NMSRFR
North Midlands Society of Rugby Football Referees: Est. 1920
Community Game Update
| Return to Rugby This edition includes: 1. Rugby Union Winter Survival Fund – Loans prospectus 2. Rugby Union Winter Survival Fund – Grant update from Steve Grainger 3. Car Sharing – Updated guidance 4. First Aid – Updated guidance 5. Return to Rugby On-field guidance 6. Return to Rugby Off-field guidance 7. Warrior Camps to return in May – sign up now! 8. Government Restart Grants 9. Webinars and On demand videos Send photos and videos to @EnglandRugby of you gearing up for rugby; cleaning your boots, preparing the pitch and getting your kit ready with #ReturnToRugby. |
| Rugby Union Winter Survival Fund Loans update We hope that clubs have found the advance prospectus helpful and that they can continue to think about how they may wish to use the asset loan. In the video below, Ted Mitchell, tells us what they can be used for and details the terms attached to each loan. Both the video and advance prospectus can be found below. This can also be found on our loans page, with the application period set to open in early April. Advance Prospectus Prospectus Video |
 |
| Rugby Union Winter Survival Fund – Grant update from Steve Grainger Over the last few weeks we have been notifying clubs who have been awarded grants from the rugby Union Winter Survival fund, which will continue over the next few weeks. We are aware that some clubs are querying the amounts awarded. The video below explains how they have been calculated. Watch Video |
 |
| Car sharing – Updated guidance We have now had confirmation from Government and Sport England on car sharing for sport and physical activity. This is not permitted at step 1 and 2 and car sharing is not permitted until further notice. |
| First aid – Updated guidance We have had a number of questions on first aid facilities, so please see information below: • Exceptions must be made for essential activity, such as the provision of first aid or access to essential equipment for training and matches. • Indoor facilities can open for provision of first aid (which would include dedicated first aid rooms). • While these can be open, please reduce the amount of time that people spend inside. A base for first aiders set up outside is an alternative, with treatment outside where possible. |
 |
| Return to Rugby – on field guidance After the long anticipated wait, we have finally returned to rugby once again. Monday saw the return to rugby at Stage D1, with Stage D2 (from Monday 26 April). Guidance and help around the On Field Guidance, including formats and how best to prepare and keep players safe, can be found on our Return to Rugby page. Details on Easter camps and summer activity can also be found on the page. On Friday 9 April, the summer rugby training and playing framework for age grade players will be launched, including CB, DPP and rugby camps. It will be operational from June to the end of August and will include contact training and inter-club activity. Return To Rugby |
| Return to Rugby – off field guidance Common question raised by clubs can be found in our club support centre FAQs below. We are constantly updating the pages so please check back between updates to be as prepared as possible. All guidelines apply from Monday 29 March Government Step 1B until Government’s Step 2 comes into force, which will be no earlier than Monday 12 April. The age grade out of season regulation (see 15.8) is suspended in 2021. This is replaced with an RFU Summer Training and Playing Framework this year to enable age grade players to safely catch up on missed rugby development opportunities. Support Centre FAQs Sport England FAQs |
 |
| Inner Warrior sign up open Allianz Inner Warrior returns in May! We are delighted to be able to invite you to host a Warrior Camp to welcome female players back to your club. Back in January, 169 clubs signed up to host a Warrior Camp before the pandemic necessitated a postponement. We encourage those clubs to rebook and many more to join them. It will be even more fun in the summer weather which should help to attract more new players to give rugby a try. We’ve been looking at how best we can continue to support our clubs with running Warrior Camps. We are delighted to have Allianz on board as a partner, who will help us to increase visibility and reach more new participants in the future. If your club is new to Warrior Camps, click below for more information on what the camps involve, what you need to do and how we can support you. Find Out More Sign Up |
| Restart Grants – available from Wednesday 21 April For businesses in England, including rugby clubs, new Restart Grants will launch in April 2021. Businesses in the hospitality, leisure, personal care, and fitness industries could be eligible for grants of up to £18,000. Clubs need to apply via their Local Authority and information should be available on Local Authority websites from Monday 29 March. However, please note these grants will be taxable as per previous retail, hospitality and leisure grants. Further information is available below. At the start of the National Lockdown in January the Government released various support packages, cash grants of up to £9,000 per property are available on top of the Local Restrictions Support Grants of up to £4,500 per 42 day period. Full information on the support available can be accessed below, as well as what assistance is available can be found on the RFU funding page below. Restart Grants Funding Page |
 |
| Webinars and on-demand videos We have our previous Coaching, Refereeing, and Club webinars on-demand alongside those below that are coming up. Mental Wellbeing – Keeping The Rugby Community Healthy – Wednesday 28th April – 7pm As a follow up to our Player Mental Health Webinar, we will welcome RugbySafe Leads to a discussion about mental wellbeing, creating kinder cultures and spotting the signs of mental wellbeing issues in your clubs. We are joined again by, David Beeney, and former England Rugby captain Dylan Hartley. With the help of our trusted healthcare partner Simplyhealth we are putting player welfare at the heart of the game to keep the rugby community healthy. Register NFL Presents: A Conversation on Tackling Covid-19 – Wednesday 7 April – 7pm Covid-19 leads are invited to join a webinar with medical leaders from American football and English rugby about their leagues’ COVID-19 mitigation strategies and what we’ve learned through the challenges of the last year. Experts will discuss a range of areas including; how rugby’s rules can be adapted to reduce transmission risk; protocols; the impact of altered season structures on injury risk; lessons learned from sport that can be applied more broadly; and the risks and opportunities that lie ahead. While this is largely looking at elite level we will also discuss how this has shaped the community game and what learnings can be taken forward as we continue our return to rugby. Register |