. At that point, accessing social spaces and sport wasn’t easy. There were barriers, real ones, that made simply showing up feel overwhelming.

But Lauren showed up anyway.

And from that moment, everything began to change.

She discovered rugby. First with Bath Ladies Trojans, and now with Chippenham Cavaliers, environments where she is not just included, but valued. Now 22, Lauren continues to thrive in spaces that once felt out of reach.

Lauren’s journey hasn’t been straightforward.

She lives with learning disabilities, autism, anxiety, hypermobility, auditory hypersensitivity and visual perception challenges. At home, life brings its own complexities.

For many, that weight would limit what feels possible.

For Lauren, it could have meant staying inside, disconnected, isolated.

In fact, before rugby, even stepping outside, especially in the rain, was a huge challenge.

Now?
She runs onto the pitch in it.

No panic. No hesitation. Just determination, confidence, and joy.

That transformation didn’t happen overnight. It came through consistency, through trust, through having a place where she felt safe enough to try - and to keep trying.

Hi5! Club and inclusive rugby became that place.

Not just a session. Not just a programme.
A community.

A space where Lauren could build friendships that feel like family. Where she could explore new activities, from sport to dance to social clubs, and rugby, and begin to shape her own identity.

And the impact doesn’t stop with Lauren.

For her mum, Hi5! Club has provided something equally powerful - reassurance, support, and moments to breathe.

In her own words:
“Hi5 Club has helped shape Lauren and continues to support her in ways that I can't.”

That’s what wraparound support looks like.

It’s not just about participation.
It’s about confidence.
Independence.
Connection.

It’s about creating a world where young people like Lauren don’t have to sit on the sidelines - but can step forward, be seen, and truly belong.

Lauren’s story is still being written. But today, it’s one defined not by barriers - but by possibility.

Please select a donation amount (required)

£5 Provides life-changing support, opening doors to education, inclusion, and opportunity for the young people who need it most.

£10 Allows us to provide a young person with learning disabilities their first experience of a fun and inclusive social club.

£20 Enables us to provide food for young people during our sessions, giving them access to a balanced diet.

£30 Ensures a young person can travel to our Alternative Learning Hub to access their education.

£50 Provides a week of sports activities for a young person, helping them to build confidence and friendships.

Other

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