Find a didi rugby class in Cheltenham at Cheltenham North RFC
Introduce your children to rugby at a young age with didi rugby classes at Cheltenham North RFC in Cheltenham.
There are three age groups: 18 months to three years, three to four and four to six.
Our programme is designed to get kids active, teach them new skills and improve their co-ordination, speed and balance. It will also help them learn social skills while they have lots of fun in a positive, safe and friendly environment.
These classes are ideal for children living in: Stoke Orchard, Tredington, Hardwicke, Coombe Hill, Deerhurst Walton, Elmstone Hardwicke, Boddington, Fiddington and Brockhampton.
Find a didi rugby class in Nottingham at Gotham Recreation Ground
Introduce your children to rugby at a young age with didi rugby classes at Gotham Recreation Ground. There are three age groups: 18 months to three years, three to four and four to six.
Our program is designed to get kids active, teach them new skills and improve their co-ordination, speed and balance. It will also help them learn social skills while they have lots of fun in a positive, safe and friendly environment.
These classes are ideal for children living in: Nottingham, Wilford, Lenton, The Meadows, Lenton Abbey, Ryelands and Clifton.
Hinckley and Reading have been chosen as the first two areas for a pilot scheme which is set to see didi rugby provide an expanded offering to schools.
Starting in September, educational settings including nurseries and pre-schools will be able to book a didi sports session.
This will see classes receive a varied sports programme throughout each term which will include sports like: rugby, cricket, basketball and dodgeball.
didi rugby founder and CEO Vicky Macqueen said she had listened to numerous requests from schools for this sort of programme.
School or nursery
“The success of didi rugby over the past two years has put us in a strong position to develop didi sports sessions,” she said.
“My area of Hinckley and the amazing team in Reading are very excited to start delivering this.
“Every school or nursery which invites us in can be confident they will be getting a very high quality delivery from a didi sports class because of the reputation we have built up with didi rugby.
“That business has been built up around rugby because of my background as an international playing for England. But I am a qualified PE teacher, I have been head of sport at a high school and have also been in a sports co-ordinator role so a multi-skilled offering has always been on the radar.
“Schools and nurseries have told us that they like to mix their activities.” Vicky Macqueen
“Schools and nurseries have told us that they like to mix their activities so it fits in well with what we are going to pilot – and hopefully roll out across the UK over time.
“Our classes will encourage pace, variety and challenge throughout. Children will add to their physical literacy and we are always committed to promoting a multi-skilled approach to learning whatever sport we offer.”
Craig Hunter, co-owner of didi rugby Reading, said: “We are really excited to be working with Vicky to start offering didi sports across the Reading area as soon as it is safe to do so from September.
“As schools, including after schools clubs and leisure centres start to get going again after lockdown, it is important that the younger children in the 18 moths to 6-years-old age range are not forgotten.”
Outdoor venues
didi rugby classes are already back up and running in most franchise areas across the UK with safe and socially-distanced classes proving a huge success at outdoor venues.
didi cricket pilot schemes were successfully launched in the Cheltenham and Gloucestershire areas before the pandemic and will now be rolled out in at least six other areas across the UK from next month onwards.
The didi sports offering will be specifically aimed at educational settings for the time being.
Find a didi rugby class in Gloucestershire at Highnam C of E Academy
Introduce your children to rugby at a young age with didi rugby classes at Highnam C of E Academy in Gloucestershire.
There are three age groups: 18 months to three years, three to four and four to six.
Our program is designed to get kids active, teach them new skills and improve their co-ordination, speed and balance. It will also help them learn social skills while they have lots of fun in a positive, safe and friendly environment.
Introduce your children to rugby at a young age with didi rugby classes at Stone Hockey Club in Stone. There are three age groups: 18 months to three years, three to four and four to six.
Our program is designed to get kids active, teach them new skills and improve their co-ordination, speed and balance. It will also help them learn social skills while they have lots of fun in a positive, safe and friendly environment.
These classes are ideal for children living in Stone and Stafford.
Introduce your children to rugby at a young age with didi rugby classes at Suffolk in Suffolk. There are three age groups: 18 months to three years, three to four and four to six.
Our program is designed to get kids active, teach them new skills and improve their co-ordination, speed and balance. It will also help them learn social skills while they have lots of fun in a positive, safe and friendly environment.
These classes are ideal for children living in: Leiston, Saxmundham, Aldeburgh, Snape, Yoxford, Thorpeness, Knodishall, Kelsale, Westleton, Middleton
didi rugby ambassador and England Women’s international Heather Fisher is causing a storm every night.
One of women’s sports most recognisable figure has been hosting ‘didi rugby story time’ for the last two weeks to brighten up the days of many didi stars during the coronavirus lockdown of 2020.
It has come as no surprise to those who know her, that the amount of children and parents who have been watching her broadcasts live on didi’s Facebook channel, has grown day by day.
Heather’s energetic delivery and friendly face has attracted a dedicated bunch of fans who have loved being face-to-face with her every weekday evening at 6.00pm.
Not only has Heather been reading some of the nation’s favourite children’s books written over the past 10 years, she has also been teaching them some new physical skills and things to work on for the following evening.
“I am loving doing this collaboration with didi rugby,” says Heather. “The amount of people who are tuning in has grown every night and I am really enjoying having fun with our didi stars.”
Friend of Heather Fisher
didi rugby founder and CEO Vicky Macqueen is a long-time friend of Heather and she has been delighted with the reaction to ‘story time’.
“Heather has been amazing and has already built up a real rapport with the children and parents who are tuning in every night at 6.00pm. We are having lots of fun and the feedback we have been getting has been incredible!”
Growing in popularity with members and non-members too, ‘didi rugby story time’ is part of an amazing effort from didi rugby franchises across the UK who have been hosting classes and setting challenges online, instead of face-to-face throughout the COVID-19 outbreak.
WATCH this video below to see a full version of ‘story time with Heather Fisher’. Join us every weekday night LIVE on Facebook from 6.00pm.
Book your child onto didi rugby’s national online session every Monday from 11.00am during the UK’s COVID-19 lockdown here: https://bit.ly/2z2XjsL
Find out more about didi rugby at www.didirugby.com or watch this video…
didi rugby’s online classes are proving to be a massive hit with parents and children across the UK.
While the coronavirus has led to schools closing and even a lockdown on all but essential travel, didi rugby coaches across the country have reacted quickly and are providing their ever-popular classes online instead.
didi rugby HQ is committed to keeping children active and having fun during the most testing time for families across the country.
The reaction from children and parents has been incredible with huge support coming from households in terms of both engagement and positive feedback to the classes.
Because of their success, didi rugby is now ramping up the amount of sessions they are offering which cover three age ranges from as young as 18 months up to 6 years of age.
It has been great to see older siblings joining in the activities too.
Online classes
Easy-to-use online platforms have made the delivery of the classes simple for coaches, parents and children alike and attendance numbers are increasing all of the time.
didi rugby founder and CEO Vicky Macqueen, who has been delivering classes to her didi stars while home-schooling two children, said she has been over-joyed with the response.
“During tough times for families across the UK, it has felt amazing to be involved in something which is able to give so many people, so much fun,” she said.
“We all miss our regular classes terribly and can’t wait to get back to them when things become safer for all of us.
“But, until then, we will keep providing for our members via a fun, friendly and energetic online delivery, as well as making sure that our ethos of ‘fun, confidence and activity’ remains at the heart of everything we do.
“Because our classes are being delivered by the local coaches who usually run their sessions, it has been amazing to see the children’s response when they see a face they recognise.
“Obviously, that has helped get the kids engaged from the very first minute and the rapport between the group has been great to see.
Book a class
“We have enjoyed some amazing responses from parents who say they are not only happy to get their kids active but to give them a structured focus during the day.
“Meanwhile, our coaches have found online delivery very rewarding and have been full of stories about brightening up people’s day.”
MEMBERS: For options of classes local to your area with the coaches you usually see at your face-to-face sessions, visit the Find A Class Page and click on your local link
VIDEO: Watch didi rugby South Wales coach Robyn Lock challenge you to a Lockdown Challenge
What is didi rugby?
didi rugby has been devised to get young children active and to teach them new skills while having fun in a safe environment. Classes have been designed by former England Women’s international Vicky Macqueen and are aimed at kids in three separate age groups from 18 months to six years old. These age ranges offer flexible boundaries and are based on each child’s ability and confidence as opposed to a strict age structure. didi rugby has franchises across the UK.
Two years after launching the didi rugby Reading franchise, co-owner Craig Hunter explains why it has been such a big success and outlines opportunities to those thinking of getting involved.
“We are very pleased with our journey having started it all off with one days a week at one club, Reading RFC,” he said.
“After one month, I decided to go three days a week at work to develop didi rugby and a few months later, I went full time on didi because the opportunity seemed too good.
“It was a big change for me and the family but I bit the bullet and it has been both hard-work and very enjoyable.
“We are now doing 14 classes a week in the area and are working with three rugby clubs: Reading, Aldermaston and Thatcham.
“Our aim with those clubs is to help grow their minis section and, for example, in Reading’s Under-6s, 14 of their players are from didi classes last year. Our links with clubs enable the children to move seamlessly up to tag rugby when they become too old for didi rugby classes.
didi HQ team
“The siblings of those kids often come along and join in too.”
Craig runs the Reading output with co-owners Donna Clark and Clare Swadling and, with coaches like Umit Akyildiz and Sam Treverton taking on plenty of responsibility too, it’s a well-oiled team.
“We are also in 19 schools doing in-school classes or after school school sessions and we have had five other ones approach us recently too. Word of mouth is key and the didi rugby social media is great too,” Craig continued.
“The job i was doing before was great but I was ready for a change and rugby is my passion. I always wanted to do something like this and a number of my friends have come and got involved too which is great.
“It’s a real team effort in Reading and the didi HQ team have been great support as well. There is fantastic leadership here at didi rugby.”
Craig Hunter
didi rugby founder and CEO Vicky Macqueen said Craig and the rest of his team had done an amazing job.
“Craig, Donna and everyone involved with didi rugby Reading have been superb at spreading didi rugby’s values and engaging with clubs, schools and the local community,” she said.
“They have worked very hard to grow their provision and have shown just what can be achieved with a didi rugby franchise.
“They have proactive and positive all along and it has been a pleasure for us all at didi rugby HQ to see their growth over the last two years. I am sure there is even more to come in the Reading and Berkshire area.”
If you would like an informal chat about the opportunities available to coach or own a didi rugby franchise, email info@didirugby.com or find out more on our website’s ‘franchising‘ section
A coach with a difference will be heading up new didi rugby classes at Birstall Rugby Club in Leicestershire from 21 March.
And there is unlikely to be any questioning of decisions made my coach Jenny Burrows!
The 34-year ex-player is now the only Level 6 female rugby referee in Leicestershire and can usually be found around the pitches of the Midlands with a whistle in tow.
Her Saturday mornings are now going to be taken up by leading new didi rugby classes at Birstall RFC in Leicestershire after an idea became reality very quickly thanks to the support of didi rugby’s founder and CEO, Vicky Macqueen.
Birstall Rugby Club
“I had been coaching didi rugby at Shepshed and Hinckley working with Vicky and then I spoke to someone at Birstall Rugby Club and they said that they would love to have something like that around,” said Jenny.
“At first it was just an idea but I spoke to Vicky about it and things have come together very quickly. She has been brilliant and we are going to start classes on Saturday 21 March.
“I always go and support Birstall anyway as a club so it is great to go and give something back.”
Jenny played in the backs for Stoneygate RFC in Leicestershire for 10 years but as injuries began to take their toll, she decided to take up refereeing instead and has never looked back, progressing to become the only Level 6 women ref in the county.
Birstall didi coach Jenny Burrows (centre) with a class of didi rugby children
New venue
“I really enjoy still being out there in the middle,” said Jenny. “I do mainly men’s games and have never had anything bad happen to me in eight years of officiating.”
Jenny’s latest challenge though will be with subjects of a much younger variety – and she cannot wait to get stuck in.
“didi rugby is great because, not only does it teach kids basic skills, it also teaches them the core rugby values which have been important to me,” she said.
Referee
“Seeing how the kids respond to that is brilliant. I have played and refereed for years and wanted a new challenge alongside being an official because I like the idea of giving back to the sport I love.
“And Vicky has been brilliant in making this happen. Her passion is infectious and it’s unreal how much you can learn from one person.”
Vicky said she was excited to open a venue at yet another rugby club. didi rugby partner with clubs all over the country to provide a pipeline of youngsters to hopefully continue their rugby journey with those clubs when they become too old for didi classes.
“I am so chuffed that Jenny Burrows has joined the didi team,” said Vicky.
Rugby coach
“She is a wonderful ambassador for rugby in general and she shows all the values as a person and a coach that we would expect from someone involved with didi.
“She is enthusiastic, motivated and really wants children to succeed and help them develop.
“I was so pleased when she decided to take on classes at her local club. She really is a wonderful coach and person and a great addition to the didi family.”
Classes will get underway at 9.00am on Saturday 21 March at Birstall Rugby Club with all age groups going right through until 11.00am.
