Rugby Star Jodie Ounsley to Inspire at Wooden Spoon Disability Tag Festival

Where and When : Broadstreet RFC Coventry, THIS SATURDAY: 22nd June 2024 9:00 – 18:00

Wooden Spoon, the children’s charity of rugby, is delighted to announce its upcoming Tag Fest with Jodie Ounsley. Tag Fest is a vibrant disability tag rugby festival for individuals with mild and severe learning disabilities. 

Following a successful fundraising appeal and the help of our Tag Fest supporters Omerta and Valencia Waste, Wooden Spoon, the children’s charity of rugby, is delighted to announce its upcoming Tag Fest 24. Tag Fest is a vibrant disability tag rugby festival for individuals with mild and severe learning disabilities.  It is a day filled with inspiration, excitement, and makes a difference in the lives of individuals with learning difficulties through the power of sport.  The festival marks the beginning of a broader initiative to uplift and expand the disability rugby scene across the UK and Ireland.

We are honoured to welcome special guest Jodie Ounsley, an inspirational figure in the world of rugby and a passionate advocate for disability sports. Jodie, who has overcome her own challenges to achieve greatness on the field, will be present to inspire and support all participants. She will share her journey and motivate others to pursue their dreams, demonstrating that obstacles can be turned into stepping stones to success.

The festival will be attending by hundreds of children and will kick off with an energizing warm-up session led by the Bristol Bears Community Team. Known for their dedication to community engagement and promoting inclusivity through sport, the Bristol Bears Community Team will ensure everyone is ready for an amazing day of tag rugby.

“Tag Fest is a really joyful and heart-warming event focussing on building connections between individuals with different abilities who typically struggle with communication. They flourish when rugby is involved”, Matt Mitchell, Rugby Manager, Wooden Spoon.

21 Teams in total with representation from the following clubs :

  • Ballymena Bears
  • Berkshire Brigands
  • Clontarf Bulls
  • Crusaders Fin Club
  • Shropshire Rebels
  • Harlow
  • Chelmsford
  • Old Leamingtonians
  • KINGSWOOD AIR
  • Leicester Tigers
  • Mallow Barbarians
  • Oxfordshire Wolves
  • SouthSEND
  • Stockport All Stars
  • Thanet Lions
  • Trinty Titans
  • Westmanstown Wasps

Tag Fest is about more than just rugby; it’s about creating lasting memories, building confidence, and forming new friendships. Tag rugby offers numerous benefits for individuals with mild & severe learning difficulties:

  1. Physical Health: Engaging in regular physical activity through tag rugby helps improve cardiovascular health, coordination, and overall fitness.
  2. Social Skills: Participating in team sports helps with communication, cooperation, and social interaction, essential skills for personal development.
  3. Confidence Building: Achieving goals and mastering new skills on the field boosts self-esteem and confidence.
  4. Inclusion and Belonging: Being part of a team provides a sense of community and belonging, which is especially important for children with learning difficulties.