A LOCAL housing developer further cemented its partnership with Bridgend College this month by supporting its rugby academy.
Persimmon Homes West Wales – whose training academy in Llanilid is run in conjunction with the College – donated £5,000 to the club, a feeder for both Bridgend Ravens and the Ospreys, in a presentation on Wednesday (8th November).
The academy has produced talents that have then gone onto play for the Welsh national team, including Matthew Morgan, Owen Williams, Luke Morgan, Cory Hill, Scott Baldwin, Matthew Screech, and Lee Byrne, with a new generation now hoping to follow in their footsteps.
The leaders of the rugby academy are looking to put the funds towards a mentoring programme for their players, most of whom are studying sports-related courses at the Pencoed campus.
They stress the importance of broadening the horizons of their young team, aged 16 to 18, and showing the boys more of the world will provide valuable life experiences.
Through a scholarship programme, the club – which plays in a predominantly south-Walian league against other colleges – has also been able to recruit and retain players at the academy, providing financial support.
Persimmon Homes is a five-star developer with a significant presence in the area with nearby sites at Llys Ystrad in Bridgend itself as well as Michaels Grove and Morgan Walk in Llanharan, two miles from the Pencoed campus where Bridgend College Rugby Academy play and train.
Two, three, and four-bed homes are available at Llys Ystrad from £194,995 while they can be purchased in Llanharan from £199,995.
The donation comes from Persimmon’s Community Champions fund which sees £48,000 donated to good causes and much-valued organisation across Wales each year. Recent local recipients include Wales Air Ambulance.
Commenting, Persimmon Homes West Wales Sales Director Sharon Bouhali, said:
“Persimmon Homes has long been proud of our relationship with Bridgend College, running our academy in Llanilid in partnership with them, so we are very happy to make this donation to the Rugby Academy.
“The work that the coaches do to turn these young men into great players but also well-rounded individuals is commendable, and if we can help them pursue that mission, then we are very happy to play our modest role in that.
“No doubt that the hundreds of homes we’re providing for local people both near the Pencoed campus in Llanharan or in Bridgend itself will house future generations of players for this brilliant academy.”
Craig Warlow of Bridgend College Rugby Academy added:
“We’re so happy to have received this donation from Persimmon – it will go a long way to help us our ambitions for our young team who already don the Persimmon logo on our kits.
“People who are the same age as our players are still coming to understand themselves and navigate their future lives and careers, so we believe it is important in our leadership roles to help them with that, so we will be looking to invest this is a mentoring programme for the boys.
“This complements the Academy’s work in moulding them into superb rugby players and athletes with bright futures in the sport.”
