The Whole Club Seal of Approval award recognises the effort and achievement of volunteers in reaching the required standard of a club committed to the development of rugby union.
Introduced in 2009, the Whole Club Seal of Approval accreditation is a method of ensuring high quality provision of rugby in clubs. It builds on the established procedures of Mini and Youth Seal of Approval to retain young players when they move from youth into adult rugby and to ensure the long term sustainability of rugby clubs.
North Dorset RFC Chairman Steve Keates, said: "North Dorset were one of the first clubs in 2006 to get the RFU Seal of Approval for youth rugby. In 2006 and 2007 we were regional winners and national runners up. In 2008 we were both regional and national winners. This has proved very worthwhile and has helped our youth section to grow along structured lines.
"Since then, all sections of the club have experienced further growth and we need to manage this properly; the Whole Club Seal of Approval is an ideal format and we threw all our energies into achieving it. It means that, in the future, we can plan ahead and ensure that our facilities and our organisational structure expand accordingly along clearly defined lines."
North Dorset chairman Steve Keates North Dorset RFC picked up their Rugby Football Union President's XV award at the Dorset & Wilts Clubs Conference yesterday (Sunday) at Dauntsey's School.
The rugby club have been awarded Whole Club Seal of Approval Club. The staggering success story continues for rural club whose playing membership has increased by 250 and they have added 53 new volunteers to its roster. The club has also previously been nominated for the Queen's Award for Voluntary Service to the Community in Dorset and won the Sport England Cutting Edge Award for School Liaison. "These awards recognise the outstanding work being done in clubs throughout the country and it's an honour to be able to highlight the outstanding work done by the thousands of volunteers to make the game flourish," said RFU President Brian Williams.
"All of the clubs show how expertise, enthusiasm and imagination can make a huge impact on the success of our clubs and the way they connect with their communities."
The awards were decided by a panel of judges consisting of RFU President Brian Williams, Senior Vice President John Owen, Junior Vice President Richard Appleby, immediate Past President Bob Taylor, RFUW President Gill Burns, England's most-capped player Jason Leonard and Rugby World Editor Paul Morgan.
North Dorset receiving their award from Dorset & Wilts President Clive Drake
