There are plenty of battles in grassroots rugby. Tough opponents. Tight budgets. Mud. Frigid weather. While the battles on the pitch create legendary tales, the toughest battles are the ones that take place quietly behind the scene. One of the most dangerous to a club is dealing with aging facilities. The slow, relentless wear of time and weather that threaten the structures that hold a club together.

At Penryn Rugby Football Club, that battle has become very real.

Founded in 1872, Penryn RFC proudly holds the title of Cornwall’s first rugby club. Known affectionately as “The Borough”, a nod to Penryn’s ancient town charter dating back to 1236, the club has been a cornerstone of its community for over 150 years. Today, that history isn’t just something found in old photographs or dusty trophy cabinets. It lives on through packed match days, a bustling youth section, and a volunteer base that refuses to let the club fade quietly.

But history alone doesn’t keep roofs standing.

Penryn’s current crowdfunding campaign, SOS – Save Our Stand, has a simple but urgent goal to protect and refurbish the club’s covered stand. In Cornwall, where sideways rain and coastal winds are more rule than exception, that stand is more than a luxury. It’s a lifeline.

On match days, Penryn RFC regularly welcomes between 500 and 1,000 supporters. For older fans and those with mobility challenges the covered stand is the only comfortable way to watch the game, soak up the atmosphere, and stay connected to the club they love.

Unfortunately, years of Cornish weather has taken a toll on the facility. Volunteers have already rolled up their sleeves and begun the work, but goodwill alone doesn’t buy steel purlins, scaffolding, rust sealant, or paint.

The club has set a £5,000 target. With just under a month to go, they’re sitting around the 20% mark. Progress has been made, but there is still plenty of room to cover. No pun intended.

Penryn RFC is a textbook example of what “One Club” really means. They type of club that provides rugby for players and supporters of all ages. The club fields teams across every age grade, including boys, girls, men’s, and women’s sides. More than 200 youth players pass through the gates each week, alongside over 100 senior players.

It doesn’t stop there.

The Borough is a genuine community hub. Local groups use the facilities regularly, youth match days can see 400 people cycling through the clubhouse, and the ground serves as a shared space well beyond rugby itself. Maintaining that space by making it accessible, safe, and welcoming is central to Penryn RFC’s long term vision.

That’s why this campaign goes beyond just saving a stand.

Once the stand is secured and safe for the future, The club plans to turn attention to other long overdue upgrades around their facility. The club hopes to refurbish their toilets, changing rooms, and the clubhouse to make it more welcoming. These aren’t cosmetic vanity projects. They’re vital to the future of the club. 

Grassroots clubs everywhere face the same challenge. It’s not enough to simply keep the doors open. Facilities must evolve to support modern participation, inclusive, and safeguarding expectations. These tasks are increasingly challenging for clubs being run almost entirely by volunteers.

Penryn’s vision is to be a leading amateur club in Cornwall, built around “The Borough Way,” where everyone is welcome and supported. That includes making facilities accessible for people with physical and learning disabilities and ensuring the club remains a place families want to spend their weekends.

Like so many grassroots clubs, Penryn RFC is run and maintained by a small army of dedicated volunteers. They donate their time, energy, and skills not because it’s easy, but because the club matters.

This Crowdfunder is about backing those people as much as it is funding club improvements. Volunteers keep clubs held together with paper clips, smoke, and mirrors. Rarely are they given the support and funding needed, but somehow they still make things happen. 

How Can You Help?

Penryn RFC has laid out four simple ways to get involved: 

1. Donate to their Crowdfunding Campaign if you can
2. Share the campaign to widen its reach
3. Contribute rewards as a local business
4. Run your own fundraiser in support of the cause.

It’s a familiar story heard around Clubland. A historic club. Weathered buildings. Volunteers doing everything they can. What often makes the difference is whether the wider rugby family steps in to help carry the load.

Saving the stand at Penryn RFC isn’t just about steel and scaffolding. It’s about protecting access, preserving history, and ensuring that future generations can gather under cover, cheer their teams on, and feel part of something bigger.

That’s a cause worth backing.

As with other fundraising efforts highlighted on Bottom of the Ruck, the message is the same for those out in Clubland. The strength in rugby is its community. There is nothing like it. I know for a fact that there are a lot of generous and loving members of that community out there. 

With thousands upon thousands of clubs across the world, we have strength in numbers. A club in need is a call to all of us in Clubland. Even the smallest donation, replicated hundreds of times, can make a massive difference. We have the ability to lift each other up without impacting any single, one club’s budget negatively. 

I challenge Clubland to step up whenever the opportunity arises. This time Penryn RFC is in need of help, the next time it could be your own club. Pay it forward. Even if it comes in small increments.