The Rugby Players Association (RPA) is delighted to announce Shona Campbell of Great Britain 7’s as the worthy recipient of this season’s fourth and final RPA Vodafone Business Gain Line Award.

The RPA Vodafone Business Gain Line Award was created to support current and former players of the game in their off the field business ventures and personal development.

Campbell has recently completed her undergraduate degree at Edinburgh University, with her dissertation focussed on Dehumanisation and Mental Health in Athletes. Her work is being put forward for publication and she is now looking towards doing a Masters and PhD, to further this research. As well as this, Shona is in contact with Talented Athlete Scholarship Scheme (TASS) and the Wellbeing Science Institute at Loughborough University to present her work at international conferences over the next year.

On winning the award, Campbell said: “Thank you for this award, it was hugely unexpected. Studying alongside my rugby career has been challenging but it is important to me to ensure I prepare myself for life after rugby.  I am hugely passionate about athlete mental health and well-being and being able to produce research that hopefully plays a small part in improving the understanding and awareness of athlete mental health in elite sport is all I can hope for. Thank you again to the RPA for the recognition and the award.”

Campbell’s RPA Player Development Manager, Richard Easton, said: “I believe Shona is a prime example of an elite athlete who has not only been able to very successfully complete a degree with the highest honours, but also play at the highest level in her sport. Producing research so well put together, she has a chance at publication whilst competing for both GB7’s on the world tour (qualifying for the Olympic Games) and Scotland in the Six Nations. She is a great example of how professional players can contribute to the betterment of sport, whilst themselves competing. I am sure her work will influence sport for the better in the future.”

Jo Wedlock, Brand Marketing and Communications Director, at Vodafone Business said: “We are so pleased to hear that Shona is the recipient of this season’s final RPA Vodafone Business Gain Line Award. This achievement is a testament to Shona’s remarkable dedication and success both on and off the rugby field. Rising to the challenge of balancing her academic pursuits with her rigorous rugby career, Shona has not only completed her undergraduate degree with distinction but has also pursued ambitious research focused on athlete mental health. We’re really excited to see Shona’s progression both on and off the pitch.”

For more information about the Gain Line programme, please visit the RPA website: https://www.therpa.co.uk.

-ENDS-

Ste Thomas – Communications Manager, RPA sthomas@therpa.co.uk

About The RPA

The Rugby Players Association is the representative body and collective voice of professional rugby players in England. We represent more than 600 male and female current rugby players, as well as more than 100 former players.

It is our mission to support, promote and protect the interests of our members, from the moment they sign their first professional contracts, throughout their playing careers, and beyond as they embark on the next phase of their lives.

Our members enjoy a wide range of benefits, including: independent representation; legal advice; personal and professional development; playing insurance; education; confidential counselling; transition support; and much more. Members can also access the support of our official charity, Restart, in the event of serious illness, injury or hardship.

About Vodafone UK

Vodafone UK is a technology communications company that connects people, businesses and devices to help our customers benefit from digital innovation. Our services span mobile, fixed-line connections, home and office broadband, and the Internet of Things (IoT).

We have a strong track record as a tech pioneer, making the UK’s first mobile phone call, sending the first text message, and making the UK’s first live holographic call using 5G in 2018. We were also the first to start carrying live 5G traffic from a site in Salford, Greater Manchester. As of June 2021, we have 5G in 364 locations across Europe – 124 in the UK and 240 across Germany, Spain, Italy and Ireland. Our 4G network coverage currently reaches over 99% of the UK population.

Today, Vodafone serves more than 18 million mobile and fixed-line customers in the UK. To help deliver Gigabit UK, our full-fibre broadband roll-out programme now covers 15 UK towns and cities through partnerships with CityFibre and Openreach.

Sustainability is also at the heart of what we do: as of 1 July 2021, 100% of the grid electricity we use in the UK is certified to be from renewable sources.

For more information about Vodafone UK please visit: www.vodafone.co.uk