
Local rugby volunteer 'overwhelmed' after award win
Over the past two years, Becky has helped the girls' section of the club grow from just a handful of players to over 50 active participants.
And despite being the one to get the nod, Becky was quick to hail the impact of all the volunteers at Minchinhampton.
'It's really lovely,' she said. 'I don't do it for the recognition, I do it because I love it, because the girls love playing.
'It's great to have been chosen but it is a little bit overwhelming for me because I know of all the great jobs other people do.
'After all, I can't do what I do without the coaches, without the referees, without the families or without the other volunteers at the club. It really is a team effort.'
Becky (second from the right) with Mike Webb and Alex Norman, coaches at Minchinhampton RFC and Red Rose Mackenzie Carson (Image: Becky Scanlon-Brown)The Honda Volunteer of the Year awards are part of the Honda Volunteer Recognition Programme which provides a platform to recognise the volunteers who make up such an integral part of the game.
The awards recognise those who have had a major impact in their clubs and communities and demonstrated their commitment to the game over the past 12 months.
Becky first felt inspired to get involved after realising that her daughter might not have the opportunity to play the game at secondary school age without there being a girls' team to play for.
Since then, Becky, whose full-time job is as a senior customer development manager for Mondelez, owners of Cadbury, has been an instrumental figure at the club and spearheaded a range of different projects and initiatives.
They include the implementation of the Cotswold Lionesses Hub, a collaboration between Minchinhampton, Cirencester and Faringdon rugby clubs which provides over 120 girls with the opportunity to access rugby in a structured and supportive environment, enrichment trips and finding creative ways to increase retention rates and help players through various personal challenges.
'The girls are phenomenal,' Scanlon-Brown continued.
'They reward each other, and they see the value of playing together in a team.
'We have a number of players within our team with neurodiverse traits too and we celebrate each other and their superpower. I'm so proud of all the girls.
'One day, it would be wonderful to say that this team has been able to produce somebody that has gone on to make their passion into a career. That would be amazing, and it would be great to have that legacy.'
Volunteers are the backbone of grassroots rugby in England. If you'd like to get involved and make a difference at your community club, visit: www.englandrugby.com/volunteering
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