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Charity Policy

Gloucester Rugby treats all requests for charitable support with the utmost importance. However, given the huge and ever-increasing amount of correspondence we receive on a daily basis, it is simply not possible to fulfil every request. We have therefore, set out the following policy and guidelines to provide clarity and fairness.

Gloucester Rugby’s Charitable Policy and Guidelines

Headline Charity | The Gloucester Rugby Foundation is the Club’s primary focus of our charitable commitments. The Gloucester Rugby Foundation’s goal is to Engage, Educate and Inspire the local community to bring about positive social impact and new opportunities for all through sport.

Our mission is to use the power and inspiration of rugby, along with the values of Gloucester Rugby, to make a difference by:

  • Delivering innovative programmes for people of all ages
  • Developing partnerships that bring about success based on the needs of local people
  • Providing new opportunities through sport for disadvantaged groups

Official Charity Partner | Gloucester Rugby has an official charity partner that will be voted in each year, currently Pied Piper Appeal – a local charity supporting local children.

Chairman’s Charity | this charity is selected by our club chairman and is currently The Fold – a children’s home in South Africa for children that have been rescued from desperate situations.  The aim is to create a loving and secure environment where children have hope for the future.

Support for significant campaigns and/or the victims of a major national or international disaster are dealt with by the Club centrally and we do not, therefore, accept individual donation requests for such causes.

Please check against the criteria below before making a charitable request.

Frequently asked questions

  • + How do we apply to be the official charity partner?

    The application process opens on 1 May and closes on 14 May 2022.

    The criteria for applications are as follows:

    The charity needs to be based in Gloucestershire supporting local people.

    The charity should enhance the work of the Gloucester Rugby Foundation and should align with one of the three areas we support as detailed below:​

    Participation | To ensure every person in Gloucestershire has an opportunity to play rugby in their community regardless of age or ability
    Wellbeing | To offer accessible opportunities that inspire people of all ages to lead healthier and more active lives
    Education | To boost education attainment, employment outcomes and improve life chances through bespoke sport-based programmes delivered within schools and at Kingsholm.

    An online application form can be completed online & submitted from the 1st of May 2022.

    Any questions regarding the application process, please contact [email protected]

    Click here to complete the ‘Charity Partner’ Application Form

    Applications close on 14 May, any applications submitted after this date will not be accepted.

    Applications will be shortlisted and then a selection will be invited in to present to a panel of judges.  After the presentation, voting will take place and the successful charity will be announced. 

  • + Will we be notified if we have not been shortlisted?

    Due to the volume of requests, we are regrettably not able to reply or give feedback to every application we receive. Charities that have been shortlisted will be notified 14 working days after the application window closes.

  • + What do you get as the official charity partner?

    The official charity will receive the opportunity to work closely & develop a partnership with Gloucester Rugby and The Gloucester Rugby Foundation. The relationship may include opportunities to fundraise, player appearances, matchday events and other collaborative activities.

  • + How often do you change the official charity partner?

    There will be a new official charity partner each season.

  • + Can the official charity partner be from outside of Gloucestershire?

    The charity must be based in Gloucestershire and benefit local people.

  • + Can you apply to be the chairman’s charity?

    No, we will only take applications for the official charity partner.

  • + Are there opportunities for charities to work in partnership with the Gloucester Rugby Foundation?

    We welcome opportunities to work in partnership with others if it means we can support and enhance the lives of local people.  If your charity meets the criteria below then please complete an application form.

    The charity needs to be based in Gloucestershire supporting local people.
    The charity should enhance the work of the Gloucester Rugby Foundation and should align with one of the three areas we support as detailed below:

    Participation | To ensure every person in Gloucestershire has an opportunity to play rugby in their community regardless of age or ability
    Wellbeing | To offer accessible opportunities that inspire people of all ages to lead healthier and more active lives
    Education | To boost education attainment, employment outcomes and improve life chances through bespoke sport-based programmes delivered within schools and at Kingsholm.

    Complete an online application form here from 1 of May.

  • + I’m holding a charity fundraising event, would it be possible to get a signed item?

    Due to the volume of requests we are regrettably not able to support causes outside of those of those listed as the Club’s nominated charities.

  • + Can we apply to do a bucket collection or hold any matchday activity?

    Due to the volume of requests we are regrettably not able to support causes outside of those of those listed as the Club’s nominated charities. 

  • + Would it be possible to send an item to the Club for the players to sign?

    The Club receives a high volume of requests of this nature and for this reason, we are unable to accept items that are sent to us to be signed. We do hold player signing sessions at various community events, details of these are announced on our website as soon as they are confirmed.

  • + Would you be able to sponsor me for my charity event?

    Such is the demand for financial support from the Club that we are unable to offer direct financial assistance or sponsorship.

  • + Could you please send me some Club Souvenirs?

    The Club receives numerous requests for souvenirs on a daily basis. We prioritise requests for merchandise for charitable causes which relate to our guidelines.  

  • + Could you please promote my fundraising page/charity event on your social media channels?

    Due to the overwhelming volume of requests that we receive of this nature we are restricted to working with our nominated charities with regards to promotional work, such as social media.

  • + Am I allowed to come to the Training Centre to get items signed?

    Unfortunately the Gloucester Rugby Training centre is not accessible to the general public.

    The best time to obtain player signatures would be at official signing sessions, details of which are announced on our website or at a Gloucester Rugby match.

  • + My friend/family member is getting married would it be possible to get a signed shirt for them?

    The Club receives a high volume of requests of this nature and for this reason, we are unable to arrange for items to be signed by players for personal use. We do hold player signing sessions at community events and details of these are announced on our website as soon as they are confirmed. As an alternative, we are happy to provide a letter of congratulations for a small donation to the Gloucester Rugby Foundation of £5. Please complete THIS FORM to request your letter. 

  • + My friend/family member is unwell would it be possible to get a signed item for them as a get well gift?

    The Club receives a high volume of requests of this nature and for this reason, we are unable to arrange for items to be signed by players for personal use. As an alternative, we are happy to provide a get well letter for a small donation to the Gloucester Rugby Foundation of £5. Please complete THIS FORM to request your letter. 

  • + My friend/family member has sadly passed away, would it be possible to get a signed shirt for their funeral?

    The Club receives an overwhelming volume of similar requests such as this each day. For this reason, we are restricted to working exclusively with our nominated charities in regards to items being signed by the players. However, we are happy to arrange a letter of condolence from the club for a small donation to the Gloucester Rugby Foundation of £5. Please complete THIS FORM to request your letter. 

  • + It’s my friend/family members’ birthday, would it be possible to get a card for them signed by all the players?

    The Club receives a huge volume of requests of this nature each day. We are therefore restricted to working exclusively with our nominated charities in regards to items being signed by the players. 

    As an alternative, we do conduct player signing sessions and details of these are announced on our website as soon as they confirmed. 

    We can also offer a letter of congratulations from the Club for milestone occasions for a small donation to the Gloucester Rugby Foundation of £5. Please complete THIS FORM to request your letter. 

  • + How do we become a Club Charity partner?

    Due to the extent of our work with existing charity partners, and to ensure we are providing the best possible value and resource to our existing relationships, we are not currently in a position to enter into any further partnerships.

  • + Could you please donate your out-of-date kit/equipment to us?

    Any spare kit or equipment that we may have is used by Gloucester Rugby Foundation within our charitable and community projects.

  • + Could I please get a video message from the players?

    Unfortunately, due to the overwhelming number of requests that we receive, we are unable to produce video messages from the players or coaches. Alternatively, we could certainly look into arranging a letter from the Club for special occasions for a small donation to the Gloucester Rugby Foundation of £5. Please complete THIS FORM to request your letter.