With the help of official vehicle partner, Bassetts Citroen, Ospreys in the Community are able to reach even more people across the region.
The provision of four vehicles enable the team to be in more places at once to create an even bigger impact on the community, inevitably leading to the charity’s increased effectiveness within Ospreylia.
During the 2017/18 season, OitC engaged with over 45,000 people. However, thanks to the support and generosity of Bassetts Citroen, providing the team with four new specially branded vehicles – two C3 Aircrosses, the Citroen Dispatch and Citroen Berlingo – Ospreys in the Community are able to take to the road more frequently, travel to more areas within the region, and are able to transport equipment more efficiently.
Bassetts are vital to the delivery of the many programmes and camps, as the four vehicles are used to transport both staff and equipment to schools, rugby clubs and events. The Dispatch, with its 1400kg payload and over 4m load length means that bigger pieces of rugby equipment can be taken out on the road than ever before. The easier transportation of equipment and the ability to frequently visit various locations, means that thousands of young people, more than ever before, are benefitting immensely from the activities and programmes set in place by OitC. Without the support of Bassetts, this level of effectiveness would not be possible.
The expansion of the team’s effectiveness, as a result of the means of transport that Bassetts have provided, is evident in the extent of events that OitC staff are able to simultaneously deliver across the length and breadth of the region.
As a result of these vehicles, Ospreys in the Community are able to carry out numerous school sessions in various locations across the region in all points of the compass, north, south east and west.
Many events held across the region have also been possible due to the support of Bassetts. OitC have hosted events such as: Fit and Fed in Ystalyfera and Bettws, the Hillympics, the Looked After Children Education in Llandarcy Academy of Sport and also other events held at Bishop Gore Comprehensive School.
These cars have been travelling far and wide across Ospreylia, especially with the delivery of Rugby Festivals and the TRY Programme Player Visits. The Wizards League held at Llandarcy Academy of Sport, as well as the other festivals held at Bae Baglan Comprehensive School, Morriston Comprehensive School and Cefn Saeson Comprehensive school have made for numerous journeys in the Citroen vehicles. Furthermore, the vehicles have also been key to the TRY Programme, enabling the transportation of the Ospreys players to numerous schools, such as: Gendros Primary, Plasmarl Pimary, Maes y Coed Primary, Talycopa Primary, Tremains Primary, Birchgrove Primry, YGG y Cwm, Oakleigh House Primary, Pontlliw Primary, Bryncethin Primary, YGG Y Login Fach, Mynydd Cynffig Primary. While this is a chance for pupils to meet players, it also gives them the opportunity for a Q&A session, which is of an educational benefit to the pupils.
The vehicles are instrumental to the team, and are well used, as OitC are continuously taking to the road to ensure optimum effectiveness across Ospreylia. As well as the regular Rugby Camps, held at Archbishop McGrath High School, Bishopston Comprehensive School and Llandarcy Academy of Sport, the cars are also used in the Ospreys in the Community’s Club Nights. These Club Nights means that over 1,000 young players from U7s to U16s teams at 15 different Ospreylian sides will have the opportunity to build and develop new skills from the OitC coaches, while also having plenty of fun playing games with some Ospreys players.
Bassett’s have enabled the charity to complete more events and as a result, have meant that they are able to engage with an increasing number of young people, and boost the self-esteem and self-confidence of these young people through these sporting and educational events. While the vehicles have been key to the transportation of equipment and staff to the Ospreys in the Community ICC events, held at Heronsbridge; they have also been a vital part of OitC’s TACKLE Traineeship programme. A scheme which demands mobility of staff in order to sufficiently deliver all elements of the overall programme to the attendees.
Evidently, in the generosity of Bassetts Citroen, commercial partners are vital to the growth of the charity. The Ospreys in the Community has expanded from two members of staff to ten in less than three years and not only is this partly as a result of the close working relationships that OitC has with their commercial partners, but also the support of these partners have allowed the charity to maximise its effectiveness through its diverse range of activities and events. OitC’s commercial partners allow them to augment their engagement with as many people as possible within the region, enabling them to make an impact within the region and to make a difference to so many young people’s lives across Ospreylia.
The provision of these four vehicles by Bassett Citroen are so important to Ospreys in the Community, as the tremendous amount of work that the charity delivers to so many young people within the region, really wouldn’t be possible without their support.
Sam Thomas, Sales Manager, Bassetts Citroen added:
“We’re delighted to have been able to further support Ospreys in the Community by providing them with the Citroen Dispatch and Berlingo vans in addition to the C3’s. We’re very proud to be official vehicle partners of such a hardworking charity and it’s a pleasure to see the distinctive vehicles around South Wales supporting people in so many different ways.”
