University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire (UHCW) NHS Trust has launched Compassionate Rugby, a community movement to help Rugby recover from Covid-19.
Many people live with feelings of loneliness and don’t feel they belong to a community, however during the pandemic there was a strong positive reaction from communities which helped bring people together with many people reaching out to support each other, often connecting with their neighbours for the first time.
Compassionate Rugby appeals to this same spirit and hopes to build a movement of compassion to ensure that the Rugby community is able to continue supporting each other.
Head of Compassionate Communities, the Revd Simon Betteridge, Chaplain at UHCW, explained what the initiative will mean to the Rugby community:
“Compassionate Rugby is a movement through which it is hoped that people of different ages and backgrounds will join together, learning more about each other, and creating new ways to support one another and celebrate what it means to be part of the community in Rugby."
The movement started this month with Story Circles, where people are given a voice and an opportunity to share their experiences with others in their community. Story Circles are a simple, powerful way to get to know each other better, and for everyone to be valued and heard. Open to everyone – individuals, businesses, community groups, young and old.
The Compassionate Rugby team are looking for volunteers to be community befrienders and help create circles of support around each other.
Find out more at www.compassionaterugby.co.uk