The preparations for Ellingham and Ringwood Rugby Club's coming season are progressing well, both on the field and in terms of sponsors signing up to arrangements with the club.

Last season, all three of the club's men's teams secured promotion. As a result, in the coming season, their 1st XV will be competing in Hampshire Counties 1, while their 2nd and 3rd XV's will be competing in Dorset and Wiltshire Counties 2 and 3 respectively. This means their men's teams will compete in levels 7, 8 and 9 of the RFU pyramid, so all three teams will be playing at very competitive levels.

For those wanting less competitive rugby, the club's veterans will be playing fixtures on non-league weeks and the club also has an active touch rugby section that plays throughout the year on Thursday nights.

As a result of the club's success and the level their three team's are now playing, pre-season training has been vibrant and a good number of new players have already signed from other local clubs.

Ellingham and Ringwood's women's team will continue to compete in National Challenge South West Division 1, which also provides high standard competition. The club's women and girl's section has been highly successful in recent seasons and four of their former players (Bryony and Poppy Cleall, Lisa Cockburn and Donna Rose) have played in the Women's Six Nations for England, Scotland and Wales respectively.

The club also runs boys and girl's teams in every age group from under 7's through to under 18's.

Westmade, the local building maintenance company has taken over as the club's main sponsor for the next three years.

Their owner, Allen Gilbert, is a former 1st XV player at the club and he said: "I've got great memories of playing for Ellingham and Ringwood and I'm delighted to now be able to give something back to the club, as their main sponsor for the next three years".

The club's 1st XV prop David Budd, who's the owner of Alpha Roofing Services, has generously extended his sponsorship of the club's1st XV shirts for the next two seasons and the first picture shows David in one of his new sponsored shirts in front of his pitch side sign board before a men's training session.

Lee Warltier from Sterling Global Marine has generously sponsored the club's men's warm up tops for the coming season. Lee attended a men's training session last week to hand over the tops and the second photo shows Lee with club coach Alan Steel and senior 1st and 2nd XV players Brad Evans, James Fisher, Andrew Lorton and Corben Hills.

If you'd be interested in playing for the club, or getting involved in any way, please contact Mark Johnson, their Director of Rugby on 07775 556898.