Chinnor celebrate 60th anniversary
It’s all happening at Chinnor RFC Thame - otherwise known as The Villagers - as they celebrate their 60th anniversary.
The club has come a long way since its founding at The Bird In Hand public house in 1963. From winning the Oxfordshire County Cup for the first time in 1977, to settling at Kingsey Road in nearby Thame - four miles from the village of Chinnor - in 1987, from the First XV becoming one of the youngest sides to reach National 1 in 2018 to the return of a women's side and the growth of girls’ rugby, a lot has happened at Chinnor in its short history.
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The 60th anniversary has been marked across the course of the 2022/23 season, with many founding members coming together for the Founders' Lunch last November, and most recently a black-tie Diamond Celebration was held at the club.
Based in Thame and surrounded by beautiful countryside, it has always been a community club at its very core, with volunteers at the heart of its activity, evident from their days playing at Towersey Playing Fields when a clubhouse was designed and built from scratch, all by volunteer labour.
That ethos is still at the very centre of Chinnor to this day as just a few weeks ago four amazing volunteers were celebrated at the Oxfordshire RFU awards, with Alex Bond, Steve Fairfax, Lisa Fincken and Kirsty Johnson recognised through the Honda Valued Volunteers Recognition Programme.
Working with community engagement specialists Community Group, the club is also working with primary and secondary schools in the county, as well as running half-term rugby, multi-sport and Holiday Activity & Food camps primarily for children from reception to year 11 who receive benefits-related free school meals
The progress at Chinnor is showing no signs of stopping as work has recently started on a major clubhouse development ahead of the 2023/24 season. In order to improve the experience for all, the changing rooms are being expanded, viewing balcony extended, and walkways improved to help service its large membership, which includes seven senior teams and a youth section from U6 through to Colts.
Chair Nick Stainton says: “We have over 150 wonderful volunteers who are at the heart of the club and are so grateful to everyone who has contributed so much over our first 60 years. We are now looking forward to having a huge positive impact on our local community over the next 60 years.”
