Many of you will have met Georgia Petty already this season, or at least you would have seen her around on a Sunday and wondered who she was and what she is doing here! Too young to have kids, too old to be playing, who is she? Well, Georgia has taken on arguably the most important role in the Club, that of Safeguarding Officer.

Safeguarding children is our first priority in the junior section of the Club and it will always be so. It is also an area of huge investment both financially and time wise for the RFU and HRFU and the training and system they have put in place is leading the way for sports governing bodies in this Country. Georgia, an Early Years teacher by day, has now completed the necessary training and will be making sure or Club Safeguarding Policy, that can be viewed HERE, is adhered to. If you are a coach, manager first aider or helper you will be 'summoned' to renew your DBS when appropriate, plus you will be kept abreast of any updates or changes to the safeguarding policy of the RFU or the Club.

If you are a parent please feel free to approach Georgia with any concerns no matter how small, or just to say hello she is very friendly!

Georgia can be contacted on at safeguarding.officer@altonrfc.club

Andy Gay is still very much part of the Safeguarding set up, however Andy will be concentrating on the new role of Rugbysafe Officer which is primarily concerned with injuries and particularly the reporting and managing of head injuries.

Whist we are on the subject, as I said the RFU Safeguarding course is excellent and we would like to encourage as many coaches and managers to attend the first part ‘Play It Safe’, it is a really interesting and eye opening course which not only covers the areas you think you know about but many you may not have considered to be Safeguarding related. If any parents wish to attend you are more than welcome so please let us know, we really should have a minimum of two people per age group who have attended the course and can then assist Georgia as she can only be in one place at a time. If we get enough interest we will be able to host a course in the Clubhouse which is way more convenient. I put my own safety at risk by attending one in Basingstoke!

RUPERT VITORIA
Junior Chairman