As 2024 draws to a close, Bath Rugby Foundation reflects on a year of growth, impact, and community spirit. From new initiatives to powerful partnerships, this year has been one of our most transformative yet. Here's a look back at some of our key highlights and achievements.

Empowering young people through education

This year, our Alternative Learning Hub continued to provide vital support for young people struggling with mainstream education. Through our BOOST (ages 14-16) and ADVANTAGE (ages 16-24) programmes, we've seen remarkable progress in student confidence, social skills, and academic development.

One standout moment was our participation in B&NES Council's Food Insecurity Newsletter, where we highlighted the role of our Alternative Learning Hub in tackling issues like food insecurity and supporting young people towards brighter futures. We also addressed important national conversations, with our Alternative Learning Hub Manager, Jonno, challenging misconceptions about mobile phone bans in schools and demonstrating how these changes have helped students grow in confidence and independence.

The voices of our students have been a driving force in telling our story. This year, we shared the personal journeys of students like Jaz, and Liam Lintern, showcasing how Bath Rugby Foundation’s tailored support has shaped their lives. Jaz and Liam’s stories are especially inspiring, as they moved from being students at the Hub to becoming valued members of our staff. Similarly, Louis' powerful story starting as a volunteer to growing to one of our valued Community Coaches is a testament to our work. 

A special mention must go to our incredible Alternative Learning Coaches, and our new Alternative Learning Officer, Phil Owens, whose unwavering dedication and expertise have been fundamental in supporting our young people. Their efforts have enabled students to achieve personal and academic milestones that will have a lasting impact on their futures.

Tackling inequality through sport

Sport has always been at the heart of our mission, and this year was no different. We’ve continued to open pathways for inclusion and opportunity through our Sport For All programmes.

Our Hi5! Sport and Social Club has gone from strength to strength, providing inclusive activities for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). A standout moment was our end-of-term celebration at the bowling alley, where we celebrated participant Morgan’s birthday with cake and camaraderie.

Meanwhile, The Cranes, one of our six Mixed Ability Rugby team, grew in numbers and visibility. Training every Tuesday at the Stotherts & Pitt Training Ground, the team’s welcoming and inclusive environment has inspired people of all abilities to get involved. We also had the amazing opportunity to take our Chippenham Cavaliers team to Twickenham for the final of Premiership Rugby in the summer, an unforgettable experience that saw them playing on the pitch at half-time. Our Community Inclusions Officer, Jack, played a pivotal role in this, introducing himself to the community and working with our teams to encourage inclusion for all.

Another highlight was our support for Bath RFC’s U15s team trip to , scheduled for February 2025. Thanks to the incredible efforts of our Community & Assets Manager, Alex Randall, who secured restricted funding from Premiership Rugby, we are able to ensure that eight boys from St Mark’s School in Bath can join this cultural and rugby exchange. This initiative reinforces our commitment to creating pathways for young people through sport.

None of this would be possible without our exceptional Community Coaches, Louis and Harrison, and Casual Coaches, whose passion and expertise inspire young people to achieve their best. Their hard work on the pitch and in the classroom has helped to create a welcoming, inclusive environment where young people can thrive.

Community fundraising and support

The power of community has never been more evident than during our fundraising campaigns. The Big Give Christmas Challenge 2024 was one of our most ambitious efforts yet, with a target to raise £73,000. The Bath Rugby vs Exeter Chiefs match on 30th November was designated as the Big Give Game, and we’re proud to say that our supporters showed up in force. Thanks to the Bath Rugby Supporters’ Club, Bath Rugby and Bath Rugby players, we maximised every opportunity to raise vital funds.

Earlier in the year, our matchday raffle ticket sales raised over £4,000 during pre-season friendlies alone, thanks for the dedication of our matchday volunteers and Events Manager, Emma Samways. We’re now looking to boost sales again for the Bath Rugby vs Saracens match on 28th December, with hopes to close the year on a high.

Our Corporate Fundraiser, David Trick, played a key role in mobilising business support. From speaking at a Business Social to engaging local businesses with our mission, David’s efforts have ensured that our corporate partnerships continue to thrive.

We were also thrilled to welcome our Community Fundraiser, Sarah Tarling, who joined us in September and has made an immense difference to our charity in a short time. Her fresh perspective and drive have already contributed significantly to our fundraising success.

A heartfelt thanks goes to our Head of Fundraising, Halena Coury, who has been instrumental in securing incredible funds from our events and grants throughout the year. Her dedication and persistence have played a crucial role in enabling us to deliver our impactful programmes.

Recognising our Trustees and volunteers

Trustees’ Week was a moment to shine a light on the people who guide and support our charity. We celebrated our dedicated trustees, including Bath Rugby’s Chief Executive, Tarquin McDonald, and Chairman of Trustees and volunteer David Scotland, who regularly lends his time to our Alternative Learning Hub. Our team of volunteers has also been instrumental in driving success, especially our dedicated matchday raffle ticket sellers and events volunteers who give up their time to support our fundraising efforts.

This year, Bath Rugby Foundation was honoured to be named a finalist in the Charity/Not-for-Profit of the Year category at the TBE Awards 2024 — a testament to the incredible work of our staff, supporters, and wider community.

A special mention goes to our dedicated CEO, Lynne Fernquest, whose vision and leadership have been the driving force behind our successes throughout the year. Lynne’s passion and commitment have been at the heart of everything we’ve achieved, ensuring that Bath Rugby Foundation continues to grow and thrive.

Looking ahead

As we enter 2025, our vision remains clear: to build confidence, develop life skills, and create pathways to independence for young people. We’re excited to continue our collaborations with businesses and individuals in our community to boost our support for young people. We’re also preparing for the highly anticipated trip to Japan with the Bath RFC U15s and St Mark’s School students, which promises to be a life-changing experience for all involved.

We were proud to announce the launch of our Impact Report 23/24, thanks to our Impact Officer, Jen, and Operations Administrator, Calvin, which rounds up the year’s successes and highlights the powerful work we do to help young people in our community. The report showcases the impact of our programmes and the crucial role played by our partnerships with other charities and organisations to deliver these life-changing initiatives.

Thank you to everyone who has supported us this year. From donors and corporate partners to volunteers, trustees, and staff — your contributions have had a lasting impact on young lives. Here’s to an even brighter 2025!

Best wishes, 

Lucy Slade, Communications Manager.