SEND Rugby celebrated at Katiefest in Oxfordshire
Inclusive rugby teams from across Oxfordshire enjoyed a brilliant day of sport and celebration at Katie Fest 2025.
Hosted by Witney RFC, the event welcomed players from Banbury RFC, Gosford All Blacks RFC, and Wallingford RFC, being joined by Berkshire Brigands, Norton MAR (Gloucestershire), Old Leamingtonians and Trinity Titans.
The event offered opportunities for all ages and abilities to take part in tag rugby, obstacle courses, and adapted mini and junior games.
Katie Fest is named in memory of former Wallingford Wolves player Katie Peel, who passed away last year.
With the full support of her father John, founder of Wallingford Wolves, the county's SEND rugby community unanimously agreed to name the festival in her honour.
The event aimed to raise awareness of SEND rugby and to bring joy to those involved. Judging by the smiles on the day, it was a great success.
Reflecting on the event, John said: “The first KatieFest in 2024 was organised by Darren Rea at Gosford All Blacks and it was a wonderfully joyous and emotional day for us personally, coming as it did just three months after Kate’s death.
“It laid the foundations for a whole slew of SEND rugby activities in Oxfordshire: KatieFest 2025 was brilliantly organised by Gareth and his team at Witney RFC and showed how an event of this kind could become an annual event for all the SEND rugby teams in and around Oxfordshire.”
Darren Rea, Co-Chair of Diversity, Inclusion, and Equality at the Oxfordshire RFU, said: “Rugby is a great sport for SEND: the rules, engagement, and opportunity to adapt the games in so many ways have astounded us with some of the long-term benefits that it has been shown to have.
“We’ve seen the impact the regular sessions have, from confidence building, improved mental and physical health, as well as socialisation and friendships made.”
The clubs have also reported strong outcomes beyond the pitch. Half of their players in their twenties are in employment, a figure that stands well above the national average of 22 percent for disabled people.
Darren added: “People talk at all levels of rugby about camaraderie and family. The SEND group is no different.
“These young adults are deciding to move into supported living, sharing together. While I’d never say it’s all down to rugby, it shows just how impactful providing this provision can be.”
Oxfordshire is the first English county to have a SEND representative team. The Wolves represent the county alongside SEND teams from all four club sides.
The group recently played in a curtain raiser before the Championship match between Chinnor and Coventry.
Katie Fest 2025 was a celebration of inclusion, teamwork, and rugby's powerful role in bringing people together. Plans for next year's event, to take place in April 2026, are already in full swing.
