Rugby skills are being passed to the next generation at 20 South Gloucestershire schools, thanks to the generosity of the Great Western Round Table.

The Tablers – formerly Downend Round Table – gave £10,000 so Bristol Rugby will be able to teach tag rugby at schools in some the most deprived areas of the district.

The five-week programme is being provided in tandem with the Food Standards Agency, so pupils will have an hour on the rugby pitch followed by an hour in the classroom learning about healthy food.

Without the cash gift, Bristol Rugby Community Department's tag rugby lessons might not have gone ahead.

Beb Breeze, Bristol Rugby's community development manager, said: "The recession has significantly affected funding of the Bristol Rugby Community Department throughout the summer and this academic year.

"Without the assistance of organisations like Great Western Round Table, the department would be forced into making serious reductions that would mean the great work delivered to the most deserving schools and clubs simply would not happen."

It is not the first time Great Western Round Table has come to the aid of Bristol Rugby Community Department. Last Christmas the charitable group helped out with the purchase of a £20,000 Mercedes van.

Mr Breeze said: "One of our biggest problems was with transport, and the precious funding we were having to spend renting and leasing vehicles in which we could put all the equipment required to deliver large community events.

"Bristol Rugby, Avon Fire & Rescue and the Round Table all contributed to the purchase of a community vehicle, that has directly helped us deliver programmes to over 2,000 young rugby players already this year. We could not deliver the work we currently do without this vehicle."

Andrew Simmonds, 29, vice chairman of GWRT, said: "GWRT has a series of fundraising initiatives throughout the year, including taking its Santa Sleigh to the streets of South Gloucestershire at Christmas, and the Downend Firework Spectacular.

"Funding such a project is testimony to the support that the public provide in attending these events, and donations to Round Table are ploughed back into worthy and deserving causes, such as Bristol Rugby's tag rugby programme."

As well as visiting schools, clubs and prisons, Bristol Rugby Community Department runs elite rugby camps for promising 15-18-year-olds.

The current tag rugby programme is called Something To Chew On. The project, originally created by the Manchester United Foundation in 2008, was funded by the Food Standards Agency and the Premier League/PFA Community Fund.

Although Bristol Rugby has been relegated from the Guinness Premiership to the RFU Championship this season, thanks to the progress the Bristol Rugby Community Department has made in recent years the club is still included in the Premier Rugby Limited central programmes. The department has won three national awards for best practice in the last 18 months.

Mr Breeze said: "I would like to thank the members of the GWRT for their ongoing support. It is gratefully received and allows the department to provide elite sports programming throughout the Bristol Rugby catchment area to those who deserve it."

Great Western Round Table is currently preparing for this year's firework spectacular, which will be held on Friday, November 6, at King George V playing fields in Downend. As always, the proceeds will go to good causes.