Since September, Baildon Rugby Club have been developing their community rugby arm.

With the support of the RFU and their All Schools’ Programme, the club’s relationship with Sir Titus Salt School has grown, Baildon’s rugby development officer Robbie Hill delivering curriculum rugby sessions throughout Year Seven for both boys and girls.

The programme has also had massive success within local primary schools, starting off with two schools but growing to five that have had tag rugby sessions - Baildon Church of England, Sandal, Glenaire, Shipley Church of England and Thackley.

For example, the Saturday morning programme at Sir Titus Salt School began with one girl but has now grown to 11.

In all, 140 girls at the school have experienced the sport, with 18 attending the after-school programme.

The school has also shown its support by sending two teams to the Girls’ School Rugby Aire Valley national qualifiers, giving 17 pupils the opportunity to get some high-quality coaching and take part in a high-quality rugby festival.

Meanwhile, 14 girls are attending the after-school programme at St Mary’s School, Menston.

Boys’ rugby in Baildon has also been a focus via the community rugby programme. culminating last month when seven schools brought a team to Baildon’s rugby development officer’s first rugby festival, where more than 100 children got the opportunity to play matches against other schools.

Sir Titus Salt School took a squad of 19 boys on the back of 140 Year Seven boys getting the chance to experience curriculum rugby.

Shipley Town Council are also playing their part via a youth opportunities grant, which has enabled Baildon RUFC to get into more secondary schools.

Baildon Town Council, meanwhile, are backing the club’s four rugby cluster festivals via equipment and advertising, where 500 children from Year Three to Year Six will get the chance to receive tag rugby coaching and put their skills into practice in an afternoon of games.

In addition, the TAG to TWICKENHAM festival will return to Baildon, giving opportunities for schools to face other schools from the area.

In all, over 700 primary schoolchildren from area have had the opportunity for rugby delivered from Baildon RUFC, while close to 1,000 have worked with the club at some level, which is all great news for the future at Jenny Lane.