NEWS FLASH RAF Battle of Britain Memorial Flight confirmed!

RAF Battle of Britain Memorial Flight

A Spitfire and Hurricane from the RAF Battle of Britain Memorial Flight will be conducting a 3-pass fly past on Saturday 11th May 2013 after the Royal British Legion take the salute of all rugby players at this year’s Service of Remembrance!

Rugby for Heroes is proud and delighted to welcome the RAF Battle of Britain Memorial Flight to perform a display at this year’s Charity Rugby and Music Festival.

Two of the Flight’s aircraft, a Spitfire and a Hurricane, will be performing a flypast on Saturday 11^th May 2013 at around 230pm, as a salute to the 5^th Anniversary festival and in remembrance of all of the men and women who have served our country and paid the ultimate sacrifice.

The Royal Air Force Battle of Britain Memorial Flight (RAFBBMF) is based at RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire. The BBMF was set up in 1957 to act as a living, flying memorial to the men and women who fought in the RAF in World War 2.

They operate a fantastic range of historic flying aircraft, including the UK’s only operational Lancaster bomber, two Hurricanes, eight Spitfires, a Dakota transport aircraft and a Chipmunk. These aircraft are lovingly maintained by RAF maintenance teams, all year round, and undertake a very busy flying schedule throughout the year.

The aircraft are regularly seen at events commemorating World War II, upon British State occasions, notably the ‘Trooping the Colour’ celebrating Queen Elizabeth II’s birthday and at air displays throughout the United Kingdom and Europe.

Big thanks are due to Norm Webster of RAF Charitable Trust Enterprises – www.airtattoo.com – who has worked tirelessly to secure this flying display and a ground demonstration from The Lytham St Annes Spitfire Display Team – www.spitfiredisplayteam.co.uk. We can’t thank him enough for his hard work and commitment, and for making this year’s Festival the most memorable ever.

NEWS FLASH Enter your team for Rugby4Heroes 10s

We still have one U35 team slots available!

We also looking for Under 15 Touch teams to play in a mini tournament on the Sunday (12th May).

If you are are a touring team or rugby club looking to end the season on a high, please contact Mike Vallance on 07545 602029 or on trekmonkey46@aol.com if you would like to discuss registering your team.

News Flash Rugby4Heroes 10s Team News Update

With 13 days to go until OLRFC Rugby4Heroes Festival and Charity 10s kicks off, we have a raft of returning and new teams who have entered!

The line up so far is:

Ladies Tens (7 teams confirmed)

Old Leamingtonians Ladies
Old Leamingtonians Tena Ladies
Moseley Ladies
Warwick University Ladies
Rugby Lionesses
Bridgnorth Ladies
Coalville Ladies
Camphill

Mens U35 Tens (7 teams confirmed)

OLRFC
The Parachute Regiment
Warwick Medics
Kenilworth Barbarians
4th Regiment Royal Artillery
Old Princethorpians
Top Gun
Buccaneers
Old Saltleains

Mens Veterans Tens (4 teams confirmed)

Old Leamingtonians RFC
Army Mavericks RFC
Royal Logistics Corps Veterans
Evesham EEGITS

Still a few spaces left, please spread the word if you know any teams looking to end the season on a high.

The Lewis to Lewis Tour is here!

Ladies and gentlemen, start your engines please!

THE LEWIS TO LEWIS TOUR IN AID OF 353 IS HERE. Saturday 18th May 2013.

Be they monstrous V8s, frugal diesels or nippy 1-litres. Techno hybrids, big capacity trucks or high-revving motorcycle engines, it’s time to turn the key, point the wheels in the direction of Claverdon and join us at the start line for the 2013 ‘Lewis to Lewis’.

The idea – To join team 353… on a one-day driving or riding homage from Claverdon, the home of Conrad Lewis, to Dereham and the home of his fallen comrade Lewis Hendry – and back again – in the same day. The challenge – We will have a number of light hearted ‘Top Gear’ challenges on the way with at least 2 key drop-in activities – one of which will be the completion of ‘353 Team Miles’ at Rockingham Raceway. The journey with these diversions and challenges is in the region of 353 miles itself and there will be a prize for the entrant that gets the closest to that magical mileage number when we return to Claverdon.

The date – It all takes place on Saturday 18th May 2013.

The start and finish line – We start at the famous Durham Ox, Shrewley – arriving for coffee and tea at 8.00am, with all cars on their way to check point one by 8.30am. We should be back at the Durham Ox by 7.00pm with food and drink available on our return.

The costs – It costs just £35.30 to enter a car and £10 per passenger (please complete the attached form). In return for the entrance fee you get: branding for the car or bike, entrance to our call-in venues, your named sponsorship of one of the ‘team miles’ at Rockingham and the eternal thanks of the 353 team and our nominated charities. All you need to pay for is fuel, food and beverage.

The legals – Please check that you are covered to complete the event. This is not a rally as that would invalidate your insurance. It’s actually a treasure hunt or leisure drive. There is no competitive element other than trying to be the closest to reach 353 miles covered during the day. We hope that you can either join us or pass this to friends and colleagues who might like to take part.

Please let us know that you are supporting us by emailing the following details to info@353.org.uk

Name of Driver:

Names and number of guests:

Name for sponsorship of the Rockingham 353 Miles:

Details of car / Bike / Truck / Reliant:

Please note: All drivers and entrants must have valid insurance covering them against liability for both personal injury and damage to the property of third parties on the public road sections of the Run, in accordance with the Road Traffic Act.

Rugby4Heroes Welcomes Patron – Monty Halls

Old Leamingtonians RFC will host the ‘Rugby for Heroes’ Festival for the fifth year running on 10^th-12th May 2013 and are aiming to put on their best ever Festival of sport, music and fun for all the family.

This year we are again proud to welcome back as our newly appointed Official Festival Patron and rugby playing guest, television presenter Monty Halls! Monty is a former Royal Marines officer and since leaving the services in 1996 he has worked in some of the most demanding environments on earth, won Channel Four’s ‘Superhuman’, and presented series and documentaries for the Discovery Channel, The National Geographic Channel, BBC1 and BBC2, Channel 4, and the History Channel. Famous for his adventures with his dog Reuben in the Great Escape series, he most recently presented a three-part documentary on the Great Barrier Reef and a BBC series entitled ‘The Fisherman’s Apprentice’. Monty will attend this year on a break from filming a new dive expedition series for broadcast later this year

Monty said “the OLRFC Rugby for Heroes weekend is a fantastic event raising money for some very important causes, through the medium of an excellent festival of rugby and music. I am honoured to have the role of Official Festival Patron bestowed on me on the Fifth Anniversary and look forward to donning my rugby boots again!”

“In a busy modern world, there are very few days in the calendar that are set in stone, that are non-negotiable, but Rugby For Heroes is one of them. It’s a gathering of the rugby family to commemorate and celebrate those we have lost, and is quite simply an un-missable event. The achievement in putting together such a day is not to be underestimated, requiring a huge amount of effort by a large number of people, but the end result invariably lives long in the memory. First there is the setting – Old Leamingtonians RFC – the epitome of a friendly, vibrant local rugby club. There is the rugby itself – this might be the ultimate good natured gathering, but once the whitewash is crossed, everyone means business and no quarter is asked or given.

And looming large over everything is the spirit of the event itself, which runs clearly through every pass given, every tackle made, and every pint sunk. The event raises money for those we have lost, to help those they have left behind, and to honour their memory. Such is the spirit of the weekend, that nearly twenty thousand pounds has been raised by the previous Rugby 4 Heroes events, a monumental achievement by all concerned.

I am extremely honoured to have been asked to be Patron of the event. As an ex-Royal Marines Officer and sometime tv presenter, I am assuming that my media profile and Services background has very little to do with this. As with all rugby players of a certain age, who sneakily think they’ve still “got it”, I can only assume that such an honour is due to my coruscating pace, bewitching side step, and pile driving hand off.

It is very difficult indeed to epitomise the spirit of the great game we play. But for one weekend a year, at Old Leamingtonians RFC, as the rugby family gathers to commemorates those who have fallen in battle, we come fairly close. A great event, a great club, and the most worthy of causes. My warmest congratulations to all of those concerned, you do yourselves proud.

Now, fill your glasses, raise a toast to absent friends, and bring on the rugby!”

All the best,

Monty Monty Halls, The Great Escapes Team

OLRFC to repeat successful Fundraising Festival Event

‘Rugby for Heroes’ in aid of Forces Charities 10-12 May 2013

Old Leamingtonians RFC will host the ‘Rugby for Heroes’ Festival for the fifth year running on 10th-12th May 2013 and are aiming to put on their best ever Festival of sport, music and fun for all the family. All profits generated from the Festival will be donated to Help for Heroes, the Royal British Legion and to ‘353’ a ‘not for profit’ cause set up by the family of Private Conrad Lewis, who received a Mention in Despatches for his actions prior to being killed in action in Afghanistan in February 2011.

In the last four years, OLRFC has raised more than £18,000 for Help for Heroes and other Forces charities. This year the Club is proud to welcome Aqua Food and Mood, Chapter, Equiniti Paymaster, Liquidblu, Rybrook BMW, the Warwickshire Golf & Country Club, and Warwick Racecourse as official Festival sponsors. We recognise the support of a host of Warwickshire and National businesses, who are advertising in support of the Event. We also thank 353, the Royal British Legion and Help for Heroes for their significant input.

The event begins at 7pm on Friday 10th May with a real ale and pie festival and live performances by Dartmouth’s very own Harry Quick, local folk artists Jonathan Waller and Eleanor Stanley, and Kenilworth 7-piece The Last Minute.

On Saturday 11th May there will be Mens’, Veterans and Ladies’ 10s Rugby tournaments, including guest appearances by teams from the Army’s Royal Artillery, Royal Logistics Corps, the Parachute Regiment, Army Veterans and a host of county and touring sides.

A Spitfire and Hurricane from the RAF Battle of Britain Memorial Flight will be performing a spectacular evening flypast at 5pm on Saturday 11th May (weather permitting). The display by the BBMF team coincides with the 70th anniversary of the famous Dambusters raid in 1943 – they will put on a fantastic show at OLRFC in memory of all our heroes!

The Saturday night music line up features The Sambassadors of Groove, Harry Quick, Coventry band The Loaded and evergreen Festival favourites, Bristol rockers Whytehouse.

On Sunday 12th May, the following rugby events will also be held:

* Mini Rugby for U7/U8s * U15 Three Towns Touch Rugby tournament for the Conrad Lewis Cup
* Girls Tag Rugby Tournament

In line with the Festival tradition, a Remembrance service will be held each day at 1pm and led by the Warwick and Leamington Branches of the Royal British Legion. Many Legion standards will be in attendance, on Saturday and Sunday. Reverend Jerry Sutton, Padre to the 4th Battalion, the Parachute Regiment, will lead the Services. The Shirley Pipe Band and Warwick Corps of Drums will be in attendance.

Over the full weekend there will be charity and rugby apparel stalls, a historic Spitfire living history display, Royal British Legion Riders motorcycle line up, a fantastic festival campsite, a buzzing real ale bar and plenty of freshly prepared, delicious food.

OLRFC Club Chairman, Richard Wormell, said; ‘the Club is proud to be associated with ‘Rugby for Heroes’ and fund raising for the charities it supports, and I am looking forward to a rollicking good weekend of rugby and fun’.

The Festival Ticket price will be just £10 for 18+ adults for the whole weekend; under 18s will go free! Anyone who wants to register to take part in some way or to bring a team to play, can go to the Festival registration page on www.rugbyforheroes.org, or contact Mike Vallance on trekmonkey46@aol.com and 07545 602029. Rugby team registration fees are £100 per team and camping is available on site at £10 per pitch or £20 for caravans and motor homes!