Rugby Club Issue 63 | Page 85

Isle of Wight We’ve got a social summer coming up, with a range of events in the community, a golf day and the usual social ‘Black Wednesday’ held every Cowes Week – and that’s before I even remind everyone that pre-season has already begun. recognising their contribution towards minimising light pollution. The award-winning club didn’t stop there. In 2016 they made the six club national shortlist for the RFU President’s Awards in both the Recruitment and Retention of Players and Better Facilities categories. These nominations recognise the work undertaken in capturing the interest in the sport following the 2015 Rugby World Cup, held in England, as well as the spectacularly successful transformation of the bar area of the clubhouse at Wootton Recreation Ground, led by Colman Cotter of Modh Design. The next project for IWRFC, which has been funded by Sport England and the RFU, is an overhaul of the changing facilities within the clubhouse. This will see an extension of the clubhouse, with new facilities and a re-configuration of the existing changing facilities. This exciting next phase of the club’s off the field work is expected to be ready in early October, offering RFU standard changing facilities for all players regardless of gender or age. The club is looking forward to the new season on the pitch too. As a club with a strong player base that prides itself on being a club rather than different teams, both the 1st XV skipper Dan Stirrup and 2nd XV skipper Tim Greedy agree that exciting times are ahead. “It just feels like it’s going to click,” explained Dan. “Results didn’t really go the way we wanted last season, but the www.sportip.biz 85