YOUNG people in a Southern African country have been kitted out to enjoy their favourite sport — thanks to the generous response to an appeal in West Devon.

Rugby kit from all over the area were donated to help young people in Swaziland following an appeal in the Times by Tavistock Rugby Club chairman Nigel Larcombe-Williams.

Nigel made the appeal ahead of a trip to Swaziland in July. He aimed to take as much kit as possible to donate to young rugby players who have nothing in which to play sport.

Nigel, his wife, Christina, children Ollie, 17, and Cyrus, 9, club secretary Jeff Lawson, first team coach Steve Luffman and membership secretary Rodney Glanville visited the landlocked country last month.

Swaziland recently surpassed Botswana as the country with the world's highest known rate of HIV/AIDS infection — 42% of the 958,000 population. The average life expectancy is 32.

The charity SKRUM, (Swaziland Kids Rugby Mission) was set up by Yorkshireman Michael Collinson and his wife, Linda, to help children, young people and 'families headed by children' through a health education programme supported by the promotion of rugby competitions in all the country's schools.

Nigel said the main issue facing the children was poverty — yet their enthusiasm was undimmed.

He said: 'They are frighteningly positive children with nothing but their spirit and belief — you can see the sadness in their eyes however. It's very humbling.  

'The kit we collected is to support these kids and boy did they appreciate it.'

Nigel's son, Ollie, and Steve Luffman — whose opticians' practices were used as collection points for kit — both trained with the Swazi national team and undertook coaching sessions in schools with girls and boys, as did Jeff Lawson.

They taught children tag rugby while SKRUM worked with teachers to promote the SKRUM mantra 'Pass the Ball – not the virus'!

Nigel said the on-going relationship between Tavistock Rugby Club, the young Swazi people and SKRUM was very important and he wanted to set up letter exchanges between them and the two TRFC girls' teams.

'I hope letter exchanges can help build relationships with girls who head many Swazi households due to the death of parents from AIDS  — they are particularly vulnerable and support like this creates a sense of self-esteem which is vital to support the running of families,' said Nigel.

'Welfare is about poverty and health protection and protection from violence — the difference is that Swazi kids have to cope alone — or in splintered families on little or no money — no shoes and few clothes for example, hence the kit initiative which we are still collecting and sending via IRB KIT Aid.'

Nigel said donations included small bags left anonymously with a pair of boots, to the entire Bere Alston RFC kit.

Help also came from Tavistock and Ivybridge colleges, with donations from Paignton, Sidmouth and Saltash.

'We all want to say a big thank you to the rugby fraternity who turned out in force and gave us so much support.

'We are arranging player exchanges with the Swazi Rugby Union to build coaching links and with the help of IRB KIT AID we are sending over more kit.

'Young players from Tavistock Rugby Club will be able to go to Swaziland on exchanges to coach and support SKRUM.'

Nigel said: 'I and Tavistock Rugby Club will build on these links with a special lunch at the club in November, when Michael and the Swazi RFU visit Tavistock for our 1st XV home league match against Camborne RFC.

'Put it in your diary and come along to a great fundraiser for the good of rugby and children.'

To find out more about SKRUM's work, go to http://www.skrum.org">www.skrum.org