Cornish Pirates In The Community

A Cornish Pirate came to the aid of 'Vitalise Churchtown' last week, a centre that provides essential services for disabled people. Adrian Edwards, team manager of Cornwall's leading rugby side, took time out from making arrangements for the team's pre-season friendlies against Leicester Tigers and Gwent Dragons to act as a judge of the centre's free holiday offer.

Tim Cowley and James Moore have recently presented 'whole-child' badges to young pupils at St. Hilary School.

A group of Year 8 & 9 pupils from Penair School in Truro, took part in rugby-related events during their summer activities week. The aim, in part, was to replicate the life of a professional rugby player.

Cornish Pirates player Adryan Winnan was the star guest, opening Blackwater County Primary School's 'Cornish Evening' held on Friday.

Cornish Pirates stars Tim Cowley and James Moore officially opened 'The Body Shop' at the Wharfside Centre, Penzance.

The Cornish Pirates are delighted to announce that we have been chosen by the RFU to host the Rugby World Cup as it starts its final trip around England before the 2007 tournament in France. The trophy will be the guest of honour at a schools festival at the Mennaye on Monday 16th July, which is being held as part of the EDF Energy Schools Rugby Programme.

On Saturday (June 23) the Cornish Pirates took part in Golowan 2007's 'Mazey Day' Civic Procession, Took the EDF National Trophy to Camborne, and formed a guest crew for Newquay Rowing Club's 8th Annual Invitation Charity Gig Race, in aid of Children's Hospice South West

Talented young website designers from Mousehole Primary School have beaten 25 study centres throughout the South of England including, Gloucester RUFC, Reading FC and Southampton FC, to win first prize in a multi media competition staged by South West Consortium of the Playing for Success Centres.

The Cornish Pirates will be providing a crew to participate in this coming Sunday's 'Newquay Rowing Club 8th. Annual Invitation Charity Gig Race', which is in aid of Children's Hospice South West.

This June marks the tenth 'Everyman Male Cancer Awareness Month', the annual focus on prostate and testicular cancer an ongoing campaign to increase both awareness and funding for vital research into these cancers.

Having had a pretty successful season on the field with the EDF Trophy win and some extremely creditable wins in the league and off the field, we have been increasing our work within the community in various ways.

Our work in the community is very important to the club as it is a great learning aid for the players to interact with different people and age groups but also to pass on some of their knowledge they have picked up over the years with regards to rugby skills and health and fitness.

Nick Makin leaves the Pirates this season to pursue a career in the City.

Nick's involvement in the Reading Champions iniative has been immeasurable at the Pirates Learning Zone, part of the Playing for Success iniative. Over the course of two years Nick gave 50 hours to the iniative, meeting and discussing reading over 300 children.

Joe Beardshaw from the Cornish Pirates made the inaugural presentation of the Stephen Clark Memorial Cup to Ian 'Sid' Venner, captain of the St Austell 1st. XV.

Representatives from the Cornish Pirates attended the Knowledge Spa at the Royal Cornwall Hospital, Truro, at the end of April.

Team Manager Adrian Edwards and players Sam Heard and Rhodri Wells were present to help launch the Building Better Bones and Joints interactive educational exhibition, this an activity of the Bone and Joint Health Awareness Week organised by the Department of Rheumatology.

Mark Rowe of Pentire Farm in Helston provided the first British asparagus of the year to supermarket giants Tesco.

On Tuesday Mark was at the Marks & Spencer store in Truro to help drive local asparagus sales, as part of an in store promotion organised in conjunction with Flamingo UK

Gavin Cattle took time out from his preparations for the EDF National Trophy Final this coming weekend to help aspiring Pirates at the Mennaye on Tuesday.

Current and potential scrum halves from the U9's upwards were treated to a master class of scrum half skills by the Pirates skipper.

A special awards ceremony was recently held at County Hall for all schools that had achieved 'healthy status'. Unfortunately, however, some of the plaques did not arrive, including those due St. Ives Infants School.

playing star Rhodri presented the award that confirmed St. Ives Infants School to be officially healthy!

in a week when the Cornish Pirates are due to play their first match this season in the EDF Energy National Trophy competition, the players have begun a new Community coaching programme sponsored by EDF Energy and linked with Premier Rugby Limited.

The coaching of 'tag rugby' starts in local Junior Schools within Penwith, but it is planned to include as many schools as feasible into the programme, moving around the Duchy to encourage youngsters to get involved with rugby.

On Monday 11th. December, 2006, the Cornish Pirates visited Hayle Community School. The purpose was to not only to do their match review, but to also allow some of the Year 9 boys to sit in and observe the session.
When the school day ended at 3.15p.m, the players chatted with school pupils and also signed autographs and posters in the school hall. It was a good day, much enjoyed by all.

Everyone who has watched the Cornish Pirates these past couple of seasons will have been mightily impressed with the skill and commitment shown by this modest lock forward. Currently on Rugby World Cup duty with Namibia, Heino was in his country's team that beat Morocco 25-7.

I thought it would be great for our learners to meet some professional sportsmen and demonstrate their prowess at wheelchair rugby, so I tentatively approached Adrian Edwards after the Nottingham game, with a view to the Pirates dropping by. The idea was met positively and a couple of phone calls later, it was arranged for the Pirates to visit at 2pm on 9th November.

Pupils from Roseland Community School welcomed the opportunity to watch the Cornish Pirates in action at Camborne on Sunday 29th. October, 2006, enjoying the convincing 37-20 points win against Exeter Chiefs.

However, the association did not stop there, as during the school week that followed all six hundred year 7-11 pupils received coaching from 'Pirate' representatives. Team Manager Adrian Edwards and player Adam Nicholls attended on Monday, with others taking sessions r through to Friday afternoon, another example of the excellent work undertaken by the club in the community

When the Centre Manager of the Pirates' Learning Zone needed a keen reader and role model for a planned reading project he didn't have any problem finding a player who is renowned for his interest in reading.

The Cornish Pirates took a leading role in a unique ‘Community Awareness Day’ that took place at the Recreation Ground, Treneere Estate, Penzance, on Friday.

In the latest step to drive and improve social conditions in an area recognised as Cornwall’s most deprived neighbourhood, residents were given the chance to work with official agencies by getting involved and learning more about the ‘Treneere Together Partnership’ that was created last April.

In conjunction with the Pirates Learning Zone, a number of Cornish Pirates players have responded to support an initiative developed and promoted by the National Literacy Trust.

Hooker Nick Makin was very keen to get involved when he heard about the project, the aim being to raise boys' interest in reading by promoting positive role models.

Sponsored kindly by ‘ALDI’, a two-day ‘Rugby Camp’ took place at the Carn Brea Leisure Centre this week. The youngsters, who were drawn from around the Duchy, thoroughly enjoyed participating in a range of rugby activities organised by James Bennett, from the Leisure Centre, and Peter Richmond and Rob Bowden from the Pirates.