Our Commercial Team are available to supply you with any
further information and help you may require,
contact:
Director
of Commerce
Peter Gratton-Davey, Zion Cottage, Zion Road, Torquay TQ2
6HX
Tel:
01803 292830
Mob:
07074 204091
Email:
info@torbayblinds.co.uk
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Ground:
Torquay
Athletic R.F.C,
Recreation Ground,
Rathmore Road (Sea
Front),
Torquay,
TQ2 6NX.
The Recreation Ground is right at the heart of the
English Riviera, situated on Torquay Beachfront (we are
encircled by Rathmore Road and Kings Drive on the map
above.
Playing Record:
We run four Senior Sides: 1st XV, 2 nd XV, 3 rd XV and a
Colts under 18’s XV. We have a thriving Junior Section
catering for 7 year olds upwards.
Over the years, we have produced several international
players – Bath and England Hooker Lee Mears started his
rugby journey with TARFC. Mike Davis, a local Torquay lad,
played and coached England in the 70’s. Forwards Coach John
Widdicombe, another Torquinian, played for Newport and the
Barbarians XV, John is now an assistant coach at the Club.
On a Sunday morning there are over 200 children and parents
training and playing rugby – “a playground for rugby”. We
have one of the strongest Junior Sections in the South West
and organise a Mini Easter Tournament which attracts teams
from South Wales, the Midlands and London, who participate
in the event.
Torquay has a proud history of producing quality players
who have represented England at Under 16 level: Rupert
Seldon, Lee Mears, Andy Baker, James Manley, Jon Bourne and
Chris Bell . Bell joined Plymouth Albion and captained
England Under 18. Ben Cole who came through our juniors
section joined the Saracens and gained Under 21 England
honours. Ben has returned to the Club as a player and
forward-coach. Richard Hunt also gained England Under 19
and Under 21 honours. Ben Rowntree had Welsh Under 18
honours. Certainly an impressive list of honours for any
Rugby Club.
Future Plans:
We wish to assume a long-term
lease from Torbay Council. Once this is in place, we intend
to apply for Sports and Lottery Grants. In order to
completely renovate the ground, we intend to create new
bars, a gymnasium, sports hall, function suite, changing
rooms and hospitality suites, creating a Community
accessible Centre of Excellence for sport for the people of
Torbay.
Basic expenditure for the Club includes the lease, pitch
improvement and maintenance, water rates, hire of coaches
for all sides, shirts, shorts, socks for all teams, general
refurbishment and upkeep.
Our Aims are
•
To be an ambitious Rugby Club with players of potential at
all levels.
• To enable each and every player to reach their
full potential and enjoy the game of Rugby.
• To promote the game of rugby to the youth of
Torquay and the surrounding area.
• To have a progressive Club focusing on rugby in
and for the Torquay Community.
The Need for
Sponsorship
More than ever
before, running a Rugby Club is now like operating a
business, as the recent history has shown us all, with the
financial failure of some of the most famous clubs in
rugby, the business of sport needs finance.
In the past, rugby clubs such as our own have survived
making do and depending on the amateur (free) help of past
players and supporters. To do so in the future will be
insufficient to allow or enable the Club to develop and to
compete in the modern professional climate in any league
rugby.
When one considers the number of young people who regularly
play rugby at our Club, there is a constant need to
maintain and improve our facilities. To overcome these
serious shortcomings, we have drawn up a development plan
to provide more changing rooms, floodlights, mini pitches,
indoor training facilities etc, not only for our present
club members but also in order to attract other sports
pursuits to our premises.
Our immediate needs for the coming season, and to assist us
on the road to these aims, include existing pitch
improvement, track suits, shirts, shorts, socks, boots etc,
for each team, together with help for the hire costs of
transport to the increased number of League away matches.
In order to meet all of these commitments we are seeking
sponsors, in the form of companies or interested parties to
assist us.
We have the location, we have the history and we have plans
for the future.
With dedicated Officers, Supporters and some 130 Senior
Players, together with our Junior Section, consisting of
youngsters ranging from seven years to under sixteen, and
numbering in the region of 250, but increasing daily, who
themselves are well outnumbered by their parents who come
to encourage and support them.
Torquay Athletic R.F.C
looks to you, the companies and individuals who trade in
the Torquay area, to add the missing ingredient – Finance –
to assist and partner us on the road to excellence so that
we may all have great pride in the achievements of our
sports people in Torquay.