Worcester RFC

Worcester Rugby Football Club

Westons Fields,
Offerton Lane Hindlip
Worcester WR3 8TR 28

August 2022 Secretary@wrfc.info

Dear Ms Baldwin MP, Mr Walker MP, Councillor Baylis, Councillor Geraghty and Councillor Sinton

Re: Joint statement on the future of Worcester Warriors We write in support of your joint statement on the future of the Worcester Warriors.

As the neighbouring and 150-year-old amateur Worcester Rugby Football Club (WRFC), from where the Warriors were born, we share many of the concerns raised by stakeholders and the local community about the future of the Warriors. We wish to see the Warriors staff secure in their employment, Premiership rugby prosper in the City and, between us, offer the best amateur and professional rugby to our local communities.

As you will know WRFC and the Warriors separated some 7 years ago to enable the two Clubs to concentrate their skills, resources and effort on providing first class professional and amateur rugby in the City. As the amateur club WRFC currently has over 700 senior and junior playing members, nearly 300 patron members and countless parents supporting our Club. WRFC is run entirely by volunteers, and we rely on the generosity of our players, members, parents and the support of many local business to maintain the Club. We also own our land (commonly known as Westons and part of Cummins farm), associated pitches and clubhouse and have no financial links with the Warriors.

We do however have mutual arrangements for access to Cummins farm and the use of some Sixways facilities which were agreed with Cecil Duckworth as part of the legal separation. We enjoy access over the canal bridge from the Warriors car park and in return the Warriors are able to access their land north of the canal through our Pershore Lane gate and make use of our facilities for regional rugby festivals. WRFC also has use of parking on the Sixways site on a Sunday for our min/juniors teams and use of the Warrior’s 3G pitch. For the benefit of the 100s of children and adults who enjoy amateur rugby every week it is important that, whatever the future holds for the Warriors, we can maintain these mutual and beneficial arrangements.

Looking to the future for amateur rugby our goal is to be a strong amateur rugby club and community asset where players of all ages and abilities, parents and supporters can continue to enjoy the very best that amateur rugby and our facilities bring to the City and surrounding areas.

Despite the disruption caused by Covid we are investing our modest financial resources in the future. Jonny Arr and Aleki Lutui (stalwarts of the Warriors) have recently joined WRFC as coaches and, subject to planning and funding, we aim to install a toddlers play area on the main site, provide floodlighting for our mini/juniors and have begun to explore the viability of a seating area for spectators. We are also making general site improvements to make it both more secure (from trespass) but also more attractive and user friendly.

We welcome the intervention by our local political leaders at this difficult time for the Warriors and their fans and would ask that you continue to lend your weight to a positive resolution. We would also ask that, in parallel, you continue to use your influence and leadership to support WRFC in our desire to offer the very best facilities for amateur rugby in the area.

Here’s to another 150 years!

Yours Sincerely Steve Lloyd Chair

CC: Members and Player WRFC Worcester Evening News