A club transformed: Romford and Gidea Park
Romford & Gidea Park Rugby Club has enjoyed a remarkable transformation led by their committee and Chair Nicola Worthington.
In 2012, the club was facing bankruptcy, with its existence threatened. But thanks to the dedicated efforts of the serving committee, further strengthened by clear leadership from former Chair Lee Wheeler, the club met the challenges and moved on to success.
Navigating the crisis, largely thanks to their own members’ financial support, they built strong foundations, helped by a loan from the Rugby Football Union Foundation.
Fast forward to 2024, the club is now in a strong financial position and thriving.
Through focus groups and interviews with representatives from across the club, Nicola and the rest of the committee established the club’s vision and core values and put in place a five-year plan.
One key area identified was improving community engagement to strengthen local ties and create an impact beyond the club’s grounds.
They also relaunched their schools and community programme, building relationships with local schools, helping them to provide rugby for students through coaching masterclasses, and offering opportunities to meet professional players as well as kit, equipment and resources.
The club’s playing numbers have now grown throughout every section, with 30 new players of all ages signing up within the first few weeks of this season.
The men’s 3rd XV has returned after years of inactivity, the ladies’ section is fielding two senior XVs for the first time, and their 1st XV is predominantly made up of home-grown players. All of this has contributed to the club doubling its bar takings within the last 12 months.
Nicola said: “We’ve built our team from the bottom upwards. We work hard to make all our players feel included so that they want to stay with the club as they go through the ages and transition into adult rugby.
“Rugby is more than just a game – it’s about transforming people’s lives, building connections, and creating opportunities. At Romford & Gidea Park, that’s the heart of everything we do.”
