Continental Tyres & Kwik Fit
Working together to improve rugby club facilities and encourage more women and girls to get involved in rugby
VIY is working with Continental Tyres – the Official Tyre Partner of England Rugby – alongside Kwik Fit to empower more young people to get involved in rugby by breaking down the barriers that often limit participation. Through this collaboration, we’re also helping to strengthen and empower community rugby clubs, supporting the improvement of grassroots facilities while enabling local young people to gain practical trade experience and valuable employability skills.
Since the start of our partnership in 2024, we’ve renovated 4 grassroots rugby clubs, and had 71 young people take part in the VIY experience, gaining hands-on work experience that helps build skills for their future careers, with 80% achieving an City & Guilds Entry Level 3 accreditation.
Here’s a look at some of our work together so far:
Anchorians Sports Club, Gillingham
Anchorians Football Club in Gillingham, Kent, is a thriving FA Charter Standard Community Club with over 75 teams and 1,000 members. We helped to revamp the club’s facilities by renovating the female changing rooms and communal areas, which were in poor condition. These spaces were repainted in the club’s colours and upgraded to provide suitable facilities for female players, who previously had to use the upstairs toilets to change. As part of the project, England Rugby star Ellie Kildunne visited the club, meeting the players and supporting the initiative to improve facilities for women and girls.
“The girls were thrilled, and having Ellie visit made it even more special.”
Simon Somerset, Anchorians Youth & Mini’s Chairman
Nottingham Casuals RFC
Nottingham Casuals RFC is committed to keeping football affordable and welcoming for all. Over two weeks, 19 local young people helped improve facilities to support community growth and increase opportunities for women and girls. Renovations included a new bar area with space for children’s drinks, painted halls and women’s bathrooms in club colours to boost pride, and repaired flood-damaged storage with a secure cupboard for equipment. These improvements have created a safer, more inclusive, and social environment, encouraging more local families and female players to engage with the club.
“The amount of time and effort put in by VIY and the volunteers has been phenomenal. It’s been a great pleasure seeing the Rugby community come together to regenerate Nottingham Casuals RFC.
The clubhouse is much more attractive to use, we have external organisations using the space that have noticed a difference/will now continue to use the space – boosting our financial sustainability to keep the club going and girls/boys playing rugby. I’m sure it will be enjoyed for many years to come. Thank you all for your hard work.”
Steve Sarno, Chair, Nottingham Casuals RFC
Aldwinians RFC, Manchester
Aldwinians RFC is committed to creating a welcoming and safe environment for women and girls. As part of the project, we improved facilities to accommodate growing female teams, especially on busy weekends and match days. Renovations included a dividing wall with a lockable door to create separate home and away changing areas, and privacy screens in all four changing rooms to prevent visibility from the corridor. These improvements have made the club safer, more inclusive, and welcoming, making it possible for more local young people, both boys and girls, to play rugby.
Nuneaton Old Edwardians RFC
This community-focused rugby club provides opportunities for players of all ages to train, socialise, and develop confidence, with a focus on increasing participation for girls and young women. To improve their facilities, we transformed a shipping container into dedicated female changing facilities. Renovations included new benches, hanging pegs, storage, a decking and seating area, and interior and exterior painting in the club’s colours – creating a professional and welcoming space for training and matches. The new facility supports team pride, confidence, and ownership, while encouraging the growth of women’s rugby in the local community.
“Our new ladies section are absolutely delighted with their new changing rooms, which are already in regular use. The decking and benches your volunteers constructed are also proving a real hit; they have provided a focal point for players, spectators, and walkers alike. Everyone at the club who witnessed the project first-hand was impressed with your staff and the way they engaged with the youngsters under their instruction. A great result for our club and I really hope we can collaborate in the future.”
John Burdett, Treasurer, Nuneaton Old Edwardians RFC
