Magnificent Mel Makes Awards Finals
Melanie Reilly of Old Emanuel Rugby Club has become one of three finalists for the Community Sport and Recreation Awards 2022: Volunteer of the Year.
For the past 15 years, Mel has been volunteering at the club and making an impact on a vast number of people in her community.
A teacher of children who have suffered trauma, she has been the club’s safeguarding lead for some years, is vice chair of the minis and youth and covered all things covid during the pandemic. She is also a coach of the U5s and U6s and started the ‘Pass it Back and Conversion’ project, collecting members’ boots and trainers to pass on, especially for girls. She also organised five collections for Kingston Foodbank to help those in need, and organised member donations for Kingston Churches Against Homelessness.
All things operational get overseen by Mel including organisation of minis and youth fixtures, coordinating kitchen provision weekly, kit shop structuring, community liaison and family events. Most of these are not glamorous roles but they ensure that 300+ children, their families, coaches and other volunteers have a great rugby experience each week.
Mel also sat on the committee that has achieved a move to a new ground when the club faced having to leave their home. She covered the community aspect of the need for a new ground and calls the move to a Council owned redundant sports ground in Merton, not far from their current base, “the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.”
A family affair
Husband Jim coaches the U15s and plays for Old Emanuel thirds/vets and sons Joe and Gus also play at the club, while Mac now plays touch at university. Uni was where Mel played her rugby and she says: “My dad was Welsh so rugby was a given and the ethos and core values fitted those I grew up with. Later I wanted the same for my children. Also my best friends, all but one, are from playing rugby. Being a front row forward it was those girls I depended on, and we continue to depend on each other, becoming Godmothers to each others’ children. I get my girl fix from my Goddaughters!
“Working with children in inner city areas, I know how important it is to open rugby up for them and at Old Emanuel we make sure money is never a barrier to being involved, increasing the financial fund to ensure that.
“Seeing children enjoying rugby, particularly coming back from covid, has made me even more aware of how much good it does. We have U5s up to Colts and want to get an U21 team together too, that is my aspiration.
Going back into local schools
“We have a really mixed catchment typical of London, look one way and see million pound houses, look the other and see Council estates. We want all the youngsters here playing and will be glad to get back into schools regularly to encourage pupils to come to the club. We were working with Harlequins before the pandemic and their community outreach programme. We want to get back out there, particularly into the two girls’ schools nearby.
“It’s great to be recognised as a rugby volunteer in these awards but to be honest rugby has given so much to me and my family that I just love being involved.”
