BRISTOL Rugby may have had a poor year during their season in the Aviva Premiership but the community work during that season of Kris Tavender has been officially recognised.

Tavender went above and beyond the call of duty during Bristol’s season in the top flight and, for that, he has been named Community Coach of the Year at Premiership Rugby’s Parliamentary Community Awards.

The Community Coach of the Year Award, supported by the All Party Parliamentary Rugby Union Group, is designed to reward a community coach who has helped change the lives of participants through a national or local programme.

That description is embodied by Bristol Rugby Community Foundation Spectrum Project manager Tavender who, in only nine months, has helped bring sport to almost six hundred people with a variety of disabilities in the city and South Gloucestershire by designing, developing and delivering 16 pilot programmes.

And after being selected ahead as Community Coach of the Year, ahead of two other deserving nominees – Bath Rugby Foundation outreach officer Joe Aygul and Sale Sharks Community Trust inclusion officer Vicky Irwin – Tavender was ecstatic to collect his award at the House of Commons.

“It was truly humbling to have my name read out and almost embarrassing, but at the same time it is a great way to showcase the great people we are working with and the great programmes we are involved in,” he said.

“For me, it is the people we work with that makes it so special. They are people on the edge and feeling like they can’t get involved in something or perhaps that their time has gone.

“It is about giving them a chance and getting them involved, and making them see just how truly special they are.”