HHRFC First XV Team

GEW announce sponsorship of Haywards Heath Rugby Football Club

The team has enjoyed several successes since the club’s formation back in 1950; most recently being crowned as London 2 South East Champions for the 2019 – 2020 season.

GEW’s sponsorship includes pitch-side flags and post protectors
GEW’s sponsorship includes pitch-side flags and post protectors

GEW is proud to announce the beginning of a new sponsorship with one of Sussex’s premier amateur rugby clubs, Haywards Heath RFC (HHRFC).

The post protectors feature GEW’s well-known RHINO image
The post protectors feature GEW’s well-known RHINO image

Haywards Heath’s First XV currently plays in the ‘Counties 2 Sussex’ League, which is the 8th tier of English rugby union competition. The team has enjoyed several successes since the club’s formation back in 1950; most recently being crowned as London 2 South East Champions for the 2019 – 2020 season. The club has a long-standing record of developing players who go on to play professionally, including such elite names as Ben Broster, Joe Marler and Billy Twelvetrees.

L to R - Malcolm Rae, Chris Neill and Gillian Rae of GEW, with Team Captain Wilf Bridges
L to R – Malcolm Rae, Chris Neill and Gillian Rae of GEW, with Team Captain Wilf Bridges

A small group of sponsors support HHRFC in various ways, and GEW is now the club’s new sponsor specifically for the post protectors and pitch-side flags, across all teams.

Ready for action… the post protectors are fitted before the match
Ready for action… the post protectors are fitted before the match

Chris Neill is Lead Automation Engineer at GEW’s HQ in Crawley, West Sussex. He has been with the company for over 7 years and is also a regular player for Heath’s First XV in his free time, having captained the team for the 2021-22 season. It was this association that naturally led to GEW’s newly-founded involvement in the club. As a highly successful company, GEW regularly sponsor sports teams, charities and other worthy causes local to its Sussex base.

GEW’s pitch side boards are used for an important message
GEW’s pitch side boards are used for an important message

Phil Herbert, Commercial Director at HHRFC, comments on the new partnership: “Heath are hugely grateful to GEW for stepping in as the main sponsor of our 1st team pitch post pads and flags and it is exciting to see a local business brand being promoted at Whitemans Green every weekend. Without the generosity of sponsorship partners such as GEW, a grassroots sports club such as Haywards Heath RFC would struggle to cover the costs of delivering rugby across its membership. We are proud to display the GEW brand and delighted to enter into a partnership which we hope will be beneficial for both parties for years to come.”