NOW the rugby season has finished it's a good time to clear out unwanted kit — and there's an opportunity to put it to very good use.

Nigel Larcombe-Williams, chairman of Tavistock Rugby Club, is travelling to South Africa for the British Lions Tour this summer and while he is in the Southern Hemisphere, he intends visiting a charity doing vital work to help children in Swaziland.

SKRUM helps give schoolchildren much needed education in health awareness and sexually transmitted diseases and tries to combat persistent problems of domestic violence which exist in the country.

The charity's volunteers aim to develop the ability of children from poor families, educate them in the principles of rugby and help develop their personalities and life skills.

They visit six schools a week, coaching and educating around 60 children at each, with the aim of creating a 'mini league' between the schools and rugby clubs in the future.

Nigel said: 'It's really good grass roots stuff, and it's supported by top people like Josh Lewsey and Richard Hill.

'They don't have a lot of money but what they are doing is quite phenomenal, and it's all being done in conjunction with the Swazi government.'

Nigel said the charity really needs unwanted rugby kit of any sort — whether it was balls, socks, shorts, shirts or boots.

He intends to take as much kit with him as possible when he leaves for Johannesburg on July 1. Any excess will go in a container via Charity SOS IRB Kitaid .

Nigel said: 'As chairman of a local rugby club with 250 children involved in playing rugby, and as welfare manager of Devon RFU, I see many people benefiting in this country from rugby's values as ethos.

'Children are vulnerable wherever they live but nowhere more so than in places like Swaziland where SKRUM makes a real difference at ground level — working with vulnerable children to try to secure better futures through education, using rugby training days as the medium through which to teach health awareness and respect for each other — just seemed right to me.

'I've already had about 14 lots of kit donated to me which is amazing. South African Airways are being very good about the baggage allowances — we'll drive straight to Swaziland when we get there, deliver the stuff, then go back and watch the Lions!' he said.

Anyone who would like to donate any unwanted rugby kit can either leave it at 12 Fitzford Cottages in Tavistock, or in the entrance hall of Tavistock Rugby Club, which is under cover, and leave Nigel a message on 01822 612349 — he will pick it up from there.

Leonard Gibson opticians in Plymouth are also offering collection points.

'A shirt here and there, some shorts, socks, anything to do with rugby, it will all get there and it will all be used, big time,' said Nigel.

For more information about SKRUM, go to http://www.skrum.org">www.skrum.org