DARTFORDIANS RUGBY FOOTBALL CLUB
(Affiliated to the RFU, KCRFU, CLOBRFC, KSRFUR)
War Memorial Clubhouse, Bourne Road, Bexley, Kent, DA5 1LW
Telephone (Clubhouse): 07707 039784

26th August 2024

Dear Fellow Dartfordian,

With the 100th Anniversary season now behind us, it is time to look forward to the new 2024/25 season. The senior men have had their first pre-season game, winning 21-14 versus HAC and both the 1s and the Demons have follow up friendlies ahead of their league campaigns kicking off on September 7th, when the 1s will be at home to local rivals Sidcup RFC. The Women kick off their league fixtures on September 15th and the Junior club is back on September 1st.

Here’s to another great season for all and we look forward to welcoming old and new members to the War Memorial Clubhouse, with the new welcomed to the Dartfordians family.

The fixture lists are being added to the Club website as soon as they are available and can be seen at www.dartfordiansrfc.co.uk

At the recent AGM held in August the annual subscriptions were frozen across the piece and we have seen new officers elected to various roles, but there is always room for more – if you are keen to help out and understand which roles are free then please let me know.

Many of you will have noticed the large green containers that have been at the club for a little while – these are all equipment for the borehole project which is now due to get underway to assist with future watering of the pitches throughout the summer,
as we continue to aid the improvement of the playing surfaces.

Once again I would encourage you to join the Crown Club, if you are not currently a member, as all the funds are used to assist with developments as well as provide monthly cash prizes which Crown Club members are put in the draw for. Once again the application form is on the club’s website under the ‘Information’ and ‘Documents’ tabs.

Please join the Club website www.dartfordiansrfc.co.uk , if you have not already and keep an eye out for all the latest news, results and events on the site, Facebook and Twitter. We are in the process of understanding how best to streamline our social media sites and access to those, so watch out for more news on this matter soon.

The Club wishes all our members all the very best for the coming season. Enjoy the time spent together learning, improving, playing, socialising whilst respecting the officials and supporters from other teams at all times. I know we will have more great success this season and when we do let us share in it as a Club….

Come On You Darts!

Sponsors.

Once again I would like to give huge thanks to all of our sponsors – RTS remain our main sponsor for a further year, but we are working on obtaining sponsorship from as many varied businesses/individuals as possible. The club continues to look for new sponsors and I would encourage you to let me know of anyone who you think may be interested. We would definitely welcome a conversation.

Volunteers.

I would also like to take this opportunity to thank you all in advance for any voluntary work that you take on throughout the season - whatever it is goes a long way to moving the club forward and we are only as good as we are due to your commitment.

Anyone who wants to support the Club by volunteering please let me know - we have several positions that we are looking to fill, so please contact me and I will be pleased to pass on further information.

Our Club is built on volunteers, so please join those already involved and share the burden of responsibility, thereby making it easier for all. Some of the roles we need to fill are:

Director of Rugby
Social Secretary/Events Coordinator
Hon. Secretary
Junior/Senior Referees
Coaches (across all age groups)
Weekend Car Park Manager

There are many more areas that we are keen to build out volunteer levels, so if you are interested in helping to build the Dartfordians legacy then please let me know.

International Tickets

The Expression of Interest form for the 2025 Autumn Internationals is now on the website, under the ‘Information’ and ‘Documents’ tab – please remember you have to have paid your subs to become eligible to be considered for tickets and please follow the instructions on the form.

It is imperative that if you are lucky enough to purchase tickets they must be returned to the Club if it turns out that you can no longer go. A full refund will be made and a new home for those tickets will be found amongst our membership.

Note that the applications must be submitted by 30th September 2024.

Crown Club

As the development of facilities will need to be funded, I would ask that you all become members of the Crown Club, the proceeds from which go towards the operation and development of the Club and ground. A Crown Club application form is attached and should be completed and forwarded to The Crown Club, Old Dartfordians Association, War Memorial Clubhouse, Bourne Road, Bexley, Kent, DA5 1LW. Alternatively, you can give them directly to Martin Gubby.

Annual Subscription

Annual Subscriptions are now due and so please pay by cash, cheque (payable to Dartfordians RFC) or by Credit/Debit card machine (behind the bar). There is also the ability to pay via the RFU’s main GMS portal. The Family Membership is £162 a season and includes siblings and social membership for the parents. Senior Membership is now £192 per season and the Social Membership fee is £75 for the year. Students are expected to pay the £80 subs level. Please note that although the Rugby Club has arranged basic insurance for all their members they are only covered if they are a fully paid up member of the Club – so don’t delay submitting your subs! All players should also look at taking out their own separate playing insurance if they wish to have wider cover on top of that provided by the RFU.

Subscriptions shall be due on the 1st September in each year and shall be at the following rates:-

a) Full Members - An Annual Subscription of £192 per season, payable by October in one lump sum or by standing orders throughout the season. Senior Players who look to obtain Family Membership will also pay £192, rather than the £162 below.

b) Mini, Junior, Academy Members £162 Annual Subscription (This equates to a family membership)

c) Students £80 per season

d) Non Playing (Social) Members, Minimum Annual Subscription of £75.

Membership Form

Each parent will need to register their child or children on the England Rugby’s GMS site and it is hugely important that this is carried out in a timely manner. Please link in with your age group coaches and admin staff and they will assist with any questions or queries. England Rugby is using this system to ensure GDPR regulations are adhered to and to ensure that they fully understand the playing strengths of the clubs in England.

This is now also the case for ALL senior players across the club.

Codes of Conduct

Finally, you will find attached the following:

• Please Respect Our Neighbours
• Code of Conduct for Players
• Code of Conduct for Parents/Guardians/Carers and Spectators

Please take your time to read and familiarise yourselves with these codes of conduct.

Be aware of the new Kent County disciplinary rules - any adult, whether a player, coach or parent will be asked to attend a disciplinary hearing with Kent County RFU
if they break the rules and are red carded. There are NO exceptions to this and there will also be fines imposed by the Club on the offenders.

Can I please ask you to respect our neighbours, ensure that if you find litter on the ground pick it up or ask the person dropping it to do so, to ensure that all players, parents and officials are respected in the true traditions of the game of rugby union.

Keep safe and have a great season.

Yours in rugby,

Jarrod Lawrence

Chair
Dartfordians RFC
Email: chairman@dartfordiansrfc.co.uk