Paignton’s 150 fantastic years
Paignton RFC are celebrating 150 years at the heart of their coastal community, having weathered snow and rain which made pitches unplayable over the Christmas and New Year period and emerged to sunny summer touch sessions.
During the season, their 500 members weighed in for a Crowdfunder to improve the external areas and pitch barriers at Queen’s Park, raising the £14,500 target. Young players walked and ran the 18km from the club to Brixham RFC and back, and three members of the Bradshaw family, who play for the U10s, U15s and U18s girls, ran a total of 150 miles to mark the 150-year milestone.
Earlier in the season, the club, with the help of Achieve4All Sports Coaching, took rugby into local schools as part of Torbay Council’s Back to Sport initiative. And their U16s stepping up to Colts went on tour to Ireland, raising funds for the trip by cycling and rowing the distance from Paignton to the Emerald Isle.
Established in 1873, the seaside club was begun by players from Paignton and Torquay who trained on Paignton Green and Paignton RFC became one of the first members of the Devon Rugby Football Union. They moved to Queens Park in 1902 and have played there ever since.
With men’s senior teams, a women’s squad and age-grade teams at every level, their women’s captain Lulu Sinar played for Devon in the Gill Burns Division 2 & 3 County Finals, and her club and county teammate Chloe Huxted represented England Universities Sevens. Alex Radcliffe, currently studying law at Durham University, scored a try to help secure Durham’s Jason Leonard U20 County Championship final victory.
Celebrations of the club’s 150 years included a golf day in aid of local mental health charity Andy’s Man Club, and a black-tie Gala Night at the end of June at Torquay’s International Riviera Centre, giving 500 members and friends a chance to enjoy dancing to live music.
Club President David Siddall said: “This anniversary is a chance to thank our amazing volunteers, our sponsors and all our players who wear the Cherries shirt with pride. Over the past century and a half, the club has been a big presence locally and we hope to continue serving our community and demonstrating rugby’s values for another 150 years.”
