Club Volunteer Case Studies
Berkshire
Thames Valley Vikings - Sammie Phillips, Head Coach As a mixed touch rugby club,
volunteers were central to our growth and success in local leagues and national
tournaments. Several players were selected to represent the region and England and
credit must go to the coaches and committee - all of whom are volunteers. To show our
appreciation for volunteers’ time and effort, we gave them dinner & drinks at a local pub
(our clubhouse) at the end of training and presented them with sweatbands or bibs. We
make a special mention of volunteers at our end of season awards and the team gave a
round of applause and special award for notable contributions.
Thatcham RFC - Will Sewell, Chairman The Club is like a big family. Team Managers and
the Club Hon Secretary attended training sessions and matches where they welcomed
new members. Mini/Junior Parents took part in coaching and made teas and drinks.
Seniors helped out on Sunday morning, and minis and juniors supported the senior teams
on a Saturday. We do not have a women’s side but wives and girlfriends got involved.
Called ‘The Scrummies’, they organised a tour and helped with social events. The club
supported local charities. A player’s wife organised a calendar which raised over £4,000
and a team for the Dragon Boat Race at Pangbourne. Players helped at an event held to
raise money for the Breast Cancer Charity. Long time committed volunteers were
awarded Life Membership at the Annual Dinner. Bottles of port and flowers were
presented to people that have done lots for the club as a thank you.
Buckinghamshire
Buckingham RFC - Sian Brown, Volunteer Coordinator At the start of the season parents
and members were asked (via a very brief questionnaire with the annual subscription
form and at youth membership night) what skills and time they were willing to donate to
the club. As a result a mix of people offered to work behind the bar for events and
provided skills to maintain the club and grounds. We used our Facebook page and
Pitchero site to recruit volunteers for fundraising and specific events. We had the biggest
ever turn out for the Rugby Force weekend which was a fantastic club building activity.
Bacon rolls and tea were provided for all of the workers. Volunteers that worked behind
the bar and in the kitchen were guests of honour at the Presidents Lunch and presented
with flowers. The coaching coordinator for the youth academy was voted clubman of the
The England Rose is an official registered trade mark of the Rugby Football Union
July 2012
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Club Volunteer Case Studies
year and his name added to the board in the club house. The youth chair and another
manager were invited to use complimentary family tickets for a Wasps game. A caterer
was invited to represent the club at the county dinner along with her husband.
Chesham RFC - Morris Hogg, Club President and Volunteer Coordinator 300 Mums,
Dads and children went on the Mini and Junior Easter tour to Camber Sands - a club
record. This would not have happened if it had not been organised by our M&J Chair who
was supported by a large group of parent volunteers and fund raisers. A great effort by a
very junior club trying hard to build our Mini and Junior section.
Risborough RFC - Andrew Emmett, Chairman and Volunteer Coordinator We organised
stalls at the local town and village festivals. Players and committee members chatted and
socialised with the public. There were no end of enquiries and it was a great way to raise
some money as well. Over the years we gained 10 new players and 2 committee
members. ‘Clubman of the year’ was awarded to the person voted as the volunteer who
contributed ‘extra’.
Dorset & Wiltshire
Marlborough RFC - Mike Banfield, Coach, Administrator and Volunteer Coordinator We
ran touch rugby throughout the summer months to encourage activity and fun. This
resulted in 3 new players and more use and higher profile for the club. We organised a
weekly rota and asked mini/junior parents to staff our kitchen. Each week a different set
of parents helped serve hot and cold snacks. Because volunteers were not committed to
a weekly task, they helped raise funds and became more involved in running the club.
Through a volunteer placement website we recruited a volunteer to run membership. As
an active part of our committee, he took the load off others.
North Dorset RFC - Steve Keates, Volunteer Coordinator
Recruitment We recruited 7 new volunteers through market style presentation at
Registration days where the Volunteer Coordinator met and encouraged new and
established members to consider taking an active part in running the club. A University
student studying Events Management completed the practical part of his course by
organising a programme of events including our 60th year Celebration Dinner and a
The England Rose is an official registered trade mark of the Rugby Football Union
July 2012
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Club Volunteer Case Studies
Touch Rugby Festival. Local Young Offenders were recruited under supervision to do
voluntary maintenance work.
Volunteer Days We used the slogan "many hands make light work" to gather teams of
volunteers (who ranged from 6 to 70 years old). Volunteers met on four published dates
and attacked the ‘improvement list’. We started at 10am and finished at 4pm with a
break to enjoy Burgers and a Drink on the club. Armed with various equipment – spades,
brushes, strimmers, litter grabbers, jet washers - volunteers deep cleaned the changing
rooms, loos, signage and patio as well as reorganised the storage containers. Out of
season we painted the changing rooms and window frames, cut the hedges, removed
stones from the car park and maintained the garden.
Recognition We presented the Unsung Hero Cup and Certificates at the Annual Dinner.
Up to 90 ladies were recognised at Thank you Dinner with a show provided by the senior
players (not for the faint hearted!) We sent Christmas cards, gave flowers, sent Thank
you e mails and presented Birthday Cakes.
Hampshire
Basingstoke RFC - Michele Amos, Volunteer Coordinator 112 volunteers worked hard to
enable 350 players to play rugby. A team of three volunteer coordinators got to know
everyone and ensured communication between groups and individuals was fluent and
well facilitated, so that everyone knew what to do and felt valued doing it. Because
people saw an established, supportive network, we very rarely had to “ask” for volunteers,
they offered skills or time because they saw a very supportive environment and word of
mouth reinforced the enjoyable club culture.
Chineham RFC - David Floyd,Chairman We held a "Decorate the Clubhouse day". 16
players, wives and children helped paint the changing rooms within 3 hours. The
volunteers were rewarded with sausage and chips and a free drink from the bar. The club
took part Basingstoke Council’s Olympic Sports Day. 18 volunteers organised rugby
based fun activities for adults and children We promoted our club to the local community
and recruited new players. A team of volunteers committed to start a mini section. They
completed Rugby Ready, Level 1, first aid and safe guarding courses. Eight player
volunteers ran a summer touch programme for the first time at the club.
The England Rose is an official registered trade mark of the Rugby Football Union
July 2012
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Club Volunteer Case Studies
Fareham Heathens RFC - Biddy Mayo, Volunteer
coordinator
We took part in the local gala again this year and had a stall
at the local HMS Collingwood open day staffed by coaches
and parents.
Ventnor RFC - Stuart Babington, Volunteer Coordinator We
entertained Wasps Legends in a charity match which raised
over £5,000 for the local special school & an injured player (whose brother plays for our
club). The club provided marshals for the carnival, international Island games, Fell run &
other local events. We recruited 10 new 17/18 year old players we plan to get the lads
more “involved” in their club & to volunteer for more roles that include (helping out on
Saturdays, First aid, cleaning in the week, coaching new & young players, housekeeping
etc.)
Oxfordshire
Chinnor RFC - Richard Wingfield, Volunteer Coordinator Our regular "Friday Club" made
up of past and present players and "retired gentlemen" turned out to keep the club up to
scratch. 80+ club members took part in a Volunteer Day doing maintenance jobs around
the clubhouse and grounds. A lot of hard work was mixed with fun. There were games
and distractions for the younger members, whilst the older ones wielded the
paintbrushes and jet washers!
Faringdon RFC - Rachel Kenyon, President and Secretary We held a Christmas Dinner at
our local hotel for 160 parents, children and coaches. During the dinner a multitude of
fun games and activities were arranged for children and adults alike - a raffle, spoof,
doughnut eating challenge, scavenger hunt. The coaches performed a Hakka. It was
great fun with parents and children full of excitement and praise for the club. We asked
parents to volunteer to help with the running of the rugby club. We attracted coaches
and people to help with the refreshments on a Sunday morning (which are still done out
of the back of a lorry!). Young people doing Sports Leaders and Duke of Edinburgh
Awards were attracted to the club to complete their volunteering time.
The England Rose is an official registered trade mark of the Rugby Football Union
July 2012
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