St Ives RFC are kitted out for the start of the new season

A club at the heart of the St Ives community is preparing to start their season on a strong footing, thanks to the support of local businesses.

St Ives Rugby Football Club, based at Alexandra Road, sees their season kick off on Saturday 2nd September, with sponsorship gathering apace from a range of businesses throughout the county.

The Hakes have a long and proud history within St Ives, running a very successful junior section, with teams ranging from under 7s to under 16s; this season the club is re-establishing its Colts team after an absence of several years. 

The first team were champions of Counties 2 Tribute Cornwall last season and will be playing this year in the Counties 1 Tribute Western West league at level 7, with an open door to new players, volunteers and supporters.

Amongst those supporters is Cornish Riviera Holidays, who have come on board as a major sponsor, with branding on the 1st and 2ndteam shorts.

Established in 1984, Cornish Riviera Holidays is an independent, local family-owned St Ives-based self-catering holiday letting agent, managing a wide range of properties from modern apartments and townhouses to fisherman’s cottages and artists’ lofts.

Matt Nellyer Director of Cornish Riviera Holidays said:

“It’s an exciting time for St Ives Rugby Football Club, with imminent developments to improve the grounds and clubhouse to support players. We are proud that Cornish Riviera Holidays can play a part in this, supporting a club which is at the heart of the local community. We are delighted to have our logo on the players’ shorts and are excited to see them out on the pitch. It’s going to be a great season for the Hakes and we could not be prouder to be a part of the team.”

With over 140 years of rugby history behind the team, St Ives Rugby Club dates back to approx 1880, when the game was first introduced to the town. 

The Club has played an important role in the community, developing players to reach their potential, youth coming up through the ranks, families enjoying the social connections and its clubhouse venue hosting many important celebrations. 

Ian Sanders, Chairman of the Rugby Committee for St Ives Rugby Football Club said:

“Many people in and around St Ives have a connection to St Ives RFC - if you don’t play rugby for the Hakes, you know someone who does! Over the many years of rugby played in St Ives, a great deal of history has been made, including producing County, Southwest and International players and full England caps. The history of the Club is long and we have an exciting future ahead.”

Ian continued:

“The Hakes are full of energy with a growing youth squad. We’re looking forward to level 7 rugby this season and continuing our excellent performance. With the backing of local businesses, we will be better able to develop our players. So we are extremely grateful to so many for their ongoing support over the years and we would like to say a huge thank you to Cornish Riviera Holidays for being our most recent and significant sponsor. We are proud to display their logo on our shorts and can’t wait to start the season.”

With development plans for the grounds including a new clubhouse and changing rooms, plus a change of site for the second pitch, capital developments have also enabled practical advantages, such as a huge number of parking spaces – which has resulted in significant footfall to the site, putting the club firmly on the map for locals and visitors alike.

With carpark usage alone, reaching over 800 per month, this is a key time for St Ives RFC to develop its sponsorship opportunities, enabling the Club’s corporate partners to benefit from significant brand exposure and awareness. 

Added to the marketing and communication tools that the Club has at its disposal, sponsorship opportunities with St Ives RFC are far-reaching and businesses are encouraged to contact the Club to find out more about how they can benefit.

For further information about St Ives Rugby Football Club and its corporate partnership opportunities, please visit https://www.stivesswrfc.co.uk or contact Helen Mulhern on helen@eventy.co.uk; you can also visit the club on social media.