To raise monies in support of proactively repairing the roof and also giving the outside of the clubhouse a facelift.
by Harwich & Dovercourt Rugby Club in Harwich, Essex, United Kingdom
We would look at adding a veranda upstairs to give better viewing options of the pitches as well as considering how we can provide disabled access to upstairs, possibly by a platform lift. Maybe long term pitch repairs and/or floodlighting.
Harwich & Dovercourt Rugby Club was formed in 1936 by a group of local gentlemen; an article appeared in several local papers in September of 1936 inviting anybody interested to attended a meeting "at which the real business of the formation of the new club would be discussed".
At this meeting it was decided that Lt.-Col. H M A Ward D.S.O, O.B.E., M.A. would be the clubs first president. Dr K Phelan was elected Chairman & Mr F Low vice chairman. The Clubs first captain was Mr Lattimer, he would "act as non playing captain until the team had made a start".
The first club fixture was arranged as a home match against Orwell Works and took part on 10th October 1936. After a resounding victory in the first game played, the club went on to win 8 of the 18 matches played in its first season, 1 was a draw and 9 matches lost, with a total of 175 points for and 145 against.
We have the match reports from the 1937/38 season and the results were much as before, some good and some bad. We have a photograph and limited information from the 1938/39 season. The club was then disbanded due to players being called to the service of their country.
We are a community club and host a 1st & 2nd Mens Teams playing in Essex 1 and Eastern Counties Greene King Division 2 South leagues respectively, Minis and Youth Teams from U6s to U18s and until recently we also fielded a Womens Team playing in NC2 Midlands (East).
We're proud to say we are an inclusive club and our accreditations to not only the England RFU but to Eastern Counties and our commitment as a Kids First Rugby Club.
COVID brought many challenges but also opportunities, we started Touch Rugby as well as Rugby 7s teams and are poised to bring back a Womens team for next season.
Not only do we have a strong membership we are proud to host a number of other local sports clubs from the area so they too can have a home.
An example of this is that both men’s and women’s hockey clubs have been able to reform after a home pitch problem using Harwich and Dovercourt Rugby Club as a base. Giving new life to two of oldest sports clubs in town.
Harwich runners also operate from the club, running all forms of competition and social events from full marathon to couch to 5k programmes catering for all abilities and ages.
We are active in the community supporting many other organisations including participating and leading the local Guy Carnival as Torch Bearers and in recent years the Illuminate Festival too which celebrated our local heritage & history with the Mayflower as well as the Rotary Club Santa & Sleigh collections.
We are also a provider to the Holiday Hunger Scheme and with support from Active Essex we deliver Activities and Nutritious Meals during schools holidays to those that need the help and support.
Our sponsors are fantastic and fully support not only the Club but also its Committee, Players and Members for which we are very grateful.
Family – Our club is a safe & welcoming place to all, we naturally treat each other as family, we keep an eye out for one another and we do things that benefit everyone.
Community – We are a community club, we support our local community in many ways by working with community groups, local schools and host a number of other local community sports clubs and groups so they too can have a home.
Respect(ful) – In every action we make on and off the playing field within our membership young and old we hold dear the fact that Respect underpins everything we say & do.
The club is in a strong financial position and we have taken the opportunity with our monies as well as grants and funding to make positive changes around the club to the benefit of everyone but we need to do more and this crowdfunding will hopefully allow us to some way achieve our goals.
We have been in our current clubhouse since 1990 and have recently signed its new long term lease on the clubhouse for the next 20 years.
With it being nearly 30 years since we moved in we have had some drone footage taken of the building and it shows that soon the roof will need to be repaired or replaced and if we act quickly we can save ourselves from that extreme cost and upheaval of replacing the roof by being proactive and carrying out remedial repairs and coating the roof with a guaranteed coating that could last another 25 years.
Whilst we have the scaffold in place we will repair the gutters, repair or replace the cladding on the gable ends, repair or replace the shutters and generally give the club house a face lift with new signage and upgraded floodlighting etc.
We have an opportunity to secure the future of community sport focusing on rugby for all local people to enjoy in a friendly supportive and safe environment.
Investing in the fabric of the clubhouse is the key to this future, the club house is the main source of income for the club and running a successful club means we can keep fees at a minimum and allow access to sport for all.
Outside we are extending the patio to make it a more useable space that will also be fenced in.
We hope to have all of this work carried out by the end of spring of 2022.
We estimate the costs to be in the region of £30,000 but have been advised that there maybe match funding available from various sources so our initial target is £8,000, Sport England may provide additional funding should we reach this target with the possibility that further funding will follow from other sources.
To ensure these works can proceed quickly we are looking into a loan from the RFU and we would then use this crowdfunding to repay the loan within the 2 year payment holiday being offered.
Please support us in any way you can and thankyou for your donation.
We have a selection of rewards from club snoods to dining vouchers and our very popular Vets Day Pass as well as Memberships and Match Day Ball sponsor.
This project offers rewards in return for your donation