Instonians RFC achieve Clubmark NI Accreditation

Instonians RFC have joined a select group of rugby clubs in the province to achieve the prestigious Clubmark NI accreditation, a cross-sport kitemark which recognises high standards of delivery and welfare within clubs. Although the club completed their Clubmark portfolio in early 2020, the onset of Covid-19 put the presentation of award on hold, but they’ve finally received their certificate. Club Mini / Youth Convenor Michael Fairbanks commented, "We’re delighted to eventually be formally presented with our Clubmark Award. A lot of time and effort went into collating our portfolio for the accreditation while we also made some adjustments to how we do things. However, we’ve seen some real benefits in terms of the efficiency of the club and we’re confident that we’re now creating a more welcoming, inclusive and nurturing environment for everyone involved. "Achievement of the award demonstrates to players, members, parents, supporters and other stakeholders alike that Instonians RFC is a well-run club, and we are committed to making further improvements moving forward. Of course, the emergence of Covid-19 has caused some disruptions to how we do things and altered some of our plans for the future, but we’ll adapt and evolve so that Instonians RFC continues to grow and prosper." Matthew Holmes, Ulster Rugby's Club Services Officer added, "Huge congratulations to the club in completing their Clubmark Award. It can be a time consuming process, but the benefits are significant. It not only drives positive changes, but it also signifies high stands of welfare, equity, coaching and general club management. There is no doubt the club are committed to creating an environment where everyone enjoys their involvement in the sport, whether on field or off, and Instonians RFC have now rightly being recognised for their efforts in recent months and years to make enhancements to how they function." With Sport NI ceasing their management of the Clubmark accreditation, the programme is no longer open for registrations. However, Ulster Rugby will be considering options for the delivery of an equivalent Governing Body-led accreditation programme in the near future and further information will be released in due course. If you have any questions or queries on the Clubmark programme, please contact matthew.holmes@ulsterrugby.com