Centenary Year 2024 and Beyond
We have now bid farewell to our Centenary Year of 2024. We celebrated in style, the fact that Kenilworth Rugby Club has been in existence for 100 hundred years. Our celebrations included a Centenary Dinner, a very successful KENFEST, Centenary Matches including a Women’s Coaching Session, and a Centenary Walk from the Memorial Park, Coventry (where we played our first ever men’s match on that same weekend in September 1924 against the Warwickshire Yeomanry) to the Jack Davies Memorial Ground, Glasshouse Lane. Furthermore, in late November as part of our centenary campaign we updated Kenilworth Town and Warwick District Councillor’s on the work of the Club, the strength of our diverse reach across all aspects of rugby and our growing role in the community, and of course our ambition and aspiration to move to our identified new home.
We can confirm that we successfully marked our major milestone in the appropriate style with various events and activities throughout the year – a year in which we also contributed significantly to local charities, particularly Myton Hospices through the excellent KENFEST delivered contribution which deserves huge credit to all involved.
In addition to these fantastic events, we have had a series of Pre – Match Lunches; namely Former Players/Presidents Pre-Match Lunch, a Services Pre-Match Lunch (raising money for the Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal), Christmas Lunch (raising money for Birmingham Children’s Hospital), Sporting Speakers, and our very own MasterChef finalist ‘Tree Fearon Supper Club’ - with much more to come in the second half of the season including the wonderful ‘Ladies Day’ returning in March. None of the above would be possible without the work of our volunteers and sponsors, so a huge thank you to everyone who has contributed and represented the club in any way over the last year, it has been challenging, exciting and rewarding.
We run this club on the premise that we are a welcoming, diverse and inclusive organization. With the challenges presented playing at an incredibly competitive level, there is still much to celebrate:
*Within the men’s section a team in Regional 1 Midlands (Level 5 - the highest level the club has played) and a 2nd team always looking to recruit and play more frequently, of course we’re also delighted to welcome former Wasps full-back Rob Miller to the men’s coaching team on a consultancy basis, initially until the end of the 2024/25 season.
* A Colts squad of over 30 players.
* An Under 21’s ‘Barbarians’ men’s team for returning players.
* Pirates (over 35’s) Men’s rugby. 40+ players going on tour in March 2025.
*A women’s section with a team in Championship North 1 (Level 2) a second team in Women’s NC 2 Midlands and a newly established thriving under 18 Girls team.
*330+ minis and juniors, ranging from 4 years of age to 16 years of age. Boys and girls and a girl’s tag rugby section.
* Mixed Walking Touch Rugby.
* Mixed Running Touch Rugby.
* Summer and Santa Mixed Touch Tournaments.
* 7’s Tournaments for under 13’s through to under 16’s.
* Community programmes delivered into Kenilworth Schools.
We have produced many fine players over the last one hundred years, both male and female, and we need to be extremely proud of that. Some of these players have gone on to play at the highest level, including internationally.
As we are now in January 2025, there is much to look forward to this year with both a Women’s World Cup and of course the Lions touring in Australia, as a Club we hope to continue to grow and build on the many wonderful initiatives taking place. Our club cannot thrive without its volunteers and the many people giving up their free time. If you would like to volunteer your services in any capacity, please get in touch to president@kenilworthrugby.com
**Finally, we had intended to update on the New Ground at the Club on Wednesday 15th January. In October we shared that the work on Bloor's viability appraisal surrounding their Planning Application was continuing with Warwick District Councils consultants, and as of today this work has still not yet concluded.
Concurrently, however we have made particular progress with W.D.C. regards securing commitment at the highest level for our move, including support for the club’s aspirations for our new home. In this context, and while commercial discussions mature W.D.C. have requested we delay the forum a few weeks until after the end of January, which is when officers believe they will be far better placed to update on progress in a number of key areas, allowing for a much richer briefing.
Importantly, this will also allow senior management from W.D.C. to attend the club in person, such is their stated commitment for K.R.F.C. and ensuring the club’s success. We have therefore agreed to postpone Wednesday's planned forum a few weeks to facilitate a more comprehensive briefing - with full transparency. We will communicate a revised date in February, as soon as possible.
We ask that you take from this message that these developments are very positive for K.R.F.C. The success of the ground move is being treated with the utmost seriousness by W.D.C. and all involved parties. There are clearly commercial sensitivities around work currently ongoing, however we look forward to a positive forum in the first half of February.
Many Thanks.
Paul Fountaine – Chairman
Rich Bennett - President
