Strive '25 Women's Rugby

By Georgie Barbour-Gresham (Community Physical Activity Organiser)

Exeter City Community Trust is teaming up with Exeter Chiefs and Exeter City Council to deliver the Strive ‘25 Rugby Challenge, a national programme to get more women and girls into rugby ahead of the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup.

The sessions so far have been full of smiles and laughter whilst everyone still moves about. Focusing on fun, non-contact T1 Rugby aim is to boost confidence, build friendships, and create a lasting legacy for women’s physical, mental and social health around the city.

Sessions have been running every Tuesday for the past two months and have seen some amazing stories from all across Exeter. Regular participants who turn up each week is a mum and her two daughters. They joined us for our first ever session never touching a rugby ball in their lives to now two months later participating in a real T1 rugby game. Together they used it as an opportunity to meet others who wanted to try and get fit but not through the conventional ways like gym or pilates.

Overall a great success as the same group turn up with more and more participants.