The results of the August draw are as follows:-
1st prize no. 98 Norman Barton £250
2nd prize no. 21 John Pilcher £100
3rd prize no. 83 Bob Heapy £50
The September draw is one of the big ones, a single prize of £1,000. If you would like to join then please contact Alan Skinner skinners205@btinternet.com
The official guidance we have received from the RFU is that there can be respectful continuation of rugby at all levels this weekend.
The overwhelming opinions shared so far within the game, are that teams and supporters want to come together to honour Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II to be united in our grief as we express sorrow at her passing.
Rugby, at its heart, is about community and bringing people together, in good times and in sad. Rugby clubs are a source of strength and support during times of uncertainty, and we hope that by enabling games and other rugby activity to go ahead this weekend, with families and friends congregating it will help us all to unite at this time of national mourning.
Our first XV travel to Hertford on Saturday where there will be a minute’s silence before the lunch and also before the game.
As a club we will be holding a minute of silent reflection on Sunday at 10.45am during our mini/youth/ladies training.
We will update about next weekend’s activities as soon as we are able.
Mike Rigby
Chairman
The RFU have just given us the details for the Spring 2023 fixtures:
England’s senior men’s fixtures at Twickenham Stadium are:
I have been given an indication of our allocation but confident I can source some additional tickets. To satisfy as many people as possible I will have to keep requests to a combined total of 2 tickets per member across the France and Scotland game’s (can be a single ticket for each). No restrictions will apply to the Italy game. I will formulate a list on ‘first come, first served’ and work through the list as and when I can secure tickets – to validate your requests you will have to be, at minimum, a ‘paid up’ member (£90 minimum) of the club.
Ticket categories and prices (including £5 admin charge):
France & Scotland
Premium: £158
Cat 1: £142
Cat 2: £127
Cat 3: £111
Cat4: £85
Italy
Premium: £124
Cat 1: £113
Cat 2: £103
Cat 3: £92
Cat4: £72
Junior tickets should be readily available for the Italy game for all the ticket categories for £30. It is highly unlikely that I will be able to secure any junior tickets for either of the France or Scotland games but we can live in hope (£33 if available) – if you do apply for these games please state whether you would want the adult tickets even IF the junior tickets are not available.
The away games are in Wales & Ireland and the club’s allocation will be very small, please indicate (which game) if you wish to go into a ballot for any tickets that I can source.
PLEASE NOTE THAT THERE ARE SOME TICKETS STILL AVAILABLE TO ALL OF THE AUTUMN INTERNATIONALS – VARYING IN NUMBERS AND COST – LET ME KNOW IF YOU WANT ANYTHING AND THE MAXIMUM PRICE YOU WANT TO PAY – ONCE REQUESTED YOU ARE COMMITTED TO PURCHASE AS ITS IMMEDIATE PAYMENT OR THE TICKET/S ARE LOST
Please apply for tickets via email: Montgos.89a@hotmail.com
Regards,
Stuart Montgomery
The results of the July Draw are:-
1st prize £250 – No. 87 Sally Spence.
2nd prize £100 – No. 56 Julian Clements.
3rd prize £50 – No. 21 John Pilcher.
The 100 Club continues to be an important fund-raiser for our club so please contact Alan Skinner skinners205@btinternet.com if you would like to join.
Just over two weeks to go until the start of the new season. The team of volunteers are scurrying around to prepare for the new season:
So all we need now is you back at the club doing what you do best:
I can’t wait to see many of you very soon back at the Club
COYW
Mike
#ONETWRFC
The Rugby Project, is a youth development programme being run in Kent in collaboration with Kent RFU, and KSRFUR, and is open to 14-16 year old applicants for the 2022/23 season. This is the second year the programme has run, and the feedback from clubs who participated last year was particularly positive.
The aim of this project is to build life skills and to find more ways to get involved in rugby. The course is designed to help young people to get their first insight into refereeing, first aid and coaching, giving them the skills to safely build confidence in doing so.
The course is ideal for 14–16-year-olds and fits in well with the Duke of Edinburgh award as well as Physical Education at GCSE level, teaching new skills, keeping kids interested in fitness, volunteering and raising money for charity.
Links
The course comprises 6 modules (four courses and two participation modules) which all must be completed prior to award of the The Rugby Project Award in the Spring Term of 2023.
The four course modules, which are all delivered by RFU educators, will take place in the first half of the Autumn term of 2022 (these are mainly scheduled for weekday evenings, at Sevenoaks RFC). The modules are: Coaching (“Kids First” contact course); Refereeing – Basics of refereeing run by the Kent Society of Rugby Union Referees; First Aid; Mental Resilience.
The two participation modules – (Volunteering hours and fund raising) take place in the Autumn and Spring terms.
There is a £60 registration fee associated with the programme; plus participants are expected to fund-raise £40 during the course.
With the Rugby season no longer looking quite so distant; the board has set membership fees for the 22/23 season as below.
Membership of TWRFC brings a number of benefits including: the right to apply for clubs allocation of international tickets; hire of the clubhouse hire; attending club lunches/events and bring guests; and of course for playing members a little bit of rugby. The exec have also decided to introduce a discount for members in the upstairs bar; more details on this to follow shortly.
| Senior Playing Members | £90 |
| Family Membership | £170 Single Child £220 Multiple Children |
| Social Membership & VPs | £90 |
Further details can be found on the membership page.
The £10 membership increase reflects the additional ongoing costs the club expects to incur due to higher cost of services and ground rates at St Marks’.
All family and senior playing members will shortly receive a payment request via Spond; we ask that this is paid prior to the start of the season (Sept. 4th). New players are very welcome to have two trial sessions prior to joining and paying membership subscriptions. It’s not easy for Spond to track this – so please do bear with me if it chases before you have finished your trial.
For Social members, and VPs, it’s easiest for me if you are able to pay either via spond or direct-debit. Existing direct debits will be updated to reflect the 22/23 subscription shortly (plan members will be notified by goCardless when this happens). For new social members, or those switching to DD you can subscript to our plan on goGardless subscribe here.
Tunbridge Wells RFC Youth section has a policy that rugby should be accessible to all, irrelevant of financial or economic background. In cases of economic hardship the club is able to offer alternative payment schemes or reduced fees on a case by case basis; you are also able to apply to the Anthony Clarke memorial fund for support. Please contact the team manager at your age group who will then be able to discuss this on a confidential basis with the membership secretary to seek approval for lower or no fees dependent on circumstances.
Martin Croker
Membership Secretary
membership@twrfc.com
For those of you that have not already heard, the club is deeply saddened to have to announce that Geoff Casely passed away peacefully in his sleep last week. Club member and close friend Mav Anderson has kindly written a tribute from him and on behalf of everyone at TWRFC…..
“Geoff was a long-standing member of the club and many of you would have played alongside him in the minis, juniors, senior sides (1-6) and also the Vets. On the pitch I will remember him as a formidable second row/back row player who loved to make big hits at Rucks and in Tackles and I have many fond memories of playing alongside him in my late teens and early twenties, notably in an unbeaten season for the 2nd team in the mid 90s and also for the first team in the early 2000s. I have always lovingly known and referred to Geoff simply as Unit.
Some of you may not be aware but throughout his teenage years and twenties Geoff was also a very successful swimmer and water polo player representing Tunbridge Wells Monson club, winning many Medals at National and European level. He was also a very successful martial artist being a black belt in several forms and again won medals at International, European and world level.
Geoff was a legendary TWRFC Tourist who would always be one of the first to get his place reserved as soon as a tour was announced. He was never afraid to take his fines and would always fully engage in all tour antics. Once he had retired from playing Geoff was a loyal supporter of the club who would regularly be found on the touchline, at the pre match lunches or just in the bar with his friends enjoying being part of the club. I was reminded of a story today that summed up how much TWRFC meant to Geoff. On his wedding day to his first wife, Geoff got married at lunch time and then went to the club and played rugby in the afternoon. I am not sure even the most loyal of us would dare have tried that on our wedding day.
In life Geoff was a gentle giant, he was kind and had the most wonderful warm and welcoming personality, he would do anything to help anyone. He was a wonderful story teller with an extraordinary ability to recount tales of games we had played together or drunken nights we had been on many, many years ago.
Geoff had been through some tough times over the past few years but I am so proud of how he managed to pull himself back to a good place. He had recently completed a mental health first aider course to assist with his life coaching business which he set up as he was passionate about helping others, who were going through difficult times.
In a recent message he sent to me, it simply said “The Unit is Back” after knowing all he had been through, I will take great heart in knowing that in the end he died peacefully in his sleep at peace with himself, he won and he never gave up.
On behalf of all of TWRFC I would like to send our deepest condolences to Geoff`s sister, Venetia and his children: Imogen, Sebastian, Matilda and Tabatha, may they find comfort in knowing how much their brother/dad meant to us at the club and that there will always be a warm and welcoming place up at St Marks for them to come up to, to share some lovely stories of their brother and dad.
Rest in Peace my friend”
Maverick Anderson 14th July 2022
We are delighted to announce the newest member of the TWRFC Coaching Group ahead of the 22/23 season as Mike Hathaway joins as 1st XV Forwards Coach.
Mike started his rugby at Tunbridge Wells, playing all through the age groups from U6’s to 1st XV where he was a key member of the team that secured back to back promotions and a cup win at Twickenham. Mike has unfortunately had to hang up the boots due to a shoulder injury and is now fully committed to his role as Forwards coach ahead of the 22/23 season.
Mike said “It’s brilliant to come back home to Tunbridge Wells. It’s a great club that has even greater aspirations, and although it’s a shame my return can’t be as a player as once hoped, that hasn’t curbed my excitement in getting on board as a forwards coach. It was a pleasure to be approached by Simon Jervis to take on the role and its great to be learning from the experience that Jervo, Ben and Stretts bring. Despite last years results we have an extremely talented squad and I am chomping at the bit to help support this young group of lads achieve and play at the best level that they can. Bring on the 2022-23 season. COYW.”
Mike Rigby, Club Chairman said “I am delighted to welcome Hathers back to St Marks. I fully encouraged him to go and challenge himself to play at the highest level he could and told him he would be welcome ‘home’ whenever he was ready. I’m delighted he’s back and ready to make a huge difference to TWRFC’.
The 22/23 Coaching Group for Tunbridge Wells:
Director of Rugby – Simon Jervis
Forwards Coach – Benjamin Kayser
Forwards Coach – Mike Hathaway
Backs Coach – David Strettle
Backs & Skills Coach – Chaz Spence
S&C – Hamzat Ahmed
Members and friends of TWRFC
I wanted to write to you to give you an update on the ‘Future of the club’ work. It has been three months since I last updated you and nearly two years since we started the work stream.
Firstly, our original plan of improving the playing surface at St Marks. Remembering this is part of our overall playing surface strategy and was to guarantee us a playing surface at St Marks. We have recently invested heavily into pitches 2 and 3 which has seen a marked improvement in their availability. We are also investing across all pitches this summer to further encourage grass growth and further strengthen the pitches.
However, our main work area was to apply for planning permission to place an alternative grass pitch alongside pitch 1. This has been an incredibly long, drawn out process where many challenges are placed in front of us. We have worked with the planners, our friends in the Cricket Club, our neighbours and of course relied on endless volunteer support from friends of the club. We recently had a very encouraging meeting with both council planners where they seem supportive of what we are trying to achieve and the community benefit of doing so. However, we have had to resubmit our application as we have moved the cricket square since the original application. Some of the more alert members spotted this!! We will be resubmitting this week and will ask for your support again by offering your encouragement for the application to the planners.
Secondly, in March I made you aware of an alternative scenario that has been under discussion. This would mean the possibility of us relocating to an alternative, and much larger, site; offering the club the opportunity to design the layout of the site and the clubhouse to our own specification. Along with a larger custom-built clubhouse, we could have parking for several hundred cars, pitches (adult rugby, youth rugby and cricket) and an alternative grass pitch. This would enable us to have a community based, multi-sport site that would be best in class in the County. We continue to discuss this option with the developer and our neighbours. We will keep you posted on progress as and when it occurs.
As for timescales for both options, I would hope to have an update for members on both scenarios before the start of next season.
I hope to see you at the AGM on the 15th June and will of course take any questions you may have.
Mike
#ONETWRFC
#COYW
