Ambleside Centurions, one of the oldest rugby union clubs in England, is calling for more people to get involved with the club during its 150th anniversary year.
The historic club is offering a whole host of benefits to players and their families, ranging from weekly physio and wellness sessions to childcare support and player income protection.
As well as rejoining the competitive Cumbria League fixtures, the club will hold six Ambleside Barbarians social fixtures accommodating all abilities and ages.
There will also be a women’s sevens/touch rugby team launching in September under the expert eye of our lady’s rugby consultant, Megan Ellery, a former England Rose player who, alongside her brother, made history by being the first-ever siblings to represent England 7s.
In the last few years, the once thriving sport has seen big drops in numbers with many teams in Cumbria and countrywide previously with two, three, and four sides struggling to field just one full team.
The rugby family at Ambleside Centurions have been determined to secure the future of rugby in the town in its 150th year by creating a welcoming environment for players and their families.
Ex-Ambleside player and recently appointed director of rugby, Andy Brown, is actively helping the rejuvenated committee promote the club’s 150th anniversary year. One of the top priorities is to encourage people back into the club.
He said: “After Covid, people changed their habits and didn’t come back to rugby and there was a real danger that after so many years, we could have lost the sport in the town.
“With people’s family and work commitments, we needed to make sure we created a welcoming, friendly, social, family environment at the club with a range of benefits that would build, improve, and support players and make playing here an attractive proposition.”
Rugby Union in Ambleside is firmly rooted in history, and as one of the oldest clubs in the country – dating back to 1874 – Andy, supported by the hard-working committee, is determined to see it flourish again.
The club is totally player and family-focused and, in acknowledgement of times being financially hard for everyone, does not take any annual or match subs from the players. It also provides free Monday night physio treatment to players, courtesy of team physio, Nathan Woods.
Added to that, from the first Tuesday in September, the club will be open from 6pm to 10pm for free mental health and wellbeing sessions.
Andy added: “Rugby is a tough sport and requires a commitment from players that, post-Covid and during a cost of living crisis, means having to prioritise family needs above an individual desire to play rugby.
“We’ve taken out RFU income protection insurance for all our players, so if someone should get injured and be unable to work, it gives them and their families peace of mind that they’ll still be provided for.”
The Centurions have appointed a new club manager, Nathan Robson, plus young coach, Matty Kaye who will be running enjoyable training sessions every Monday and Wednesday evenings.
Other developments in the 150th year have included major repair work to the floodlights at Galava Park, and the pitch being professionally prepared for the new league season. All of the club’s home games will be recorded on Veo and used for training analysis and for reviewing each players’ performance.
Andy and the Committee also hope to organise a Sportsman’s Evening and a tour to Ireland to round off the anniversary year.
The club firmly embraces the town’s Roman ties and neighbouring Roman fort following a rebrand from Ambleside Rugby Union Club to Ambleside Centurions.
Playing all games at Galava Park, known locally as the Fortress, a Roman flag sits behind the bar alongside a centurion helmet and cross swords.
The club’s logo – Strength and Honour – takes pride of place in the new-look changing rooms.
Andy added: “The rebrand really caught people’s imagination and we’re hoping the buzz we’re creating around the 150th anniversary will further help return this brilliant club to its best.
“Whether it’s new players, ex-players, locals, or university students, everyone is welcome to join and watch Sky Sports and TNT Sports, play pool, or just socialise with friends and family in the clubhouse.
“The rugby club should be the heartbeat of the village and for the club to disappear after 150 years would have been a massive loss to everyone involved. We knew it came down to adapt or die, so we adapted very quickly and are now going from strength to strength.”
To find out more about Ambleside Centurions, contact the club on 077866 31456 or pop along to Galava Park. Training takes place on Mondays and Wednesdays from 6.30pm.
All fixtures plus the 150th anniversary events programme will be announced in due course.
