News 

Bath Spa University student nominated for England Rugby award

Wednesday, 23 May, 2018

Bath Spa University student, Harriet Martin-Jones, has been nominated for the Mitsubishi Motors Volunteer of the Year Awards, run by England Rugby to recognise the integral role volunteers play at all levels of the game.

As President of Bath Spa Women's Rugby, Harriet has worked tirelessly to ensure the club is running to the highest standard since it was established in 2014. Having taken the club from struggling to field a team each week to their highest league finish in just two years, Harriet has also played a vital role in the promotion of Women's Rugby in Bath, establishing and maintaining links with Bath Rugby Ladies, Bath Rugby Foundation, Stothert and Pitt RFC and the RFU.

Harriet said: "It's a huge honour to have been nominated for this award. I am really proud of how the club has grown but, much like the game itself, it has been a team effort to get to this point. We've got an incredible, close-knit family of girls involved in the club now, who all want to keep improving and enjoying all the different skills and experiences that rugby can give you."

The Awards are part of the Mitsubishi Motors Volunteer Recognition Programme which provides grassroots rugby clubs and the rugby community with opportunities to recognise and reward the volunteers who make up such an improtant part of the game.

Robert Pickup, Bath Rugby Foundation coach and coach of Bath Spa Women's Rugby, nominated Harriet, he said: "Harriet has been involved with the club from the very first day, and it would not have established itself in the way it has without her. She has an incredible amount of enthusiasm and drive to make the club successful, and that's now paying off with the number of members and results they are enjoying."

Colin Clarke, Sports and Activities Coordinator for Bath Spa University Students' Union, added: "We're very proud of Harriet for her nomination. She's put a huge amount of effort into the club to make it successful, using her free time around studying. It's testament to her that Women's Rugby is as popular at the University as it is now." 

Harriet is one of a select group of rugby volunteers in the area who is invited to attend an awards event held at Keynsham RFC. At this event, one volunteer will be announced as Volunteer of the Year finalist – earning them a place at the Mitsubishi Motors Volunteer of the Year Awards night at Twickenham Stadium on Friday 7 September 2018. Three overall winners will be announced on the evening and each one will receive a Mitsubishi car for a year as a thank you for their continued support of the game.