RBS 6 Nations Grand Slam winner Mike Brown has this week launched a nationwide campaign to celebrate the positive impact that rugby has on individuals, schools and communities across the UK.

The campaign marks this year’s graduation celebrations for CBRE All Schools - a programme run by England Rugby which is working with state secondary schools across the country to get over one million school children actively involved in rugby by 2019. 

One hundred of the 400 participating schools in the CBRE programme will graduate this May, after completing a three-year bespoke delivery plan which has enabled each school to transition from hands-on support to now running a self-sustained program of rugby in their school.

To celebrate the success and the positive impact CBRE ALL Schools has made, the ‘Thank You Rugby’ campaign aims to encourage schools, teachers, students, rugby fans and anyone active in the rugby community to ‘thank rugby’ for all of the benefits they personally feel that rugby has given them.

As part of the activity, the ‘Thank You Rugby’ Campaign will be supported by a dedicated App which will be live from the 23rd May, that will allow CBRE All Schools students, teachers, clubs, coaches and rugby fans from across England, the chance to ‘Thank Rugby’ for all the benefits they personally feel rugby has given them.

Brown visited The Warwick School in Redhill, Surrey, one of the 100 schools graduating from CBRE All Schools to launch the campaign.

During his visit Brown met teachers and students at the school and presented a graduation plaque to Head Teacher Ron Searle, and Mike Lockhart Rugby Teacher, to celebrate its achievements in embedding rugby as a sport and an ethos within the school.

Brown spoke candidly to the attendees about why he believes that the support from CBRE All Schools can transform lives, and why the ‘Thank You Rugby’ campaign is so relevant to him. He talked about the people who enabled him to achieve his goal of playing for England. What it means to be part of a team, the importance of discipline and respect as well as what playing for his school, clubs and England meant to him.

CBRE All Schools’ ambassador, Brown said: “Growing up I didn’t have the opportunity to play as much rugby with my school as I would have liked.

"I’m really glad to see that through the CBRE All Schools programme thousands of students who would have been in the same position are now experiencing all that rugby has to offer. 

"Being part of a team with school friends and learning values like respect and discipline will stand these new young players in good stead for life.

"I’m proud to be here today celebrating with The Warrick School as they graduate from the CBRE All Schools programme, and encourage everyone to get involved with the Thank You Rugby campaign."

Mike Lockhart, Head of PE at The Warwick School commented:“Thanks to CBRE All Schools we have been able to inspire a generation of children and provide opportunities for all of the kids that they could never have dreamed of.

"From teaching the game day to day, touch rugby sessions at lunch, learning to kick with Jonny Wilkinson, to being on the pitch at Twickenham and now having one of the top England players visit their school, the programme has given us so many opportunities.

“CBRE All Schools has helped show our kids what they can achieve and giving them something to aspire to.

"I don’t think there is any other programme for sport that gets kids to heavily involved from playing gets as us inspire and as teachers, that’s all you can ask for.”

After the presentation Mike took part in a training session with the students where he taught them some tips, passes, drills and general rugby techniques. 

CBRE All Schools Launched in September 2012, with the aim to increase the number of secondary state schools in England playing rugby union and to have over one million school children actively involved in rugby by 2019. 

CBRE All Schools achieved its aim to have 400 more state secondary schools playing rugby across the UK before last year’s world cup. 

The next aim is to extend this to 750 more schools by the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan.  

As part of CBRE All Schools, each school is provided with a bespoke three-year delivery plan and package of funding, resources and support linked to a local rugby club.

Across the three years, the programme helps schools embed rugby as a sport and an ethos, transitioning from hands-on support to a self-sustained model that can be run autonomously into the future. 

The programme shows the impact sport can have on schools, communities and society and aims to make school life happier and healthier by reducing anti-social behaviour, enhancing learning and increasing student self-esteem. 

Ciaran Bird, Managing Director at CBRE UK added: “Mike is a fantastic role model for all the students involved in CBRE All Schools.

"He shows exactly what happens when you set your mind to your ambitions and use determination, courage and strength to achieve your goals.

"Thank you rugby is a fantastic way to share as a rugby community all that rugby has provided.

"I would like to say thank you rugby for inspiration. We are delighted to support CBRE All Schools and help more students, teachers, clubs and parents enjoy rugby and its values.” 

CBRE All Schools will be awarding this year’s 100 graduating schools with their personalised plaques throughout the month of May, and will be celebrating the achievements and the impact that the legacy program has had and continues to have across the growing the rugby community with its #ThankYouRugby campaign. 

CBRE All Schools believes that being actively involved in rugby gives young people the opportunity to have fun, build lasting relationships and gain valuable skills that give them advantages in life that go beyond the sport.

Rugby fans can get involved with the ‘Thank You Rugby’ campaign by visiting the CBRE All Schools website or by following our social media pages and telling us why you would like to ‘Thank Rugby’: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thankyourugby/ , Twitter @ThankYouRugby https://twitter.com/thankyourugby hashtag #ThankYouRugby.  

You can also log on to the website where you will also be able to find details about how to download the 'Thank You Rugby’ App from the 23rd May 2016.