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didi rugby is coming to Chester and interest in the upcoming classes is already growing at an incredible rate.

Having advertised launch party sessions for all three age groups just a couple of weeks ago, franchise owner Katie Heirene is considering putting on more classes because some of the scheduled ones are already full!

Sessions will get underway on Sunday 15 September at 9.00am and will take place at Chester Rugby Club after a partnership was formed between them and new didi rugby Chester owner Katie Heirene.

It’s the latest partnership between a didi rugby franchise and a local rugby club with the goal of not only forming stronger links with the sport in the community – but to also provide a seamless pathway for children when they become too old for didi rugby at the age of 5 or 6 and move up into the club’s minis section.

Katie says she can’t wait to get the classes up and running and share the fun and success she has enjoyed since beginning her didi rugby journey in the Crewe and Nantwich area.

“I am absolutely thrilled to be bringing didi rugby to Chester, especially given that we will be based at Chester Rugby Club itself,” said Katie.

“It is a fantastic club with a thriving youth section that we are delighted to be able to add to by offering our classes for boys and girls from as young as 18 months.

“We launched in Crewe and Nantwich last September and have been overwhelmed with the response. Both the classes and schools programme have been hugely popular and we were even able to run our first Key Stage 1 rugby festival for local primary schools at Tarporley High School last May.

“didi rugby helps us to inspire more kids to get active and hopefully begin an interest in all sports. It is also a great way for parents to spend some quality time with their didi stars.

“Probably the most rewarding thing about didi rugby by far has been watching the confidence of our didi stars soar. After just 12 months, many of them are now participating in games and activities independently with their friends, even those in the Under 3s class!

Spaces have become available in didi rugby Midlands classes based in the Hinckley and Burbage area after a number of stars have graduated to club tag rugby.

In Burbage at Millennium Hall, half a dozen places are up for grabs after a group of six-year-olds moved up to play for their local clubs.

While at Hinckley Leisure Centre, there are some spaces for classes covering all three didi rugby age groups: 18 months to 3 years, 3 years to 4 years and 4 years to 6 years.

The classes on Wednesday and Friday mornings at the Leisure Centre give parents the opportunity to bring their kids to didi classes without it eating into their weekend.

While the Wednesday class at 3.45pm is an ideal after-school activity to get your children active and having fun.

didi rugby’s Hinckley and Burbage classes have been busy for a long time and interested parents are invited to book a place for their children before the classes fill up (see links below).

Any newcomers to didi rugby are entitled to a free taster session to see if they like it before reserving a place.

didi rugby founder Vicky Macqueen still coaches many of the classes in this area and says she is always excited to send graduates off to play tag rugby.

“It’s always an amazing feeling to see didi stars move up from our eldest age group and onto local clubs to continue their rugby journey,” she said.

“It sometimes brings a tear to my eye because I am so happy that they are continuing to play the game but also because I will miss having them and their parents around at class time.

Calling all Sporty Mums and Dads – do you want to gain some life balance with the summer holidays upon us?

didi rugby is a franchise-based business that has opportunities all over the UK and in other English speaking markets.

The business is actively looking to expand, ready for the back-to-school term in September and franchise manager Sanchia De Lacy suggests that getting involved in didi rugby could be ideal for a new work/life balance.

“Being a busy mum of very active twin girls I really understand the importance of having a balance between life and work,” she said.

“I have been supporting new franchisees with their business set-up over time and I truly believe that anyone can do this with the right passion and drive to both get kids active and also have the desire to work for themselves.

“didi rugby has grown across the UK in the last 18 months and I have been lucky enough to work with all types of people to help them get started with their ‘new way of balancing life, work and  play’.

“It’s not an easy option, but becoming a didi franchise business owner does come with some perks that any parent would see as a massive influence on their life.

“Pick your own days for delivery, select class times that suit your area, get others involved and working in your business, help these people grow into great coaches and become the coaching lead yourself, as well as becoming an actual business owner.

“There could be no more 9-5 and missing school pick-up and sports days, and no more stressing around holiday cover. didi rugby run their core classes around term times only so this really can work for parents with the drive and interest.”

And Sanchia added that you don’t need to be a rugby expert to make a didi franchise work well.

didi rugby has enjoyed two great days out at Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council’s Snap Dragon Children and Family Festival.

Hundreds of children have taken part in didi sessions during the festival at both Market Bosworth and Hinckley sites.

The Snap Dragon Festivals provide free or very low-cost activities for local families in the area and are held are various sites across the district.

The idea is to provide fun and activity to families during the school summer holidays from 11am to 3pm each day.

didi rugby was invited to get involved in both Hinckley and Bosworth and thoroughly enjoyed helping youngsters learn new skills and gain in confidence while doing so.

didi rugby founder and CEO Vicky Macqueen said it was fantastic to see so many families outside and getting involved.

“It was an honour to be asked to provide didi rugby at the Snap Dragon Festival,” she said. “There were so many children having a go, it was great to see.

“The festival is a fantastic idea by Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council and so well organised by Liz Causon and her team.

“We are hoping to see some of the children who had a go at the festival, at our classes when we re-start after the summer holidays.”

A new venue will kick-start new classes at didi rugby Lichfield in September.

The Curborough Community Centre will host all three didi rugby age groups between 9am and 11am.

A sizzling launch party is set for Saturday 7 September with regular classes taking place after that.

Franchise owners Mollie Latham and Ros Wiggins – who have already made a huge success of their classes in didi rugby Stone & Stafford – will be helped by head coach Carmel Elliot and all three are excited to get things up and running.

“We can’t wait for the launch party so we can all get going,” said Mollie. “Due to popular demand, we have found a bigger venue, which means that even more didi rugby stars can join in the fun.”

Ros added” “It has been amazing to see the children at our Stone and Stafford classes grow and deveop over the last few months and we can’t wait to spread the didi spirit to the rest of the county.”

Carmel has been involved in the Lichfield set-up for over a year already and she said: “I am super excited to be expanding the didi family and having a new venue to accommodate this growth is awesome. My didi journey so far has been incredible and this marks an exciting new chapter.”

Classes at the Curborough Community Centre will run as follows:

• 18 months to 3 years: 9.00am to 9.40am
• 3 years to 4 years: 9.40am to 10.20am
• 4 years to 6 years: 10.20am to 11.00am

All parents are invited to bring their child along for a free taster session to see if they like what Ros, Mollie and Carmel have to offer. Book your place by visiting here: https://bit.ly/2KsvyNj

Curborough Community Centre is located on Reynolds Close in Lichfield, WS13 7NY.

Treasured memories were made as didi rugby’s second annual Presentation Day was blessed with hundreds of excited children, parents and grandparents.

The banqueting hall at Hinckley Rugby Club was full with didi stars from all around the Midlands area and some from even further afield. Each one was welcomed onto stage to receive a medal and certificate to mark their progress this year.

Presenting them with their medals were some of didi’s wonderful ambassadors including Leicester Tigers duo Sam Harrison and Charlie Clare, Loughborough Lightning and England star Charlotte Pearce and author and broadcaster Rosemary Conley.

With didi rugby founder and CEO Vicky Macqueen leading proceedings, there were great photo opportunities for proud parents who have become part of the didi family along with their kids.

Everything was laid on free of charge as a thank you from didi HQ to those children and adults who have made the last 12 months so special.

Ambassadors mixed with the crowd before and after the presentations signing autographs, ball, kit and copies of didi rugby’s new children’s book, Dougie Can Catch.

The book’s illustrator Chris Embleton-Hall was also there to show off his other works and also encourage children to read and draw at a special colouring station which had black and white pages from the book for children to colour in.

There was loads more going on during the morning too with fantastic breakfasts served by Hinckley Rugby Club, a bouncy castle, a fun zone, merchandise stall and other stalls hosted by local businesses.

Former Italian international Roland De Marigny has become didi rugby Italy’s first ambassador.

And didi rugby is absolutely delighted to welcome him onboard.

Roland has played top-flight rugby in England, Wales, South Africa and Italy.

Born in Durban, South Africa, he played international rugby for Italy after qualifying on residency grounds (he played for five years in the Italian league).

He made his international debut in 2004 against England and made his first start against France the following week. Roland went on to make 19 appearances for the Azzurri.

He is now heavily involved in helping guide Colorno’s rise through the domestic ranks and says he is excited to get involved in nurturing the next generation of Colorno players through didi rugby.

“I am very proud to present didi rugby, which has become part of our programme here in Colorno,” he said.

“didi rugby is about values, sharing and having fun. It’s about learning respect, being part of a team and being part of creating something.

“I am really looking forward to didi rugby coming to Italy and Colorno and for giving the youth of Italian rugby this wonderful opportunity.”

didi rugby founder and CEO Vicky Macqueen has delivered an ‘inspirational’ speech to Year 3 students at Leicester Medical School.

Following an invite from Dr John Harrison, the Associate Professor in Medical Education at Leicester Medical School, Vicky spoke about her own international sporting career with England as well as life as a successful business woman after hanging up her boots.

Vicky was one of a series of guest speakers invited to address medical students in the four-week spell after their exams.

The idea is to help the University of Leicester pupils gain as much information as possible about the variety of different careers they could go into after they leave and look for work.

“It was very inspirational,” said Dr Harrison. “She talked about her own career and was superb at talking about goal-setting and how it has helped her in her life.

“She was absolutely brilliant and she speaks with great enthusiasm. The students loved it and she gave them a lot of things to think about.

“Vicky has been a highly successful teacher, player and coach – and now she is a successful businesswoman too. I am full of admiration for her.

England Women’s international Heather Fisher says she “can’t wait” to be a part of didi rugby’s Annual Presentation Day.

The event will take place in Leicestershire at Hinckley Rugby Club – one of didi rugby’s partner clubs – on Sunday 7 July with all sorts of fun and games planned for what promises to be a spectacular day.

Back-rower Heather has been a didi rugby ambassador since the early days of the organisation and says she is really keen to come and meet the children, parents, coaches and franchise owners that are coming from all over the area.

The World Cup winner fully knows the value of sport and looking up to role models after overcoming some personal hardships as a youngster.

“Sport was the tool which kept me on the straight and narrow as a child,” said Heather. “There were role models I could look up to and it gave me the inspiration to try and prove to people that I could be someone.

“It also saved me from anorexia and it showed me that one voice to could make a massive different to a child – and that voice was not necessarily a parent or a relative.

“Sport and programmes like didi rugby give children confidence and keeps them active. If you can increase a child’s confidence, the rest tends to take care of itself.

“It’s important to remember that with self-confidence, kids believe they can be someone.

didi rugby coach Carmel Elliott says she would recommend her role to anyone who loves having fun with kids.

The student got into didi rugby coaching after helping a friend out and now says she “could not imagine life without it”.

Carmel, who is part of the Lichfield team, says: “I absolutely love it. I love it because I am a big kid at heart. With didi rugby, I get the chance to go crazy and involve everyone in the sessions – and that makes it so much better.

“I have been doing it for 18 months and I could not imagine life without it. I have been working with Vicky Macqueen, Mollie Latham and Ros Wiggins and they are great to work with.

“I love the CPD that we do with other coaches and we always share ideas about best practice. The interaction we have as a group of coaches around the UK is fantastic and gives a real family feel to what we do.

“I would recommend didi coaching to anyone with a drive, passion and love for what they do.”