Harlequin at the Stourbridge Rugby May Weekend

Every year, Stourbridge Rugby hosts its May Weekend, the biggest series of events it stages outside of the National 2 North and Midlands 1 West rugby fixtures. The May Weekend has built up a prestigious reputation over recent years.

The weekend consists of three different events - on Friday the Corporate Lunch, Saturday the May Ball and a Charity Event on Sunday.

The 2017 events were the biggest to date, with the Corporate Lunch hosting over 1500 guests who were treated to a fantastic afternoon. England Head Coach, Eddie Jones and former Head of the CBI, Lord Digby Jones were the main speakers, with a special appearance by Glen Ella. Phillip Serrell performed the auction and John Bentley was MC.

The May Ball continued the celebrations and on Sunday, the Club hosted a Charity match between current and past Stourbridge stars.

Harlequin Media was involved with the promotion of the whole weekend with traditional and digital marketing, as well as producing a range of items to use on the day - posters, tickets, e-tickets, website stories, Facebook events, lunch programmes and menus, table plans and lists, Stourbridge Rugby sponsorship opportunities leaflets, bar signage, sponsors logos formatted for the big screens, competition envelopes, waiters' order pads, and so on...

Harlequin also came up with the idea of the May Lunch Twitter competition. Guests are invited to follow the @StourbridgeRFC Twitter account, then post a tweet mentioning @StourbridgeRFC #SRFCMayLunch and their table number. Sometime during the afternoon, all of the mentions are scrolled and one of the guest speakers chooses a tweet. The winning table is presented with a Magnum of Champagne. This simple idea increases the followers for the Twitter account and helps the hashtag to trend for the afternoon.

Harlequin worked with the Club to ensure that all of the events were promoted as extensively as possible and making sure that everything required to make the day run smoothly turned up in good time - we even helped on the day!

The countdown to this year's May Weekend has already begun - so SAVE THE DATES!!!

Friday 4th May - Corporate Lunch
Saturday 5th May - The Royal Ball
Sunday 6th May - Community Charity Rugby Event

If you would like help promoting your products and events on a variety of media, or just need some design and print done, contact us on communicate@harlequinmediaconsultancy.com

PR Goes National for Stourbridge Rugby

Stourbridge Rugby recently launched the RFU's 'Return to Rugby' initiative at the Club, aiming to attract former rugby players back to the sport. Harlequin Media Consultancy helped with the local launch which has been a great success for the Club and the RFU's campaign in the area. 

Thanks to Return to Rugby, Dick Jeavons-Fellows, a former player and Chairman at Stourbridge, took the opportunity to have a run out with his twin sons, Alfie and Zac. The picture of the 3 family members created so much interest on the Club's social media channels, we decided to send out a piece of PR in the hope of creating some more interest - here's what we sent out:

Family Time on the Pitch Thanks to ‘Return to Rugby’

The RFU recently launched a new initiative called ‘Return to Rugby', aimed at encouraging players who have left the sport to get back into training and to turn out for the odd game.

Stourbridge RFC has signed up to this initiative, asking people in the local area to get back into playing, or even to throw a rugby ball around for the first time. The Club is holding regular Wednesday night training sessions, which are supported by RFU coaches to ensure that the players are eased back in gently. The next session is on Wednesday 23rd November 2016, starting at 7:30pm and will be hosted by RFU Regional Development Officer, Adam Blackford.

‘Return to Rugby’ player Dick Jeavons-Fellows, a past Chairman of the Club whose family has had a long association with Stourbridge, recently turned out for the Grasshoppers XV alongside his twin sons Alfie and Zac, who both play for Stourbridge Colts. The game was against local rivals Wolverhampton IVs and all three of the Jeavons-Fellows family managed to score a try in the closely fought win.

Dick said, “It was a great opportunity to play in the same team as the boys, it gives a whole new meaning to quality family time!”

The new RFU initiative has even inspired the current Club Chairman, Robin Edwards and Director of Communications, Mark Denison to put their boots on again. Mark commented, “With O2 Touch and Return to Rugby now being hosted at the Club, I can keep on top of my fitness playing a sport that I love. Next season I’ll also have a chance to play alongside my own son Jacob, as he will qualify for senior rugby.”

Stourbridge is also resurrecting its Gazelles XV to play a series of six games throughout the season on Friday nights against local Clubs that have also taken up the Return to Rugby initiative.

PR Goes National

We didn't realise how much interest this would create when it was first sent out. The Stourbridge News, Stourbridge Chronicle and Express & Star all ran with it, as it was good local story. However, it didn't stop there. First of all, the best-selling Rugby magazine, Rugby World, agreed to publish the story, making it a truly national (maybe even international) story. Then the RFU asked for permission to approach Dick and the twins for a more in-depth interview for their website and their monthly newspaper, Touchline.

As a result of all this positive coverage, the twins have now been approached by Channel 4 to appear on a programme they are making in the New Year about twins - they were only too happy to oblige.

This was the first PR job taken on by Harlequin Media Consultancy, which has been a resounding success for Stourbridge Rugby and the RFU.

If you'd like more information of getting your company, brand or general news noticed, please give us a call on 07875 337295 or e-mail communicate@harlequinmediaconsultancy.com