Wealth Managment Company Helps With 130th Anniversary Celebrations For Local Rugby Football Club

Exeter-based Wealth Management Company Brewin Dolphin, organised a special coaching session by two Exeter Chiefs players with the Sidmouth Rugby Football Club which is celebrating its 130^th anniversary. 

Photographs by Bruce Thomas of Image Creation - Terry O'Brien (Rugby Secretary of Sidmouth RFC) / Richard Kirk (Match and Player Analyst at Sidmouth RFC)  / Dan Goddard (Chairman of Rugby at Sidmouth RFC) / Bob Smith (Coach) / Phil Dollman (Center/Full-back, Exeter Chief) / Sean Priestly (Assistant Director, Brewin Dolphin Exeter) / Ben Moon (Prop, Exeter Chief) / Mark Seward (Sales and Marketing Director at Sidmouth RFC) / / Bob Baugh (Second Team Manager at Sidmouth RFC) / Mark Beavis (Head Coach of Sidmouth RFC) / Phil Bye (Coach at Sidmouth RFC)

Founded in 1884, Sidmouth RFC is playing this season in the Western Counties West League.   Brewin Dolphin organised the visit by Chiefs first team players Phil Dollman and Ben Moon to the club’s home ground to help prepare the Sidmouth Chiefs train for their league game against Tavistock Away.

Sean Priestley Assistant Director, Brewin Dolphin Exeter said: “As a national company with local offices, Brewin Dolphin believes in supporting the communities it is a part of.  The various sporting clubs based in Sidmouth do a fantastic job to both foster and develop local sporting ability, mainly through the efforts of their members on a voluntary basis.  Over the last few years, the Exeter office has been providing on-going support and sponsorship to a number of these clubs in Sidmouth, including football, rugby and cricket.  We are delighted, therefore, to arrange this unique opportunity to help celebrate this momentous milestone for the local club. Exeter Chiefs is the West Country’s premier rugby club and it’s a great way to help raise the profile of Sidmouth Rugby as well as offer a rare chance for the squad to be coached by professional players.  I particularly want to thank Chris Bentley and Tony Walker of Exeter Chiefs for supporting us on this and Phil and Ben for fully engaging with the team.”

A former Wales Under-18 International, Dollman (29) began his club rugby with Bedwas before switching to the Newport-Gwent Dragons and then the Chiefs in 2009. Signed by the Chiefs to bolster their Championship challenge, he immediately helped them earn promotion to the Premiership in his first season at the club. A Chiefs legend in the making; Phil, an integral member of the squad from the championship days has been unfortunate to have not been recognised at the international level following solid performances year on year. Welsh by birth, Phil has adopted Devon as a second home and has played in the first team backline in every position barring scrum half. Famous for his dazzling footwork and pinpoint passing accuracy he is always one of the first names on the Chiefs team sheet.  Phil played his 100 league game against the Wasps and has scored 16 tries in 131 games in total for the club. 

Team-mate Ben Moon (25) and Cullompton’s favourite son played for the England's under 16's, under 18's and the 20's. He was part of the Ivybridge Rugby Academy which is where he was signed by Exeter Chiefs, and he also was a junior at the Cullompton Rugby Club.  Ben made his Chiefs debut at home to Sedgley Park in 2008.  Since that time he has established himself as a regular face in and around the Exeter first team.

The Colts joined the Sidmouth RFC first team in two separate training sessions with the Exeter Chiefs.  Ben Moon focused on scrummage and line out with the forwards, whilst Phil who has just agreed a new two-year deal with the Aviva Premiership club, concentrated on strike moves with the backs.

Phil Dollman (Exeter Chief) / Sean Priestly (Associate Director Brewin Dolphin) / Ben Moon (Exeter Chief) with the Sidmouth Rugby Football Club

Chris Bentley – Corporate Sales at Exeter Chiefs said: “It’s great for the guys to get out and do a bit of work for local clubs and we’re really pleased for the support from Brewin Dolphin in putting this all together. With a young team and new coaching set up at Sidmouth still settling in we hope that Phil and Ben may have a few pointers to give the team a winning edge in the weeks to come. With big games to focus on at Exeter Chiefs later in November against Wasps and Saracens, we hope that a few of the players may make the trip up to Sandy Park to reciprocate the support!”

At the beginning of November, 93 members, guests and sponsors gathered in the clubhouse to celebrate the 130th anniversary of Sidmouth RFC in the company of guest-of-honour Bill Beaumont CBE, chairman of the RFU. Another notable guest was Exeter Chiefs and England back row forward Thomas Waldrom which raised over £2,000 for the clubhouse refurbishment fund.  

Dan Goddard – Chairman of Rugby, Sidmouth RFC. Comments, “It’s great for our club when professional rugby players like Phil and Ben take a coaching session and pass on their experience and expertise to the grass roots of the game. Over the last week there has been a real buzz around the club; and I am sure we will all have a great evening. Following recent good wins by our 1st XV and Colts teams we look forward to their session helping motivate us for our upcoming games.  We are delighted that Brewin Dolphin has organised this special practice with the Exeter Chiefs and given us this opportunity.”

Sidmouth Rugby Football Club is looking for new players and welcomes participants at all levels of experience. Anyone who is interested in joining and playing for a forward thinking club is urged to contact Terry O’Brien on M: 07815757057 or e-mail tobrien@sidmouthrfc.co.uk

www.brewin.co.uk/exeter

Brewin Dolphin Exeter organise coaching session for Exeter Chiefs player with Exeter Saracens

Chiefs Battle it out...

Chartered accountants, Haines Watts North Devon LLP set up a special coaching session with a difference for the first team squad of Bideford Rugby Football Club. The Bideford based firm which sponsors Craig Mitchell ‘Mitch’, a Wales international rugby union player for the Exeter Chiefs in the Aviva Premiership arranged for the International Rugby Star to join the North Devon first squad players to pass on his expertise in this popular sport.

Tight-head prop ‘Mitch’ joined Exeter Chiefs last summer after spending six years with the Ospreys. A current Welsh International with 11 caps to his name, the 26 year-old was part of the Welsh squad that played at the Rugby World Cup in New Zealand last year. Since arriving at the Chiefs, he has quickly established himself as a key forward in the much talked about Exeter pack. He has to date made 13 appearances for the club in all competitions and scored his sole try in their away win at Gloucester.

John Edwards Managing Partner – Haines Watts North Devon LLP says “Bideford Rugby Club is a valued client of ours and we felt this was a great way to help raise their profile in the local community, offer a unique and memorable experience for the players and add value to our longstanding relationship. The fact that ‘Mitch’ is a fellow Welsh-man made him a natural choice as the player to sponsor at the Exeter Chiefs!”

‘Mitch’ joined the Bideford players on his 26th Birthday for an exclusive two-hour dedicated training and coaching session at the club’s ground and says “As a rugby player a lot of your daily life is based around the work you do in training and preparing for games.  Learning calls and moves, working hard on things like your set-piece, they are all vital parts when it comes to bringing a team together. Thanks to Haines Watts, my sponsors, it’s great that I can try to pass on a few of the training tips that I have learnt with the Ospreys, Wales and also the Chiefs to the guys here at Bideford Rugby Club.”

Bideford Chiefs are in the Western Counties League and played their last game of the season at the end of April retaining the cup by beating Okehampton 51 - 17 in the league having narrowly lost to them twice and the ground was packed with a very large crowd of spectators. They finished 3rd and missed out in the play-offs by just 1 point!

Bideford Chiefs First Team Captain John Mock says “You don’t often get the chance to have the opportunity to have dedicated coaching from an international rugby star here in North Devon. The lads really engaged with ’Mitch’ and his tips and advice will prove to be a great help for next season and the Pre-lims. I hope all the players take-on his invaluable advice and work even harder on training techniques.”

Accountants adopt new charity of the year

Southernhay based Chartered Accountants Haines Watts specialising in the owner managed business sector and their sister company Haines Watts Financial Services hosted a special fundraising networking event to launch their new charity of the year, Families for Children Adoption (FFC). Attracting over 100 guests from the local business community the event held at the Exeter Audi dealership during National Adoption Week raised £1500 for the charity.

The evening ‘kicked off’ with special guest appearance from Welsh squad Rugby player Craig Mitchell of Exeter Chiefs. Mark Tyler, former sports commentator of ITV Westcountry, new co-owner of Exeter FM and Vice Patron of FFC talked about his own experience of adoption in Exeter. He then carried out a live interview with Craig Mitchell on his World Rugby Tour experience followed by a lively Q&A session with the audience. Local businessman, Nick Agg-Manning volunteered his time as auctioneer and there was also a charity raffle with prizes donated by local businesses. One of the main auction prizes was donated by Devon & Somerset Fire & Rescue for a day out for six people with visits to the fire stations including the Airport and hands on fire training.

Senior Partner at Haines Watts Ben de Cruz says “We chose Families for Children as our new Charity of the Year following a visit to their offices located in the grounds at Buckfast Abbey. Caroline Davis the CEO and her team gave an emotive presentation. We also had the chance to meet a family who had adopted three siblings who were very passionate about the charity and their ongoing support. The launch event was highly successful and everyone had a wonderful night at the prestigious Exeter Audi dealership with some fabulous top of the range cars on display which proved very popular. We have so many people to thank who gave up their valuable time on the night including Nick Agg-Manning, Mark Tyler and all the businesses who made such generous donations for the charity raffle and auction. Craig Mitchell was a great draw and we have had really positive feedback from our guests.”

Allison Colton Fundraising & Publicity Co-ordinator says “Families for Children are delighted to have been named as Charity of the Year for Haines Watts and it was great that they chose National Adoption Week to hold their first fundraising event for us. Thank you to everyone who attended and donated so generously. Haines Watts use the strap line Local Matters, National Strength - we are a local charity placing children from all over the UK with loving adoptive families in the South-West - so for us too that has real meaning.”

For further information please visit www.hwca.com/exeter

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Photos courtesy of Mark Campbell - www.onthemarkphotography.co.uk