TV star Kaleb Cooper to present medals at Chipping Norton's Junior Festival of Rugby

Around 600 players are expected to compete in up to 60 eight- and nine-a-side teams made up of under-10 and under-11 boys and girls at this weekend's festival.

The annual festival held at the club’s Greystones base on Burford Road will open its doors to clubs from as far away as Reading and Yorkshire for the second year of the tournament.

Local Chipping Norton celebrity Kaleb Cooper agreed to present the under-10 winners' medals over the lunchtime period between 1-2pm, and a star player from Gloucester Rugby Club will present medals for the tournament's under-11 winners at around 4-4.30pm.

Chipping Norton Mini’s chair Duncan Midwood said: "This now annual event showcases the efforts that we at Chipping Norton, and many other clubs around Oxfordshire and beyond, are doing in promoting junior rugby to a new generation of players.

"As a club, we have been sending teams to junior rugby festivals throughout Oxfordshire and beyond for many years now, so we decided this would be a great opportunity to promote the game closer to home in Chipping Norton.

"Funds raised from this year’s festival will be used to develop the club’s infrastructure and facilities, as well as funding equipment and training and development courses to improve coaching for all age groups at the club."

The first games are set to kick off at around 9.30am, and there will be an array of catering options available, including bars, ice cream, hot drinks, braais and burgers, pizzas, and crepes.

There will also be a number of attractions and entertainment on offer, including a bungee run where players and spectators will be able to pit themselves against an elastic challenge and Gloucester Rugby Club workshops on the main pitch during the lunchtime period.

Duncan added: “We can promise a friendly welcome to anyone who would like to come and watch, enjoy the food, drink and entertainment on offer, or simply to find out a little more about what junior rugby can offer young people in the area.”

For more information, email [email protected], or message the club through their social media channels at: https://www.facebook.com/chipppingnortontrugby/?locale=en_GB