Always on
This project successfully funded on 17th August 2025, you can still support them with a donation.
Mums Who Play Rugby
Bristol, Bristol City, United Kingdom
Aim
We are group of mums who hope to raise funds to provide help with childcare, physio support or any other rugby related costs for our members
Who are we?
Trish welcomed her son, Leon into the world in April 2024, having trained throughout her pregnancy with Bath Rugby Ladies (obviously non-contact) and Southern Academy of Sport. She then started her return to play training from 6 weeks, with the support from Mae Physiotherapy’s, Mummy MOT, got back on the pitch 6months postpartum, and continued to play throughout the 2024-25 season. During the return to play training, in August 2024, Trish set up a Facebook group for mums who play rugby. It was born out of an idea of trying to connect with other mums who had navigated the complex world of taking part in a physical contact sport alongside parenting challenges like, breastfeeding, sleepless nights, childcare, mum guilt and many other difficulties!
Inspired by her previous team mate from Bristol Rugby Ladies, Daisy, Trish knew it was possible for mums to play rugby after having children and they both felt that sharing knowledge and experiences was a really useful tool for other mums. Fast forward to Summer 2025 and the Facebook group has over 600 members including members from Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, England, The Philippines, Wales, Ireland and Scotland, and they are about to play their first tournament as an invitational team, The Maa Maas, in August 2025. The stories that mums share are honest and inspiring, covering topics like; the best high impact nursing sports bras, how to coordinate childcare for training/matches, assuaging mum guilt for taking time for ourselves, also actual rugby skills / training tips and advice.
The group has grown organically to become a brilliant forum for mums navigating all sorts of logistical and emotional challenges whilst playing rugby, the hive mind at its finest. We are all super passionate about this sport, and mums in it, and know personally how beneficial being part of a rugby team and community can be for a mother's mental health.
Why are we crowdfunding?
We would like to offer any of our members that need it financial support which will allow them to continue to play the brilliant game of rugby alongside motherhood. This could be money to go towards arranging childcare on training nights and game days, covering the cost of a mummy MOT physio appointment, or money to help buy a nursing sports bra for those breastfeeding. Being a mum, especially a new mum, can be isolating and we can lose our sense of self and purpose. Mums who play rugby is bringing people together! However, not everyone can afford regular childcare, transport or membership fees for their clubs. We want to make the group a place where mums can get help to play the amazing sport of rugby!
How we’ll spend the money raised
The money will exist as a rolling fund that members can apply to, our first tournament is on the 30 August 2025 so players in the Maa Maas team can ask for help with costs for that event specifically.
Community impact
The wave of momentum behind all women sport is huge at the moment, not just mums, but rugby has always been at the forefront celebrating players returning to play in such high profile cases as Abbie Ward (Bristol Bears, featured in ITV Doc Bump In The Road) and there are a number of other mothers in the premiership performing at the highest level and showing what's possible, alongside Englands most capped player, Sarah Hunter, recently returning from maternity leave to continue to coach the Red Roses, England Rugby. We want to bring a focus to those at grassroots level, who may not have the same support and professional set-up/network and combine strength in numbers to come up with ways to practically help access to this sport for grassroots mums.
How you can play your part
There are four simple ways to help us reach our target, and make this project a reality.
1. Make a pledge. Don’t delay if you’re going to support us because momentum is key to our success!
2. Spread the word. Share our project on your social media pages and tell the world to get behind us! The more people we reach, the more support we will get.
3. Offer rewards. Get involved if you are a local business by donating things we can offer to our supporters. We will give you a shout out!
4. Fundraise for us. If you want to run your own fundraiser – maybe a sponsored activity or similar – use the 'contact project' button at the top of our page to let us know. Setting up your own page only takes a few minutes and you won’t need any bank details. Just a fun idea!
Funding method
Keep what you raise – this project will receive all pledges made