Who is the Official Finance Partner of the Novuna London Athletics Meet?

Novuna, the trading name of Mitsubishi HC Capital UK PLC, is the Official Finance Partner of British Athletics and title partner of the Novuna London Athletics Meet.

When is the Novuna London Athletics Meet 2026?

The Novuna London Athletics Meet forms part of the 2026 Wanda Diamond League season, which runs from Doha on May 8 through to the two day series final in Brussels on September 4 to 5. The London event is on July 18.

What is ClubConnect at the Novuna London Athletics Meet?

ClubConnect is British Athletics' club points campaign, with elite athletes earning points for their club across the Championship events. At the Novuna London Athletics Meet, age groups race winner takes all, with the winning club receiving a £500 grant.

What is Spond's role at the Novuna London Athletics Meet?

Spond is the Official Team Management Partner of the Novuna London Athletics Meet and Presenting Partner of ClubConnect, supporting the relay races that showcase young athletes from clubs across London and the Home Counties.

What is the Novuna London Athletics Meet?

The Novuna London Athletics Meet is a Wanda Diamond League fixture held at London Stadium, bringing some of the world's top track and field athletes together for one of the standout events on the international athletics calendar.

How do rugby club fundraising ideas like Spot the Ball and Superdraw compare to sponsorship?

Sponsorship depends on finding and retaining local businesses willing to commit funds, which can take months. Spot the Ball and Superdraw give committees a fundraising option they control.

Do we need a big following to use Spot the Ball?

No. Spot the Ball works well for groups of any size.

When is the next Superdraw prize?

The next major Superdraw prize is set for Halloween, with sales going live on October 1st.

How much can a rugby club raise with Superdraw?

Superdraw totals depend on how many members and supporters take part, but clubs running campaigns have regularly raised up to £5,000 or more. Prize tiers are always announced before the draw goes live.

What is Spot the Ball and how does it work for rugby clubs?

Spot the Ball is a photo based competition built into Spond. A club uploads a rugby image, such as a lineout or a conversion attempt, with the ball digitally removed. Members and supporters pay a small entry fee to guess where the ball was, and the closest guess wins a cash prize.

How do I turn campers into club members?

Promote your autumn sessions during the week, run a taster of regular training, and follow up with parents in September. Collecting contact details with consent at booking makes that follow-up simple.

How do I collect bookings and payments easily?

Use an app that lets parents register and pay from their phone. Spond lets you set up the event, take payment, and gather medical and consent details in one place, which removes the friction that loses bookings.

What do I need in place before running a camp?

You need valid DBS checks for all coaches, the correct staff-to-child ratios, on-site first aid, and insurance that covers holiday provision rather than just regular training. Confirm all of this well before the first day.

How much should I charge for a holiday club?

Most UK clubs charge between 25 and 40 pounds for a full day, depending on the area and what is included. Offer discounts for full-week and sibling bookings, and register for Tax-Free Childcare if you can, as it widens your market.

When should I start planning summer holiday clubs?

Start in spring. Aim to open bookings in May or June so you have time to promote the camp and fill places. Clubs that leave it until July almost always end up with empty spots and a last-minute scramble.

Is Spond free for schools?

Yes. Spond is free to use for clubs, schools and teams, with no cost for the core scheduling, attendance, payment and messaging features.

How can a school rugby app help with parent communication?

It gives a programme a single trusted channel to reach every family with fixture details, safety information and updates. That helps close the gap between parental perception of rugby and the reality of the age-grade game, which is one of the biggest challenges schools face in keeping numbers up.

How safe is rugby at school level?

According to Neil Rollings of the RFU's National Rugby Leadership Programme for Schools, the data shows injury risk only really rises from age 16, and the age-grade game has never been safer. Much of the public anxiety comes from coverage of the professional game rather than school rugby itself.

Is UK school rugby actually in decline?

Recent findings reported by The Telegraph suggest the picture is more positive than the headlines. An ICE survey found 75 per cent of established rugby-playing schools have the same or more boys playing than three years ago, with 640 teams in RFU schools' competitions in 2026. Numbers are lower than two decades ago, largely because contact rugby can no longer be made compulsory, but the decline has levelled off.

What is a school rugby app and what does it do?

A school rugby app is a tool that lets staff and volunteers manage a rugby programme in one place, covering fixtures, attendance, squad selection, payments, consent forms and group messaging. It replaces the mix of spreadsheets, email chains and WhatsApp groups most school sport relies on, which saves the volunteers running the programme a significant amount of time.

How can we turn camp attendees into full club members?

Capture each family's details during booking, then follow up afterwards with a warm invitation to a taster session or to register for the new season. Mentioning what their child enjoyed at camp makes the invitation feel personal and lifts the response.

How do we fill places without spending money on advertising?

Start with your existing club families, who are your warmest audience, via Spond. Then reach out through local community groups, nearby primary schools, and your own social media. Word of mouth and a few good photos from past camps do most of the work.

Do we need qualified coaches and DBS checks for a holiday camp?

Yes. Anyone coaching children should hold the relevant qualifications and an in date DBS check, and you should meet your governing body's coach to child ratios. First aid cover and collected medical and consent information for every child are essential too.

What should we charge for a summer football camp?

Price it around your actual costs plus a sensible margin, and check what other local providers charge. Full day camps in the UK commonly sit between twenty and forty pounds per child per day, with sibling and early bird discounts to encourage early bookings.

How far in advance should we plan a summer football camp?

Aim to confirm your dates, venue, and coaching staff at least two to three months ahead. This gives you time to open bookings early, market the camp properly, and reach the numbers you need before the summer holidays begin.

How many events should a school sports day include?

A well-structured sports day typically runs between eight and twelve events. A mix of individual and team events, classic races and novelty challenges, and high-intensity and lower-impact activities gives every participant something to engage with. Always build in recovery time and water breaks, particularly in summer heat.

What equipment do you need to run a school sports day?

The basics — traffic cones, measuring tape, hula hoops, bean bags, and sacks — cover most events. Foam javelins, a large parachute, water balloons, and relay batons extend the programme significantly. Most schools already have the majority in their PE store; the rest can be sourced inexpensively or borrowed from other local schools or clubs.

How can Spond help with organising a sports day?

Spond makes it straightforward to manage the organisational side of any sports day. You can create the event, send invitations, collect attendance confirmations, assign volunteer roles, and communicate changes — all through one free platform. It's particularly well suited to schools and clubs without a budget for paid event management tools.

How do you make sports day inclusive for all children?

Inclusivity starts with event selection. Avoid a programme that rewards only speed or strength. Multi-skill circuits, team events, accuracy-based throwing challenges, and seated alternatives all help ensure different children can contribute meaningfully. Novelty events like welly wanging or water balloon toss can level the playing field entirely.

What is the best age group for sports day events?

Most sports day ideas can be adapted for children aged 5 to 16 with the right modifications. Younger children respond best to novelty events like egg and spoon, sack races, and parachute games. Older children tend to engage more with team formats where tactics play a role. The key is varying the programme so no single athletic ability dominates the day.

What types of sports clubs use Spond in the UK?

Spond is used by sports clubs across a huge range of disciplines in the UK, including football, rugby, cricket, hockey, swimming, athletics, gymnastics, basketball, and many more. It is equally effective for small community clubs with a handful of volunteers and larger clubs managing dozens of teams and hundreds of members.

Can Spond handle multiple teams and volunteer groups?

Yes. Spond is designed for clubs that manage multiple teams, age groups, and volunteer categories simultaneously. You can create separate groups for different teams or volunteer roles within a single club account, giving each group its own communication thread and event calendar while maintaining an overview at club level.

How does Spond compare to using WhatsApp for volunteer coordination?

WhatsApp is useful for quick messages but is not designed for structured volunteer management. Spond adds event scheduling, attendance tracking, role assignment, and RSVP features that WhatsApp cannot replicate. It also keeps club data separate from volunteers’ personal messaging, which is better for privacy and GDPR compliance.

Is Spond really free to use?

Yes. The core Spond platform — including volunteer coordination, event management, group messaging, and availability tracking — is completely free for clubs and their members. Spond also offers optional paid features, including payment processing, fundraising and Club Website, but these are not required for effective volunteer management.

What is a volunteer management system?

A volunteer management system is a platform that helps organisations recruit, schedule, communicate with, and track their volunteers. For sports clubs, it typically includes tools for event sign-ups, availability tracking, role assignment, and group messaging — replacing the patchwork of spreadsheets and messaging apps many clubs currently rely on.

Is Spond available to football clubs across the whole of the UK?

Yes. Spond is available to clubs throughout the UK, and its fundraising tools — including Superdraw and Spot the Ball — are accessible to any club using the platform.

Do clubs need technical knowledge to run Spond fundraising campaigns?

No. Both Superdraw and Spot the Ball are fully integrated into Spond, so clubs can set up and manage campaigns directly through the app they already use. No separate tools, payment processors, or technical setup are required.

What is Spot the Ball and how does it help with fundraising?

Spot the Ball is a seven-day progressive jackpot game where participants guess the ball's position in a match photo. Prizes are awarded in gift cards, keeping players engaged throughout the season.

How does Superdraw work for football clubs?

Superdraw is a seasonal prize draw run through Spond. Clubs set ticket prices and promote the draw to members, who enter for a chance to win cash prizes.

What are the best football club fundraising ideas for grassroots clubs?

Spond's Superdraw and Spot the Ball are among the most effective options, combining low admin burden with genuine member engagement.

Where can youth sports clubs find mental health resources for young people?

Reliable UK resources include Young Minds (youngminds.org.uk), the Mental Health Foundation (mentalhealth.org.uk), and NHS Every Mind Matters. These organisations offer free, age-appropriate guidance that clubs can share directly with players and parents.

How does Spond help clubs run mental health awareness activities?

Spond allows clubs to schedule wellbeing events, send group announcements with mental health resources, collect RSVPs, and keep welfare information pinned and accessible — all in the same app players and parents already use for training and fixtures.

What mental health activities are suitable for young athletes?

Good mental health activities for young athletes include group check-ins using a traffic light system, wellbeing walks, social events with no competitive element, and sharing simple mental health tips through club communications. The goal is to normalise talking about wellbeing in a low-pressure setting.

How can youth sports clubs support players’ mental health?

Clubs can support players’ mental health by creating a safe and open environment, training coaches to spot early warning signs, running regular check-ins, signposting to professional resources, and making welfare contacts clearly visible to players and parents.

What is Mental Health Awareness Week?

Mental Health Awareness Week is observed each May and is dedicated to raising awareness of mental health conditions, reducing stigma, and encouraging people to seek support. In the UK, it aligns with activity from organisations including Mind, the Mental Health Foundation, and Young Minds.

Do I need any technical skills to set up a fundraiser in Spond?

No. Both Spot the Ball and Superdraw are designed to be set up by anyone with admin access in the Spond app or Spond Club. Creating a campaign takes under 60 seconds, and Spond provides all the digital collateral your members need to promote the fundraiser. They are deliberately built to be among the most accessible club fundraising ideas available — no technical background required.

How often does Spond Superdraw run?

Spond Superdraw runs three times a year. Clubs that incorporate it into a seasonal fundraising plan — alongside other club fundraising ideas like Spot the Ball — can use it as a reliable, repeating income stream. Each draw features a £2,500 guaranteed prize fund provided by Spond, with 65% of all entry revenue going directly to participating clubs.

Is Spot the Ball available to all sports clubs?

Spot the Ball from Spond is available to groups, teams, and non-commercial organisations in the UK via the Spond app. Entrants must be residents of Great Britain aged 16 or over. It’s one of the most widely accessible club fundraising ideas on the platform and can be used by clubs across all sports and activity types.

How much can my club raise with Spond’s fundraising tools?

There is no upper limit. Clubs using Spot the Ball have raised over £1,800 in a single seven-day campaign, while Superdraw campaigns have generated over £2,600 for a single club. The more entries your members sell, the more your club earns. Both tools are among Spond’s top club fundraising ideas because the earning potential scales directly with your community’s engagement.

What are the best club fundraising ideas for grassroots sports clubs?

Some of the most effective club fundraising ideas for grassroots sports clubs are digital competition formats that require minimal admin. Spond’s Spot the Ball and Superdraw are two of the leading options in the UK — both run inside the Spond app, both give clubs a significant share of entry revenue, and both can be set up in minutes without any specialist knowledge.

Six Nations Activities for Youth Rugby Clubs

Rugby players enjoying Six Nations activities at a Spond-organised club event

The Six Nations runs from early February through to mid-March — right in the thick of the rugby season. For rugby clubs across England, it is one of the best opportunities of the year to run Six Nations activities that go beyond the training pitch, strengthen team bonds, and genuinely get families involved.

The good news is you do not need a big budget or a full events team to pull it off. With a bit of planning and the right tools, even a small club can build a programme that players and parents will talk about long after the final whistle.

Five Six Nations Activities Worth Running at Your Club

1. Club Watch Party

Gather your squad, parents, and coaches to watch a match together. Your clubhouse, a local community hall, or a family-friendly pub with a big screen all work well. England fixtures are the obvious crowd-pleasers, but a tight Wales vs Ireland or a fizzing France vs Scotland can be just as electric.

Add a half-time quiz, a scoreline sweepstake, or a “predict the first try scorer” competition to keep everyone engaged. Make your Six Nations activities family-friendly — food, soft drinks, and a relaxed atmosphere will bring people back next time.

2. Mini Six Nations Tournament

Split your squad into six teams, name them after the tournament nations, and run a round-robin on your training pitch. Ten-minute matches, a running points table, and a final to round things off. It is simple to organise, gives everyone meaningful game time, and the competitive edge keeps energy high from first whistle to last.

3. Skills Challenge Day

Keep training sharp and fresh with a structured skills session themed around the tournament. Passing accuracy, kicking for goal, tackle bag sprints, and contested high-ball catching all translate directly to match performance. Run it as a competition — award points toward a mini-league table and watch the buy-in shoot up.

For younger age groups, this format works especially well because every player gets lots of touches and clear feedback on their progress as part of the Six Nations activities.

4. Tournament Sweepstake

Sell entries at the start of the tournament, draw nations at random, and award a prize to whoever lands the winner. Minimal effort to set up, a tidy amount raised for club funds, and it keeps everyone checking scores right through to the final weekend in March. You can run it alongside any other Six Nations activities without any extra prep.

5. Sponsored Skills Day

Turn your skills session into a fundraiser. Players collect sponsorship per try scored, tackle completed, or accurate pass made. Families get involved in cheering them on, the club raises funds for kit and tournament entry fees, and the competitive element adds genuine intensity to a session that might otherwise feel like hard work in cold February weather.

How Spond Takes the Admin Out of It

Coordinating multiple Six Nations activities across several weekends is where the admin tends to catch clubs out. Chasing RSVPs, keeping parents updated, collecting money — it adds up fast. Spond is built specifically for sports clubs, and it handles all of it:

Create events in seconds — all details shared instantly with your whole group.
RSVP tracking — members confirm directly in the app, you see numbers in real time without sending a single chaser.
Group messaging — share warm-up plans, team sheets, results, and reminders without the noise of WhatsApp group chats.
Payments — collect entry fees and sponsorship contributions directly through the platform, keeping your finances clean and transparent.

Whether you are running a single watch party or a full programme of Six Nations activities from the opening weekend to the Grand Slam finale, Spond keeps your coaches informed, your members in the loop, and your admin firmly under control — all from their phones.

Make This Six Nations Your Club’s Best Yet

The Six Nations comes around once a year. Even one well-run event can make a real difference to how your squad connects — on and off the pitch. A full programme of Six Nations activities does even more: it builds culture, raises funds, and gives players something to look forward to every weekend.

Not using Spond yet? Sign up for fre e and see why thousands of rugby clubs across the UK and Ireland trust it to keep their seasons running smoothly.

Find Out More:

FAQs

How do I organise a Six Nations watch party at my rugby club?
Start by picking a match — England fixtures tend to draw the biggest crowd. Book your venue (clubhouse, community hall, or a family-friendly pub), create an event in Spond to manage RSVPs, and add a half-time quiz or sweepstake to keep everyone engaged. Keep it family-friendly and you will likely fill the room.
What Six Nations activities work best for junior rugby players?
For younger age groups, structured activities work better than long match screenings. A mini Six Nations tournament — where players are split into six named nations and play short round-robin matches — is consistently popular. Skills challenges with clear scoring also work well, giving every player lots of touches and a sense of personal progress.
What age groups are Six Nations activities suitable for?
All of them. Watch parties and sweepstakes work for any age. For younger groups (Under 10s and below), shorter and more structured events work best. Mini-tournaments and skills days suit any age with minor format adjustments.
Do I need a licence to show matches at the clubhouse?
Possibly. Showing broadcasts in a venue open to the public may require a premises licence covering public performance. Many affiliated clubs already hold one — check with your club secretary or your RFU affiliation contact before you host.
Can Spond manage sign-ups for these events?
Yes. Create an event, share it with your group, and members RSVP directly in the app. You get a live headcount and can message everyone attending in one go — no spreadsheets needed.
When does the Six Nations take place?
The tournament runs from early February to mid-March, with matches across most weekends. This makes it ideal for building a programme of events rather than a single one-off activity.
What are the best Six Nations activities for youth rugby clubs?
The best Six Nations activities for youth clubs include watch parties, mini Six Nations tournaments, skills challenges, sweepstakes, and sponsored fundraising days. Each one builds team spirit, keeps players engaged during the tournament window, and gives parents a reason to get involved with the club.

View All

Cookie	Duration	Description
__cf_bm	1 hour	This cookie, set by Cloudflare, is used to support Cloudflare Bot Management.
cookielawinfo-checbox-analytics	11 months	This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checbox-functional	11 months	The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checbox-others	11 months	This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-advertisement	1 year	Set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin, this cookie records the user consent for the cookies in the "Advertisement" category.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary	11 months	This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance	11 months	This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
CookieLawInfoConsent	1 year	CookieYes sets this cookie to record the default button state of the corresponding category and the status of CCPA. It works only in coordination with the primary cookie.
viewed_cookie_policy	11 months	The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.

Cookie	Duration	Description
intercom-device-id-*	8 months 26 days 1 hour	Intercom sets this cookie that allows visitors to see any conversations they've had on Intercom websites.
intercom-id-*	8 months 26 days 1 hour	Intercom sets this cookie that allows visitors to see any conversations they've had on Intercom websites.
intercom-session-*	7 days	Intercom sets this cookie that allows visitors to see any conversations they've had on Intercom websites.
wp-wpml_current_language	session	WordPress multilingual plugin sets this cookie to store the current language/language settings.

Cookie	Duration	Description
_hjSession_*	1 hour	Hotjar sets this cookie to ensure data from subsequent visits to the same site is attributed to the same user ID, which persists in the Hotjar User ID, which is unique to that site.
_hjSessionUser_*	1 year	Hotjar sets this cookie to ensure data from subsequent visits to the same site is attributed to the same user ID, which persists in the Hotjar User ID, which is unique to that site.
_hjTLDTest	session	To determine the most generic cookie path that has to be used instead of the page hostname, Hotjar sets the _hjTLDTest cookie to store different URL substring alternatives until it fails.

Six Nations Activities for Rugby Clubs: Your Complete Guide