touraid is a children's charity that establishes sustainable relationships between schools and clubs in the UK with similar organisations around the globe that support disadvantaged children. touraid sees rugby as the catalyst for these partnerships with the resulting educational, cultural and social benefits to the visiting teams and host children being immeasurable.

touraid believes that an essential element of any long-lasting relationship is time spent together engaged in activities, which give rise to shared experiences. Time spent by tourists with host families provides unique opportunities for friendships to be built and for personal commitment to be developed towards sustaining the relationship.

It is hoped that tourists will have the opportunity to leave behind (if only temporarily) the disadvantages of their home or other normal daily circumstances and that they will experience travel, a different culture, and a sense of a wider world which is interested in them and which has something to offer them.

Hosting children will experience new friendships and many children at the hosting school will obtain an insight into the lives and circumstances of others who are less fortunate than themselves and who are culturally different.

touraid enjoys the support of Mike Catt, Phil Greening, Chester Williams and Sue Day who are touraid Ambassadors. Trustees/supporters include John Inverdale, Dean Richards and Jason Leonard and many players from the Premiership who act as envoys including Delon Armitage, Mark Lambert, Glen Jackson and Topsy Ojo.

Premiership Rugby Clubs support touraid and provide coaching to the touring teams, providing staff and players to work with these children and give them a very special day to remember. Recently, touraid hosted and U14 tournament for ten different countries. The eventual winners from India, the Jungle Crows had a great time working with the community Development staff from London Irish and it was obviously that last bit of coaching that gave the team the edge over the Moldovans who were coached by Quins academy players and the team from Swaziland who were very well looked after by Saracens.

Many more tours are planned for the future and the teams will be hosted across the whole of England as kids relish the chance to tour for a week and learn for a lifetime.