RUGELEY RUGBY CLUB IS RBS RUGBY FORCE WINNER
RBS RugbyForce, the nationwide community volunteer programme for UK and Irish rugby clubs, has awarded Rugeley Rugby Club an enhanced support package. Rugeley RUFC, is one of four clubs in the England to be awarded £1,250 to help improve their facilities.
The Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS), title sponsor of the RBS 6 Nations, created RBS RugbyForce three years ago to encourage communities to come together and give something back to their local rugby club by volunteering to undertake the necessary improvements. The programme has seen a phenomenal rise in the number of club registrations year on year.
Rugeley Rugby Club was one of 398 rugby clubs registered for the programme in 2011, each submitting a 500 word proposal for club project work planned for the official RBS RugbyForce Weekend on 11th and 12th June this summer. 231 clubs in England registered for the programme and will be calling on their supporters and local volunteers to join in the fun-filled activity and renovation work at their club.
The official panel of judges, who had the difficult job of assessing the 398 registrations, was formed of RBS RugbyForce supporters Ieuan Evans, Jason Leonard and Andy Nicol as well as Rugby World editor Paul Morgan, BBC Sport Director Matt Griffiths and Head of RBS Brand and Marketing David Webb. The RFU provided the jury with invaluable support in making an initial assessment of all the English clubs, providing crucial insight at a local level.
The award comes comes at a convenient time for Rugeley. The Pavilion at St Augsutine’s field from which they are based felt the full force of the adverse conditions this winter making it unusable.
Rugeley’s director Martin de Ridder said
“The bad weather caused our heating system in our changing rooms to fail and the roof to collapse. With assistance from Rugeley Open Spaces who own the field we are looking to repair our building during the Rugby Force Weekend. We would also ask any local building supply firms who may be prepared to donate building materials to contact me on 07889088558. We’re hoping to have a big crowd from the Rugeley area so we can really get our club house at St Augustine’s ready for next season and enjoy ourselves at the same time. We need to get the club house into shape because good facilities and a fun environment can be the difference between players sticking with rugby or not. RBS RugbyForce will help us improve the club and make it a real focus for the community. We hope that this weekend will really help us for next season and also introduce new members to Rugeley so we can continue to grow”.
Bruce Cook, RBS Sponsorship Manager, said:
“We’re really excited that Rugeley Rugby Club is taking part in the RBS RugbyForce Weekend. It was a great achievement to be one of the four regional winners. We hope it will help them prepare for the new season and that the resources we provide will make a real difference to their efforts. Rugby clubs are so often at the heart of these communities and we’re thrilled that RugbyForce has really taken off over the past two years and is now reaching so many people. It’s a natural extension of our RBS 6 Nations sponsorship and a reflection on the true value of club rugby to the wider community.
Anybody interested in getting involved with the RBS RugbyForce Weekend at Rugeley, should contact Martin de Ridder at mederidder@hotmail.com.