East of England Co-op proudly sponsors inclusive rugby club in Colchester

The East of England Co-op has been announced as the new club sponsor for Colchester Kings Rugby Club in Essex.

Colchester Kings Rugby Club is East Anglia’s first LGBTQ+ and inclusive rugby team. They provide opportunities for anyone, regardless of experience, age, size or sexuality, to take part in team sport and the sense of belonging and achievement that it brings.   

Founder of Colchester Kings RFC said: “Welcoming East of England Co-op onboard as our new Club Sponsor is something the team and I are very excited about. As a community organisation in Colchester, we want to allow LGBTQ+ people and their allies access to sports where they might not have been able to in the past, and we're delighted to share our mission with the Co-op who also champion community groups who make a difference.  

“From May this year, we will proudly wear the East of England Co-op logo on our new kit and we look forward to debuting this at the International Gay Rugby's 'Bingham Cup', a worldwide tournament taking place in Rome. It's an exciting time for the Co-op to be joining the Kings and I'm looking forward to an amazing partnership." 

Inclusivity is at the core of the Club's values. The new partnership with the East of England Co-op will enable the team to continue training at modern and fully equipped facilities, and provide part-funded or bursary memberships for players and supporters in need. 

Jordan Holder, Talent Acquisition & Development Leader and DEI Steering Group member at the East of England Co-op added: “As a community retailer and a co-operative, supporting others is at the heart of what we do. We’re proud to have over 155 years of history giving back to local communities through our outreach programmes, fundraising and community support initiatives. 

“We supported Colchester Kings Rugby Club last year through our Community Cares Fund and are very pleased to be sponsoring the club this year. We look forward to supporting them to continue to run an inclusive club for the LGBTQ+ community throughout the summer, enabling people to access sport, some for the first time. We wish them the best of luck for their game this Saturday.” 

The Club will play their final game of the UK IGR South Eastern League on home ground this Saturday 16 March at 2:00 pm at Colchester Rugby Club. 

For more information about the East of England Co-op’s community support visit: www.eastofengland.coop/community