Thatcham Rugby Club to host community fundraiser

The gig, featuring Frankie the Gambler and taking place at Newbury and Thatcham Hockey Club, will be raising funds for the rugby club’s new club house.
James Thorogood from the rugby club’s fundraising committee, said that now that the club was a charitable organisation, it was looking to promote sport within the community and he hoped Saturday’s fundraising event would help.
As the club was expanding, he said one of the things it was in need of was a clubhouse of its their own – having previously shared with the hockey club.
Planning permission for the clubhouse has been submitted to West Berkshire Council but has yet to be decided.
Mr Thorogood said that the evening was only open to over 18s and said: “I don’t think we are going to raise the £300,000 needed for the clubhouse but we hope to cover some of the costs.
“We are hoping to hold one every two months.
“It’s not just going to be a clubhouse; it’s going to be a community sports pavilion and there’s going to be lots of opportunity for local people to use it – whatever the community needs.”
Frankie the Gambler, whose lead singer is from Newbury, recently won BBC Berkshire introducing demo of the week and played at Brownstock Music Festival in Essex with The Fratellis and The Pigeon Detectives.
Mr Thorogood added: “They are like a happy Mumford and Sons – they are a really quirky band.
“They regularly play the festival scene so I wanted to make it as 'farmy' as possible to make them feel at home.” And to that end, those attending are being encouraged to wear farmers’ tweeds
The evening costs £10 and includes a buffet.