Tickets selling fast for Kingsholm’s ‘Help For Heroes’ dinner

A local soldier, recently home on leave from Afghanistan, is organising a rugby-themed ‘Help for Heroes’ black tie dinner at Gloucester Rugby Club on Saturday 21st February, and tickets are selling fast

The Help for Heroes Charity Dinner is being organised by Damion Williams, a Sergeant in the Army Intelligence Corps who also plays and coaches at Minchinhampton Rugby Club. Damion was inspired by the Help for Heroes rugby match at Twickenham last year and he recently decided to devote the remaining days of his home leave organising this charity event.

Kingsholm will host the three-course dinner on the 21st February, followed by a raffle with prizes donated by Gloucester Rugby, other Guinness Premiership Clubs and local companies. These include signed shirts from Gloucester Rugby and Bristol Rugby and a signed ball from Bath Rugby.

After dinner, entertainment will be provided by the Corps of Drums of the Royal Marines followed by a live band and disco playing until 1 am in the morning.

Damion, pictured here in combat uniform, says “Everything is falling into place.  The Rugby Club has been really helpful and the raffle is amazing, although I would be very pleased to hear from anyone that would like to add to the prizes and help this really important and worthy cause.”

The rugby community has become one of the Help for Heroes greatest supporters and when Twickenham staged a Help for Heroes game last year it raised over £1m in recognition of the sacrifices made by our armed forces.

Tickets, which are priced at £50 per head, are selling fast with 160 of the 280 available places already sold.  Anyone interested should contact Sarah Richards on 07823 777164 or Kate Williams on 07855396548.

Kingsholm to host the 2008 Gloucestershire Landlord Expo

Landlords from across Gloucestershire are invited to visit the Gloucestershire Landlord Expo which takes place at Gloucester Rugby Club’s new conference centre on Thursday 27th November, from 1pm – 7pm.

This is a ‘must be there’ event for all Gloucestershire landlords as they are now required by law to provide an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) for all privately rented accommodation.

County Trading Standards will be enforcing EPCs and landlords who fail to obtain a certificate face fines of up to £200 per property and they will also be required to take their property off the market.

EPCs will contain information about the energy performance of the dwelling and its likely affect on heating bills and other running costs. There are over 20,000 rented properties in Gloucestershire and every landlord must provide an EPC report free of charge to all prospective tenants.

All six Gloucestershire councils will be at Kingsholm to explain why the EPCs are required, where to get them from and how to prepare for them. Free seminars will run throughout the afternoon on topics such as Energy Performance Certificates, the Credit Crisis, Funding Strategies for Landlords and Tax for Landlords.

For more information, please telephone Suzie Phelps on 01453 754449 or visit www.stroud.gov.uk/landlord.

Gloucestershire’s ‘Full of Life’!

Hundreds of Gloucestershire’s older residents mingled with super-fit sportsmen last week during an action-packed ‘Full of Life’ exhibition held at Gloucester Rugby Club’s new conference centre.

Organised by Gloucestershire County Council and the Gloucestershire Primary Care Trust, this one-day event was a showcase for over fifty organisations that offer support and new opportunities to the county’s older residents.  All three floors of the stadium’s new conference facility were filled to capacity by a wide range of exhibitors that included Age Concern, Gloucestershire Warm and Well, Dignity in Care, Active Healthy Aging, Glos Folk, Shop Mobility and even ‘Look After Your Legs’!

“Being at Kingsholm added enormously to the excitement of the day” said event organiser, Rosie Callinan, who works for Gloucestershire Care in the Community. “It was great to be able to see the first team training and we were really delighted when some of the players came up and mingled with our visitors.”

“It’s been a very good day.” agreed Gloucestershire Rural Community Council’s Barbara Piranty. “As well as good care services, older people need new challenges and new opportunities to enrich their lives and this exhibition has provided many with the ability to make real life choices, based on the knowledge of what is available”.

“Gloucester Rugby Club is delighted to have hosted such an important event.” said Kingsholm Manager, Patrick Morris. “I had no idea that there were so many support organisations out there dedicated to helping older people.  The energy levels have been really high all day and it’s been very rewarding for all concerned.”

“I can see why they called this event ‘Full of Life,’ continued Patrick. “The exhibitors and, more importantly, the older people who have found their way to Kingsholm from across Gloucestershire have shown us that age is no barrier to the enjoyment of a full and active life.”

Kingsholm Stadium conference campaign kicks-off

Gloucester Rugby Club has appointed local marketing and communications company, the Destination Marketing Group, to help promote Kingsholm Stadium’s new conference and hospitality facilities.

Kingsholm Manager, Patrick Morris, welcomes this appointment, saying; “We have enjoyed a terrific first six months of trading and we are now pushing on to make Kingsholm the region’s top conference and business hospitality venue.

“We have invested heavily in the new stadium and we now offer a superb range of really excellent business facilities.” continues Patrick. “But it’s the magic of Kingsholm Stadium itself that makes it such a wonderful venue.

“All of our meeting rooms look out over the pitch and across to the Malvern Hills.  And on the other side of the building we have great views of Gloucester Cathedral and the city centre - it’s a very special venue.”

The College Green-based Destination Marketing Group also provides marketing support to the Gloucester Heritage Urban Regeneration Company, Gloucester Cathedral and English Partnerships and it has also previously worked for the British Tourist Authority and English Premier Rugby.  The Gloucester Rugby account will be managed by Philip Cooke who has also played first team rugby for the Harlequins.

“We can accommodate up to 400 delegates in theatre style” continues Patrick. “But we also have 16 seminar rooms for smaller meetings, first class catering and on site parking for over 150 cars.”

“Kingsholm Stadium is available for a wide range of business and hospitality events and it is also rapidly becoming a favourite venue for exhibitions, trade shows, product launches, sales team meetings, civil weddings and wedding receptions.”

For further information please contact: Patrick Morris, Kingsholm Manager.  Tel: 01452 872269.  Email: patrickmorris@kingsholmvenues.co.uk

News release from Gloucester Rugby, Kingsholm - 30th July 2008.