Author: Denys Andrianjafy

We would like to thank all of the stallholders and visitors who came to our craft fair Saturday 7th August despite the atrocious weather conditions. £300 was raised for the wheelchair rugby team. Your support was hugely appreciated.

Gordon Stewart’s immense contribution to Youth Rugby at Canterbury is reflected by Andy Pratt, former captain, Head Coach ad Head of Rugby, whose own rugby career was guided by Gordon from a young age.

Like so many mums and dads who give up their time to coach at weekends, Gordon had a profound impact on the lives of the young players he led. I was lucky enough to be one of them. He knew his rugby but what he did so well was much more than coaching how to tackle or pass. Ask any of his former players about him and I guarantee they will smile and be able to recount several memories of those times. It probably won’t be a memory on the pitch either.

He made rugby fun. He made Sunday mornings the highlight of your week. Gordon had no time for rugby’s stuffier traditions, but he cherished its values. We didn’t wear blazers or ties, but we had such a laugh whether we were training, playing or on the several tours we went on. Most of his players continued playing into senior rugby thanks to the love of rugby and the club that he fostered. For me, that’s the true measure of his success as a youth coach but he wanted more.

The All Blacks have a saying “Better people make better All Blacks”. Gordon was determined to develop good young people through rugby, regardless of how good at the sport they were. Back in March I discovered an old festival certificate from those times and sent him a photo of it. We reminisced over text and he ended the chat with:

I’m proud of the fact that ALL of you have turned out to be good sons, fathers and husbands. I loved every second with all of you and you’ll be in my heart forever

He’ll be missed greatly but the memories and laughter will live on with so many of the lads and lasses he coached.

Thanks Gordon, we owe you so much.

Andy Pratt

Post-Lockdown Monday Evening
On Monday 26 July We are holding our Longest Day Lunch on a shorter day! Afterwards, please join us 6pm to 9pm for live music and Barney the Pizza outside the clubhouse.

AGM
Tuesday 10th August 2021 at 7pm at The Marine Travel Ground.
Anyone requiring accounts in advance should email  the Club Secretary Sally Taylor – secretary@cantrugby.co.uk

Pre-Season Matches
We have pre-season games arranged on
14 August v Old Elthamians
21 August v Tonbridge Juddians
28 August v Tunbridge Wells

We have decided to organise lunch on the 14 and 21 August at £20 per person,

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Matt & Lisa’s London Marathon Quest 2021
Lockdown for the past 12 months has certainly taken its toll and caused much hardship and worry for everyone. However, when faced with the news during the pandemic of a diagnosis whatever that illness or condition may be, creates added panic, stress, anxiety and challenges for individuals and their families.

Muscular Dystrophy UK is the charity for the 70,000 children and adults living with muscle-wasting conditions in the UK. There’s currently no cure, and in many cases, it limits lives. MDUK do vital work in funding pioneering research into treatments and cures as well as providing vital information, advice, resources and support for individuals and families living with these conditions.

We as a family want to support and raise as much as we can for this worthy charity and hopefully, new treatments and cures will be found!!

All donations, big or small, are greatly appreciated and from all of us, a humongous THANK YOU.

The Pitchacarens xxxx

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The of launch CT Barbell is rapidly approaching, with the doors due to open on 7th August. CT Barbell is marketed as a no-nonsense strength and conditioning gym. Beyond that, they are not only joining up aspects of Canterbury RFC, but their approach is holistic, advising on nutritional aspects of wellbeing and working with local schools to advocate the benefits of exercise and healthy living. CT Barbell will be collaborating with the club caterer to offer a meal prep service. External speakers will also be invited to the gym to present in seminars sharing their expertise with participants.

CT Barbell will be operating as a stand-alone business out of the Marine Travel Ground. Run by two senior team players, Sam Sterling and Tristan King will be offering strength and conditioning programmes for the 1st XV. The gym and training service will be available to other teams within the club as well as club members and the local community. Priced competitively whilst offering a high standard of coaching for those wanting to lift safely, the CT Barbell team will be able to help you assess your level and build a programme that helps achieve your fitness goals.

The gym will be stocking the latest equipment including Free weights including Dumbbells, Kettlebells, Barbells, and lots of squat racks. They will also have Concept 2 Cardio equipment and functional equipment such as balls, bands, belts, etc.

Opening hours

•  6 am – 9 pm weekdays
• 9 am – 2 pm on weekends
• 9 am – 12 pm on first team home games

Some Sunday times have yet to be confirmed

Classes will run at 

• 6 and 7 (am and pm) weekdays 
• 8 am and 9 am on Saturdays
• 9 am and 10 am Sundays

Membership options (priced monthly)

1. Access to use the gym at any time during opening hours – £30
2. Access to the gym plus Classes and a group program which the classes will run off – £70
3. No Access to the gym plus Group program access (suitable for non-Canterbury based) – £40
4. Access to the gym plus Classes and an individualised program – £100

CT Barbell aims to be a community gym as well as a centre of excellence for strength and conditioning. Sam and Tristan look forward to welcoming you in.

For more information, go to https://www.facebook.com/CANTERBURYBARBELL

Lots of rugby and football action to cheer at on Wednesday 7th July. Where better to watch it than at Canterbury RFC? The bar will be open and Saucy Flo’s will be serving their usual delicious food to satisfy any hungry fan’s appetite.

Start your evening with a bit of rugby at 6pm, Sharks v British & Irish Lions

Followed by

Euros Semi Final, England v Denmark Live from Wembley at 8pm

If that wasn’t enough, Thursday and Friday nights is all about the steaks!

Steak Nights at Saucy Flo’s. Ted said BIG STEAKS at £12.95. The normal menu is also available.
Normal menu also available

COVID-19 rules still apply, so please ring Ted on 07914 678 679 to book your table.

Come and join us at the Marine Travel Ground, Canterbury RFC, Merton Lane North Saturday 7 August from 10am to 4pm.

There will be a local suppliers with gift ideas, crafts, and products and produce.

The bar will be open, and delicious food will be supplied supplied by Saucy Flo’s.

Live music from the Dissentanglers. Famously described as “Possibly one of the best 10 bands to emerge from Elham in the whole of December 2017”.

Anyone wishing to have a stall on the day please contact Greg Mayne – president@cantrugby.co.uk for details.

Recent announcement from the National Clubs Association –

National League Rugby have launched The National League Rugby Review Show which will cover every round of action across our three divisions – National One, National Two North and National Two South.

In conjunction with our recent name change, the review show marks a new era for levels three and four as we look to expand our coverage even further. Rugby is returning and things are happening in our divisions, so get on board!

The National League Rugby Review Show will be a weekly paywall-protected show on ncarugby.com [soon to be nationalleaguerugby.co.uk.] and will be available to watch on Sundays from 6pm after every round throughout the 2021/22 season.

We will bring you the most comprehensive coverage of National One and National Two by analysing three key games with highlights, rounding up the headlines around the leagues and summarising the results.

It will be THE place to watch the best tries and big moments from the weekend’s action while investing back into your club because by subscribing to the show, your team will receive 40 per cent commission (once Paypal admin fees and VAT have been deducted).

The National League Rugby Review Show will be hosted by respected commentator Warren Muggleton and he will be assisted by Talking Rugby Union, who continue to lead the way when it comes to covering the National Leagues.  Warren will travel to grounds throughout the season to host the show and commentate on a key game. He will be joined by guests each week to dissect the action from across the leagues.

Key Points: The National League Rugby Review Show

• Weekly paywall-protected review show during the 2021/22 National One, National Two North and National Two South seasons
• £15 for season access, £12 at Early Adopters rate [VAT Inc] between July 1st and August 15^th
• 40 per cent of your purchase will go back into YOUR club! This will be calculated after Paypal admin fees and VAT are subtracted from the payment
• Fans will be able to buy season-access tickets from July 1st on https://www.ncarugby.com/national-league-rugby-review-show/
• Once purchased, subscribing fans will receive a confirmation email. A link will be included where fans will be able to assign their subscription to a club from a drop-down list on a Google Form
• Host and commentator Warren Muggleton to travel the country, hosting and commentating on key games each week to provide comprehensive coverage and analysis
• The show will be available to watch on https://www.ncarugby.com/national-league-rugby-review-show/ on Sundays from 6pm after every round
• Commitment to increasing the exposure of National League Rugby and use funds generated to build our leagues into a viable brand

Please also see attached some advertising posters for the show which are for immediate release and we will also be releasing a trailer at the end of the week.

National League Rugby Chairman, John Inverdale

“This is a marvellous way for rugby at our level to promote itself to the widest possible audience. For the price of a couple of beers, everyone can have a full season’s supply of National League Rugby every week and the great thing is all the clubs will benefit financially too.

“It’s a huge opportunity for self-help. The more people who subscribe, the more the word will get out about rugby at our level and the more money clubs make, the more people will consider coming to watch your club!

“I’d encourage everyone involved at all our member clubs to do all they can to encourage as many people as possible to subscribe.”

We are looking forward to the first kick of a rugby ball in the 2021/22 season and providing THE place to watch the best tries and big moments from the weekend’s action while investing back into your club!

[button link=”https://www.ncarugby.com/national-league-rugby-review-show/” type=”big” newwindow=”yes”] Subscribe[/button]

For more information, please contact:

Warren Muggleton [Host and Producer] – wmproductions2018@gmail.com

Chris Heal [Editorial Assistant] – chris@talkingrugbyunion.co.uk

Mike Brennand [Commercial Enquiries] – email@mikebrennand.co.uk  

Please see below, a very moving piece from Paul Bushell, long time supporter and sponsor of the club.

Dear CRFC community,

My name is Paul Bushell. I have been coming to CRFC for 16 years, initially as a M&Y coach for my son Toby’s year group and thereafter to watch senior rugby. Until recently I sat on the main club committee, the finance committee and I continue to chair the advisory board.

Two months ago, I went to the doctor complaining of some stomach pains. I was expecting the diagnosis of a stomach ulcer or similar. Instead I received the shock diagnosis of a pancreatic tumour that had spread to other organs in my body. There is no cure for this cancer, it is known as the silent killer, as in over 80% of people it is at stage 4 before it is diagnosed. At the age of 52 this has been a game changer in every sense of the word – I would struggle to ever articulate how much life has been turned upside down.

I am receiving the most brutal chemotherapy regimes every two weeks, so far I have been lucky to be relatively unaffected by the side effects. This will hopefully give me some good quality life extension. I’ve also had some great advice from many people – in particular I’d like to mention Alison Williams who has been an absolute star in teaching me about positivity and the right attitude, even when the odds are stacked against you.

Over the last few weeks I have learnt a huge amount more about this terrible illness. It receives one of the lowest research and development budgets, due to the lack of cure. It is the 10th most common cancer in the UK.

The reason for my writing is to highlight your attention to this, and to ask for your generosity in sponsoring my family to raise funds for research into this worthwhile cause.

Shortly after diagnosis we decided we wanted to raise money for more research into this disease. As a result, we have decided to all undertake a sponsored walk (and a ½ marathon) in different places. Therefore on the 17th July, Justine, Toby and I will be walking 10km near to home in Kent. My daughter Lara will be doing the same in Scotland and my eldest daughter Alice will do this in Mexico. Furthermore Justine and Toby are undertaking the Canterbury ½ marathon on the 30th August as part of this cause.

I appreciate fully that the club regularly looks for sponsorship and help for both itself and also for other genuinely great charities. I truly hope that you can sponsor my family for this cause, and assist in funding research into early diagnosis of this cruel cancer.

The link for sponsorship is below. Some of you may wish to make an anonymous online donation, but we do like to see who has given money so we can thank them when we next see each other.

https://www.thebigstepforward.org.uk/fundraisers/TeamBushell
Target of £20,000

Thank you so much for your kind support. I continue to fight the fight and fully intend to be around to watch CRFC go from strength to strength in the next season! I hope to see you there.

With my best wishes

The Bushells
(Paul, Justine, Alice, Lara and Toby)

A message to our friends Canterbury Hockey Club, sending condolences for the death of CHC Legend Dick Laslett who was regularly seen too at The Marine Travel Ground as a friend to many of us.

The club released the statement below.

We are devastated to record the death of Dick Laslett on the 29th June 2021. Dick has shown incredible leadership in developing sports and community facilities over a period of 50 years. He has been a man of vision and foresight, an innovative, inspiring leader and an ambassador for many sporting and social enterprises.

Dick joined Canterbury Hockey Club at the age of 17, becoming 1st XI captain in 1962 until 1969. He progressed rapidly through club administration becoming Vice Chairman in 1972, Chairman for 10 years from 1977 and was made a Life Member in 1988. He served on the Kent Committee from 1977 for over 20 years. It was a great source of pride for club members that he was elected President of Kent County Hockey Club.

Throughout the 1970’s he led the development of Canterbury Hockey Club from a converted rubbish tip on land rented by the council, eventually identifying the present site at Polo Farm. He helped to fund its purchase and successfully sought grants and loans all the way through to project completion. He was a man of vision, instrumental in setting up one of the finest centres of mens, ladies and youth hockey in the country.

As well as this focus on hockey, Dick has been a leader in the development of Polo Farm Sports Club. He was a founder member and initiated the development of a local sports venue into one of the premier centres of sport in South East England, playing men’s, ladies and youth hockey, tennis, cricket, football and croquet. Throughout all this time he has attracted a large number of voluntary workers who have been inspired by his leadership. However challenging the job he showed persistence and determination to see the job through, however menial the task.

Dick has also demonstrated enormous service beyond the sports field. He established the Eastry Young Peoples Club, providing a social outlet for the growing number of young people in this community. He secured funding and was project manager throughout the building stage and continued as Chairman and youth club leader. He also obtained funding to establish a private nursery (Bubbles) in the village, to provide a much needed facility in a growing village which was attracting many young people.

The culmination of Dick’s contribution to so many of our lives was the well-deserved award of MBE in November 2009, for outstanding achievement and service to the community. It is an award which sums up Dick’s lifetime contribution perfectly.

Richard Goodenough

There is no mistaking the unparalleled focus and commitment Giles Hilton displays when talking about subjects and causes close to his heart. It is clear this approach, let us call it the ‘Hilton Method’ has guided him personally and professionally through his life. Testament to this is the number of people from all walks of life who volunteered a singular voice of approval and support for his nomination for inclusion in the Queen’s Honours List.

To understand the man behind the award we need to focus on a part of his life that can be regarded as a microcosm of the wider word in which he inhabits. So, Giles Hilton Chairman of Canterbury RFC it is. Not one to sit in an air-conditioned office issuing edicts to subordinates, Giles is often found weeding and watering the 1^st XV pitch, working the bar, supporting club staff, raising prizes and eyebrows when giving pre and post-match speeches. There is hardly a day of the year you will not see Giles at the club. His energy and charisma pervades all, and his kindness of spirit sets the bar for other around him.

Giles leads from the front. He motivates and inspires in equal measure bringing people along with him and focuses them on the common goal of making the club not only a club that plays competitive rugby, but also one that has a very clear place and purpose in the community. His vision for the club is clear and one that he has articulated numerous times over the last 16 years. The principles established then still ring true now, to become a top club in Kent, to enable every player to reach their full potential, at whatever level and to reach out into the community to support everyone into sport. Diversity and inclusivity are central tenants to achieving his and the club’s ambitions. This has allowed Giles to introduce many forms of the game to the club including Wheelchair and Touch, both having players that have represented GB and England at the highest level.

Giles has always put people at the centre and goes out of his way to ensure all, from current players, ex-players, staff, and club members are supported and never have to feel alone in times of hardship or difficulties in their lives.

Giles’ tenure has always been one of striving for continual development whether it is getting the club to the 3^rd tier of English Rugby, or improving the facilities the club offers its players, staff, members, and visitors.

Giles takes pride in the club’s standing on the local community and puts huge effort into fundraising for those less fortunate and very much embodies Canterbury RFC’s One Club ethos.

Giles is widely respected across the board at a club that he has dedicated a large portion of his life to. Supported by his wife Phillipa, their two sons, family and innumerable friends, Giles has applied the Hilton Method, and it has worked.

On a closing note, if you do bump into Giles, I will wager he will tell you that the honour bestowed on him is fantastic for the clubs he represents, before acknowledging it is his name in front of the prestigious letters.

Congratulations Giles Hilton MBE.