The Falcons Community Foundation has won the Impact Award at the EDF Energy Parliamentary Citizenship Awards, for its Touch Rugby initiative.

The Touch Rugby programme gets 950 adults active each year (40% of which are female, 35% of which haven’t done any form of physical activity in past year).

Louise Poole of EDF Energy said, “EDF Energy is delighted to be sponsoring this year’s Parliamentary Citizenship Awards in association with Premier Rugby.

"EDF Energy strives to be an excellent corporate citizen through its involvement with rugby, from the grassroots level with the EDF Energy National Schools Rugby Programme to the elite level with the EDF Energy Cup. We are pleased to be able to help recognise other innovative and impactful work by professional rugby clubs through these awards.”

EDF Energy is already working closely with Premier Rugby as an official Community Partner. All twelve Guinness Premiership clubs including National One Division clubs, Cornish Pirates and Exeter Chiefs are operating the EDF Energy National Schools Rugby Programme, which has exposed over 70,000 children throughout England to tag rugby.

Premier Rugby Limited, Chief Executive, Mark McCafferty said: “The commitment of the clubs, their supporters and partners is growing every year.

"The players and coaches are fantastic role models. Together this creates a hugely positive environment which means you can really do things to address the health, fitness, education and social exclusion agendas. My message to the public policy makers is: we're developing rapidly, we helping to solve tough social problems, come and talk to us.”

To celebrate the community work of its clubs, Premier Rugby has launched Professional Rugby in the Community, www.rugbyinthecommunity.com , a new blog about community work in the Guinness Premiership and sport’s role in addressing larger social issues.

You can learn more about the EDF Energy Parliamentary Citizenship Awards on the Professional Rugby in the Community blog, at www.rugbyinthecommunity.com.