WELSHPOOL Rugby Club has made mental health a key priority as it heads back to the clubhouse and to pitches.

The club has launched a series of initiatives led by club volunteers in conjunction with local charities and professional services to provide club members and the wider community with support and someone to talk to as and when they need it.

In partnership with local mental health charity Ponthafren Association, the club has set up a Walking Rugby group – ‘Walk & Talk Rugby’ – starting this week, which will be open to the whole community

The clubhouse will also now open two evenings a week specifically to allow members and young people to pop in if they feel they need to chat to someone.

Chairman and first team coach Dave Roberts said the club wants to pledge to do more than play rugby.

He explained: “The pandemic forced us all to think a bit differently about the needs of our members and we wanted to support them mentally as well as physically.

“We are a rugby family and rugby will always be our priority but if we want to truly be the heart of our community, we need to do more than rugby.

“One of our key aims this year is to engage with our wider community and the Walking Rugby group will allow former players like myself to stay actively involved with the rugby club, along with people who’ve never played rugby before but would like to join a social group and get a bit of exercise at the same time.”

For more contact Donna Lewis, Welshpool’s mental health advocate on pl.wrfc@gmail.com.