DRYBROOK rugby star Ceri Large will be guest of honour at this year’s Forest Activities Festival on Sunday, April 24.

The 25-year-old, who represented England at the 2014 Women’s Rugby World Cup, will give coaching sessions as well as advice to young budding rugby players.

Her appearance is appropriate to the festival as it showcases the area’s best indoor and outdoor activities giving visitors the chance to learn and try something new.

The Rugby Football Union also plan to have a stand which will feature a fun ‘passing challenge’ testing peoples’ passing accuracy as well as giving away plenty of freebies.

The Gloucestershire Football Association will be attending this year and will be providing football coaching for all ages including the over-50s with the first ‘walking football’ sessions to be held in the Forest of Dean.

Festival organiser, Am­anda Smith said: “Ceri reckons she used to ‘live’ at her local rugby club in Drybrook with her three brothers and dad Philip, who used to turn out for Rotherham. She started there at six and 18 years later, Ceri became a 2014 World Cup winner.

“She has been almost ever-present for England in the past three calendar years, winning an incredible 32 caps during that time. Her rugby theme on and off the field continues because her day job is as a community rugby coach.”

The event starts from 10am at the Speech House Hotel grounds.