Written : Friday 6th Mar 26Guildfordians were delighted to host this year’s Minis Spring Rugby Festival on 1st March. Despite the very wet weather in the run-up to the event, preparations continued at full pace while the final decision was being made, so thank you to everyone for their patience.
A Huge Thank You to the Organising Team and Volunteers
The festival could not happen without the incredible support of our volunteer parents. From setting up and clearing away, running the Oasis, helping direct visiting clubs from the various car parks and supporting throughout the day, every contribution is hugely appreciated. Most importantly, your help allows the children to enjoy a fantastic day of rugby with their friends.
As with the Autumn Festival, special thanks go to our brilliant organising team – Lotte, Nicci, Andrew, Phil, Beth, Julia, Natalie and Liz. They put in a huge amount of work behind the scenes to ensure the festival runs smoothly and reflects what Guildfordians RFC stands for: a community-led, inclusive club, built around the RFU values of teamwork, respect, enjoyment, discipline and sportsmanship.
A Fantastic Turnout
This year we welcomed teams from 12 clubs, with some travelling from as far afield as Winchester, and even clubs from Wales keen to take part. In total, 152 teams played across the park, with around 1,500 children and their families enjoying the day.
We were also honoured to welcome The Worshipful the Mayor of Guildford, Councillor Howard Smith, together with the Mayoress and their family, who officially opened the festival.
They joined Gilly the Dog, the Guildfordians mascot, on the club balcony for a countdown to kick things off. The Mayor’s son sounded the start of the festival following a countdown led by the Mayor, while Gilly waved flags to signal the start of matches across the pitches. The Mayor, Mayoress and their family then braved the showers and muddy conditions to watch some of the U10s matches.
Food, Music and Festival Atmosphere
The kick-off also got the disco underway, with music playing out from the clubhouse balcony for the duration of the festival thanks to the support of one of our parents, Andrew.
Alongside the traditional barbeque, the festival also welcomed a coffee van, pizza oven, and – new for this event – a biltong stand, helping keep players and families fuelled throughout the day.
All the stalls proved very popular. The barbeque sold out, pizzas were in high demand, and the hot chocolate from the coffee van and Oasis was especially welcome given the weather!
Great Rugby and Big Smiles
Walking around the pitches, there was plenty of fantastic rugby on display, supportive team talks and lots of happy – if somewhat muddy and tired – children proudly receiving their well-deserved medals at the end of the day.
Looking Ahead
Our next festival will take place at the end of September, with the current U10s stepping up to organise the event as they move into the U11s age group.
Before then, we have several festivals to attend as guests as we head towards the end of the season in April.
Wishing all our members a great rest of the season, filled with rewarding training, strong teamwork and plenty of fantastic rugby.
