A LOCAL rugby club has announced an “exciting” new partnership with one of the Forest’s leading educators to help develop a new eco-friendly clubhouse.

Bream RFC will partner with Hartpury University to provide business and marketing students with the opportunity to help deliver a project to build a brand-new clubhouse at its High Street ground over the next few years.

The club is currently in the process of selling its existing clubhouse and some of the land it owns, and will use the money to build the new “state-of-the-art” clubhouse facility.

Planning permission for the new “low energy” clubhouse was secured in February this year.

The club committee member responsible for business, Richard Leppington, who is well-known in the local community as the district councillor for Bream, says the new building will be carbon neutral and has been designed to “tick all the green boxes”.

To develop its plans for the new clubhouse in areas such as marketing and business, the club will offer Hartpury students the opportunity to gain real-world experience by working together with the committee on the project.

Students will assist the committee in developing a business plan and marketing strategy for the new facility, which will help to identify exactly what will work for both the proposed location and the club’s target market.

The project will form part of Hartpury University’s new Sports Business Management programme for students.

The partnership will begin in September and Richard said he hopes it is something that will carry on for many years to come, with future students taking over on the project when their predecessors graduate.

“This is a really exciting partnership for us”, Richard said.

“What it’ll give us is a huge amount of expertise, which we’d otherwise have to pay thousands of pounds for through consultants, and it’ll give the students a chance to put their theory-based learning into practice.”

Richard added that he hopes the innovative partnership will serve as a “blueprint” for development at other sports clubs in the local area.

Dr Alex Kay, Lecturer in Sports Business Management at Hartpury University, said: “Hartpury University are delighted to partner with Bream RFC on this exciting project as part of our new Sports Management Masters programme.

“The partnership will be developed by the Hartpury Sports Business hub and allows students to work closely with industry on real projects that can have a big impact in the local community.

“The partnership with Bream RFC will focus on the launch of the new clubhouse and provides students with an opportunity to make a real contribution to the sporting industry as part of their studies.”

To celebrate the new partnership, Bream RFC will host Hartpury University RFC for a friendly on September 4.

Richard confirmed that Hartpury, who play in the second tier of English rugby, would not be bringing their first XV to face Bream, who play in the ninth tier.

“I understand they’re bringing their third or fourth side to give us a bit of a chance!”, he added.