Pershore Rugby celebrating 60th birthday

The club played its first match in September 1962 and has continued to grow ever since.

On Saturday, Piddle Park will play host to a ‘spectacle of all-things rugby’ including a legends match officiated by Pershore-grown international rugby referee Rowan Kitt.

Chairman, Bill Hurley, is excited to see the club's history celebrated at the special occasion.

“We have come a long way in the last 60 years, and it will be tremendous for all our players to come together to celebrate all that we have achieved,” he said.

International TMO Rowan Kitt will officiate the legends match on Saturday

The club's very first chairman, Roy Hirons, is among those who will attend the anniversary event on Saturday.

Mr Hurley added: “It was his and the original committee’s enthusiasm and hardy-spirit in 1962 that paved the way for our success today. 

“Today, Pershore is one of the most progressive and inclusive rugby clubs of any, with women and girls playing, as well as men and boys and every age-group is represented – from two to 82 – and we offer many different types of rugby now, in addition to traditional 15-a-side Rugby Union.

“We are very proud as well to now have a fabulous, recently refurbished, clubhouse, with a new changing room block, three full-sized pitches and a floodlit training area, which allows many hundreds of players to enjoy rugby of all kinds at Pershore.”

Pictured back row: Touch players Emma Field, John Staveley and Matthew Perry, first chair Roy Hirons, current chair Bill Hurley, and Toby Grace and Nadia White of the 15-a-side teams. Front row: Lainey Nottingham, Riley Nottingham and Tommy Hughes from the Pershore Pups.

The main event on Saturday will be a men’s invitation XV contest between Pershore Legends and Dymock Barbarians, officiated by Kitt, at 3pm.

Before that, demonstration matches from will take place showcasing all sections of the clubs, including the two-to-six-year-old Pershore Pups, the Third Age Touch side for retired members, and the women’s contact XV.

There will also be a mixed-gender and age family-friendly touch match as well as a pig roast, live music and inflatables.

Following this will be the club presentations, where the winning youngster’s 60th anniversary rugby ball design will be announced

The celebrations don’t end on Saturday either with a teddy bear’s picnic planned for July 10 and a ladies’ day on October 8.