DORCHESTER Rugby Club have a shiny new entrance door courtesy of Clarkes Windows.

This season sees Dorchester celebrating 150 years of rugby union in the county town, and the club has set itself an ambitious target of raising £150,000 to cover both remedial work needed along with new upgrades to the clubhouse and to improve the facility for all in the community who use it.

Having been in use as a Covid-19 test centre until the end of June, some work has had to be delayed.

The first project finished has been a new entrance door provided by Clarkes Windows of Dorchester & Weymouth.

Tony Clarke handed over the new keys recently to club chairman Tony Foot.

Club president Bob Andrews, who oversaw the work, said: “In keeping with a community club, we always prefer to use great local companies who serve the locality, and we are pleased to have Clarkes on board as a new commercial partner.”

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All senior teams are back in training now for the much-anticipated 2021/22 season after missing all competitive rugby last season.

Training nights are Tuesday and Thursday, new players are welcome to come along and see what the club has to offer.

Having sealed promotion last time out with an unbeaten league campaign, the 1st XV will play the upcoming season in Southern Counties.

New head coach Josh Ovey is looking forward to his first term in charge and has some pre-season games already lined up.

Dorchester’s first home game of its 150th season is a friendly against close rivals Weymouth, coinciding with the RFU Pitch up for Rugby campaign on Saturday, September 11.

There will be much on offer for the day, and a warm welcome to all the clubs’ sponsors who have kept the faith during recent times many of whom have partnered with the club even without any on field action.

Foot said: “It will be fantastic to all be back at Surcouf Park, watching the game we love and seeing many old friends absent for so long.

“I look forward to personally welcoming our sponsors and commercial partners back again and seeing our players run out on the pitch against Weymouth.”