Rugby legend Jason Robinson teams up with Vodafone and Sported to help community sports clubs
By Sported | 2 November 2023
Rugby legend Jason Robinson OBE has hailed the difference grassroots sport can make in connecting communities with being active after a surprise visit to a Sported member.
The former British & Irish Lion, who runs his own foundation as well as serving as an ambassador for Vodafone UK Business, gave kids the thrill of a lifetime this week at Manchester-based community club Abraham Moss Warriors with a rugby coaching session.
The ex-England star, 49, shared his pathway through the sport and his own upbringing while also offering candid insight into the importance of his connection to his local community and grassroots rugby club.
It was the first stop in a national tour that Robinson is making to provide opportunities for groups in disadvantaged areas to get involved in sport during school holidays with legs already set for clubs in London, Cardiff, Glasgow and Stoke-on-Trent – run in partnership with Vodafone’s sports.connected initiative, through which Abraham Moss Warriors has also received digital connectivity and digital skills training.
And the Jason Robinson Foundation provided the Warriors with a range of brand-new kit, from football boots and tops to rain jackets and warm jumpers for the winter to add to a cash grant from Vodafone which they have put towards providing extra sporting activities during school holidays for young people from one of Manchester’s most deprived areas.
Robinson said: “I really enjoyed the day I spent with Abraham Moss Warriors, teaching the kids some rugby skills and getting to talk to them about my own pathway through sport. I know first-hand how important clubs like these are for young people, so I feel really privileged to be a part of this initiative and know that the work we’re doing is making a difference to this community.”
Alongside the visit, Vodafone’s sports.connected programme, in partnership with Sported, has also provided Abraham Moss Warriors with digital connectivity in the form of SIM cards and access to a bespoke digital business skills platform through its V-Hub offering.
The tool has been developed to help clubs raise more funding and engage more young people in sport through educational webinars, toolkits, and training, designed with the needs of each club taken into consideration.
June Kelly, Sported regional officer and founder of Abraham Moss Warriors, said: “Having Jason Robinson and his Foundation join us at Abraham Moss Warriors this half term was a hugely exciting moment for the club and the kids that come here.
“The Vodafone and Sported initiative is really important for clubs like ours. The connectivity and digital skills that we have been given as part of this is already making a significant difference to the club and our members.”
Sports.connected is part of Vodafone’s everyone.connected campaign, which is helping four million people and businesses cross the digital divide by the end of 2025, giving them the connectivity and skills they need to stay connected and participate fully in an increasingly digital society.
Nick Gliddon, Vodafone UK Business Director, said: “Community sports groups like Abraham Moss Warriors are a lifeline for many young people up and down the country, and at Vodafone we understand the vital role that sport can play in their lives.
“We’re hugely proud of our partnerships with Sported and the Jason Robinson Foundation, and the work we are doing together to provide digital connections and skills to these community groups, giving them and their members the tools to help them grow and thrive.”