It might be raining, it might be cold, it’ll definitely be muddy but it’s still going to be a bright day at CIYMS MINI RUGBY FESTIVAL on the weekend of 26TH-27TH March 2011. Whatever the weather, the CI mini rugby players promise to bring a ray of sunshine to the pitches and beyond when they run on wearing bright yellow socks to mark their support for THE NORTHERN IRELAND CANCER FUND FOR CHILDREN.
Over 1000 mini rugby players and spectators are expected to attend the two-day mini rugby festival, which will take place at the Belmont Grounds in East Belfast. Other mini rugby clubs playing in the Festival are Ards, Bangor, Ballyclare, Ballymena, Cooke, Donaghadee and Instonians.
The CIYMS FESTIVAL OF MINI RUGBY is in its third year and it’s become a tradition that CIYMS take the opportunity to fundraise at the event for a different charity every year and the host players show their support on the pitch by swapping their blue club socks for the charity’s colour.
This year, the young rugby players are also planning to come to the festival with a rugby sock full of “brown money” to boost the funds collected over the weekend.
Commenting on the launch of the 2011 event , Convener Richie Weir said;
“The CIYMS MINI RUGBY FESTIVAL is eagerly anticipated by all our mini rugby players as it’s always a great weekend of running rugby and fun for all the players and their families. It’s also an opportunity for the club to play a part in raising funds for a local charity. This year we will be collecting throughout the festival for the NI Cancer Fund for Children which is a local charity doing fantastic work for children and teenagers battling with cancer and their families. We are hoping everyone pulls out all the stops to help support them.”
Dawn Weir, Community Fundraiser with the Northern Ireland Cancer Fund for Children, commented,
“We are delighted that CIYMS Festival of Mini Rugby has chosen to support the Northern Ireland Cancer Fund for Children and look forward to this fantastic event. Every week in Northern Ireland, another three children or young people will be diagnosed with cancer. It is thanks to the generosity and support of local communities and clubs like CIMYS that the NICFC is able to meet the needs of hundreds of families coming to terms with a childhood cancer diagnosis by providing practical, emotional, social and financial support at a time when it is most needed.”
