From school activities and free holiday camps to tackling loneliness and improving wellbeing, Tai Calon and Dragons RFC are using the power of sport to make a difference across Blaenau Gwent.
For three years, Tai Calon Community Housing and Dragons RFC have worked together to create opportunities for people of all ages to get active, build confidence and feel more connected to their communities.
Supported by £10,000 from the Travis Perkins Community Legacy Fund, alongside Tai Calon’s partnership support, what began as a primary school physical literacy programme has grown into a much wider community initiative. And the impact goes far beyond sport.
Through Healthy Dragons, 15 primary schools and 672 pupils have taken part in regular sessions, developing movement skills, teamwork and confidence.
Pupils at Pen-Y-Cwm School’s additional learning needs provision benefit from completely free sessions, while reduced costs help make the programme accessible to more schools across Blaenau Gwent.
Feedback from pupils and teachers highlights growing confidence, new friendships, improved communication and greater enthusiasm for sport.
The partnership is also helping children stay active during the holidays. Three free Fit, Fed & Fun camps welcomed 150 children, with breakfast and lunch provided.
Sports festivals have brought schools together to celebrate participation, teamwork and fair play, giving children opportunities to try something new and build lasting memories.
The partnership aims to help young people discover opportunities that continue long after their first session.
So far, 18 children have progressed to local sports clubs, helping to create a pathway from school activities to community sport.
Give Rugby A Try is an anti-social behaviour (ASB) project that provides positive evening activities for young people aged 11–16. With an average of 17 young people attending each week during 2025/26, it encourages friendship, respect and participation in sport, while helping to address antisocial behaviour in local communities.
Future Dragons at Nantyglo RFC offers further coaching opportunities, helping young people develop their skills in a supportive environment.
The introduction of T1 Rugby in secondary schools is further extending opportunities. Fully funded by Tai Calon through the Travis Perkins Community Legacy Fund, the programme removes the financial barrier for participating schools and helps pupils develop teamwork, communication and confidence.
New for 2025/26, the six-week Fit & Fuel programme also helps primary-school pupils explore nutrition, hydration, exercise, sleep and recovery, giving them practical knowledge to make healthier choices. Available in Welsh and English, it combines classroom learning with fun, practical activities.
The partnership isn’t just about children and young people.
Sporting Memories brings adults aged 50 and over together through shared sporting memories, quizzes, games and conversation. Sessions are adapted to support inclusion, including for people living with dementia or Parkinson’s and those who use wheelchairs.
More than 20 people attend every week, while the annual Christmas celebration brought together over 200 people.
It’s a powerful example of how community activities can create friendships, reduce isolation and help people feel part of something.
Sometimes, one moment captures the impact better than any statistic.
At a Dragons RFC session supported by Tai Calon, Caitlin, a pupil at Pen Y Cwm School’s additional learning needs provision, walked unaided for the first time.
Her teachers were amazed by her progress, and the moment brought huge emotion to everyone who witnessed it. The achievement was later recognised with the Moment of the Year award at Dragons RFC’s first Community Awards Ceremony.
Caitlin’s story is a reminder that these sessions are about much more than sport. They create opportunities for children to build confidence, develop independence and achieve things that matter to them and the people around them.
It also shows why inclusive opportunities are so important: every child deserves the chance to participate, progress and experience success.
For Tai Calon, this partnership shows how community investment can create social value beyond the homes we provide.
Its impact is reflected in participation figures, progression into local sports clubs, feedback from pupils and teachers and reported improvements in confidence, teamwork, skills and inclusion.
Following its third year, the partnership aims to reach more schools, strengthen links with the Welsh Rugby Union and local clubs, and continue developing opportunities through programmes such as Fit & Fuel, T1 Rugby and Future Dragons.
There is more to do, but the progress so far shows what can happen when organisations work together to remove barriers and respond to community needs.
Because this partnership is about more than sport. It’s about healthier choices, greater confidence, stronger connections and brighter futures across Blaenau Gwent.