Local MSP Brian Whittle has given his backing to Trust Rugby International on a recent visit to one of their training sessions at Kilmarnock Rugby Club. The charity, which was the result of a three-month pilot project by NHS Ayrshire & Arran in 2012, is Scotland’s first fully unified full contact rugby club, where players with and without learning disabilities train, play and compete on the same team.
Meeting with the charity’s Ayrshire Clan, South Scotland MSP Brian chatted with players and coach Stevie Main about the charity as well as his own past experience playing rugby in Kilmarnock. Now the MSP is planning to return and get involved in a training session with the team and maybe even bring some of his fellow MSPs down for a match.
The Ayrshire Clan meets every Monday at Kilmarnock RFC on Queens Drive from 6.30pm to 8.00pm and new players are always welcome. For more information about Trust Rugby International and the Ayrshire Clan, visit www.trustrugby.org.
Brian Whittle MSP said:
“It was great to meet the Ayrshire Clan and see first-hand what a difference being part of Tri has made to the lives of every player, regardless of their ability.
Playing as part of a team is a great way to reduce the feeling of isolation or of being different that can come with having a learning disability. The work that Trust Rugby International are doing here to include everyone in sport is exactly what we need more of.
The Ayrshire Clan have very kindly offered to let me come back and take part in a training session and I’m going to try and arrange for a team from the Scottish Parliament to play a game against them later in the year too.”
Ayrshire Clan coach Stevie Main said:
“It was great to have Brian come down to training tonight to see the Ayrshire clan in action. It was really good to hear Brian is as passionate about inclusion as we are at tri and feel that everybody should get the opportunity to take part in sport and activities no matter their ability”