Dear Supporter

Thank you for taking the time to read our fundraising page, it is really appreciated. Any support you can provide will be gratefully received.

Midlife is not the beginning of the end but the end of the beginning! We have been working with Mind in Ystradgynlais to help promote physical and mental well being for our middle aged team members in the Upper Swansea Valley and beyond. In these uncertain times, there is even greater pressure on mental well being and we would like to raise money for Mind so as to continue their excellent specialist support.

YOGITS is an over 35s touch rugby club based in Ystradgynlais. This inclusive club was established in late 2017 with initially only five members to play touch rugby on a Thursday evening. Today we boast over 50 in the wider group and 30+ regular players.

• 30+ people who get huge rewards for practicing the sport they love even though the original route was closed to them

• 30+ people who run, fall, laugh and smile every Thursday evening for an hour with people they know and people they never met before

• 30+ people who, now connected, will help each other if needed in personal matters or in some cases business matters.

We offer a weekly opportunity for members to continue playing rugby in an enjoyable, non-pressured manner to prove that age is no barrier. There is a wide range of playing abilities. We have representations from all of the rugby clubs from the Upper Swansea Valley and beyond. The emphasis being on participation rather than competition. Our range of players include those still playing rugby in their sixtieth year!

Members have welcomed the physical and mental health benefits that participative touch rugby has provided. Proving that it’s about more than rugby, new friendships have been made, weekly meet ups at the club have provided an excellent sense of belonging and community that the sport brings.

During the Covid19 pandemic, we have been unable to play our weekly touch rugby game and look forward to the day when it is safe again to do so. However, recognising the importance of the impact of physical activity on wellbeing, as a group, we've decided to challenge ourselves!

Collectively, we're going to run/waddle/walk/cycle a distance equivalent to the journey between all 6 nations grounds. That's Ystradgynlais to Cardiff to Dublin to Edinburgh to London to Paris to Rome and back to Ystradgynlais.

That is 4000 miles (through our individual daily exercise activity - therefore, no lockdown rules will be broken (we wont go further than 20 miles from our homes!!)) and social distancing will be observed at all times! In the process, we aim to raise £1000 for Mind Ystradgynlais.

Your support is greatly received.

YOGITS RFC