Club Volunteers recognised as Real Rugby Heroes

The eight semi-finalists have been announced for the 2019 SONI Real Rugby Heroes awards. Nominations were received from across Ulster, recognising volunteers’ dedication to community rugby and the impact they have had on their club. Dozens of nominations were received for inspiring coaches, fundraisers, treasurers, event managers, groundsmen and many more - all of which have dedicated endless hours for the love of rugby and their club. The eight semi-finalists are: Adult Category: Paul Blewitt (Donaghadee RFC) Victor Kearney (Donegal Town RFC) Ian Wallace (Ards RFC) David Workman (Ballynahinch RFC) Youth Category: Gerry Lafferty (Coleraine RFC) Raymond Reid (Banbridge RFC) Heather Thornton (Rainey Old Boys RFC) Jeremy Worth (Letterkenny RFC) The SONI Real Rugby Heroes award recognises and rewards volunteers who contribute to grassroots rugby and make a positive impact on their club and community. The public can vote for their favourite Rugby Hero online until 5pm on Friday 5th April. The overall SONI Real Rugby Hero in each category, which will be announced at the Ulster Rugby awards dinner, will walk away with a £1,000 bursary for their club. The runner-up in each category will be awarded £500. Nick Fullerton, Connections Manager and Director of SONI said: "We are delighted to support this initiative which celebrates and rewards volunteers who are committed to serving their community. It is brilliant to see such dedication and passion amongst the entries. "The judging panel was extremely impressed by the level of entries and the contribution made by the volunteers who give up so much of their free time for their local club and community." Chris Webster, Head of Rugby Development at Ulster Rugby said: "The selection process for the semi-finalists wasn’t an easy task for the judges, given the high calibre of entries. "The SONI Real Rugby Heroes award is a fantastic way to recognise volunteers’ achievements and to say thank you for all their hard work, commitment and devotion to their local club. We look forward to announcing the two category winners in May!" To vote for your favourite SONI Real Rugby Hero, visit www.ulsterrugby.com/realrugbyheroes.