Mayor's charity rugby day
Published
Thursday 17 April, 2025
Updated
Wednesday 23 April, 2025
Action packed day of rugby, music, stalls and more on the Isle of Sheppey.
The Mayor of Swale, Cllr Ben Martin, hosted a charity women’s rugby match between Swale Ladies and a combined team from Maidstone and Aylesford on 19 April.
Aylesford Bulls Ladies and Maidstone Rugby Club Women’s joined forces to take on Swale Ladies - a combination of Sittingbourne Women RUFC, Sheppey RFC women and Faversham Ladies RUFC.
The gates opened, for free, at the Sheppey Rugby Football Club at 1pm with the epic clash kicking off at 2pm.
Despite a strong start from Swale Women - the exciting back and forth match ended with the away team bagging the bragging rights with a final score of 35-42.
The exhibition match was arranged to fundraise for the mayor’s charities Lupus UK and SATEDA, while promoting and supporting women’s rugby in Kent.
SATEDA is a local domestic abuse charity that helps women and children escape and heal from the violence and trauma they experience from the people closest to them.
Lupus UK is a national charity that supports people with lupus and campaigns to create awareness for the disease and help with early diagnosis.
The match was followed by other fun activities to bring in money for these important charities including food and market stalls, inflatables, a silent auction, raffle, BBQs, a DJ and bar.
You could also test your strength by taking on the rugby tackle-of-meter, which reads the force of your tackles, with the mayor setting the high score.
Mayor of Swale, Cllr Ben Martin, said:
“With the Women’s Six Nations in full swing - the Red Roses undefeated – and the Women’s Rugby World cup being in England, this event was the perfect opportunity to raise money for my chosen charities while supporting our grass roots rugby.
“We wanted to promote our amazing local clubs and show as many women and girls as possible, that this sport is a great opportunity to socialise and stay fit.
“Thank you to everyone who came along and supported the clubs and the charities Lupus UK and Sateda, who do such incredible work that touch the lives of so many.
“Of course, a big thank you to the clubs who put aside their local rivalries to create combined squads to make this unique and exciting rugby event possible.
“And to the local businesses and organisations that have supported this amazing event, giving their time, expertise, prizes and supporting us through sponsorships."
Amy Simmance, club secretary for Sheppey RFC, said:
“Women’s rugby within Swale has seen significant growth over the past decade, led by the development of the Sheppey Ewes in 2021 and Sittingbourne Women in 2023, who have followed in the footsteps of Faversham Ladies who laid the ground in 2015.
“Now we teamed up to create a Swale side, which we are extremely excited about!
“The three teams have supported each other throughout the season, and it is great that we Three Giants can now collaboratively come together, marking a piece of history as the first Swale rugby team.”
Faversham’s team
Faversham Ladies started as a rugby fitness group in July 2014 for friends and family of Faversham RUFC. The team then expanded and developed into a competitive friendly side, taking on South East competitors and working with other local teams to fulfil fixtures.
Their first league entry was delayed due to the Covid pandemic and finally came by joining the Inner Warrior Series in 2022, where they have continued to grow.
Rebranding as ‘The Stowaways’ for the 2023 season onwards, the team continues to grow in numbers and experience and is always welcoming new players of all experiences.
The Stowaways are a part of the Faversham Castaways family, with home turf at Faversham Recreation Ground and pride themselves on having strong community spirit and a joy for the sport.
Sittingbourne’s team
In early 2022, a group of brave souls decided it was high time Sittingbourne Rugby Club embraced the power and passion of women's rugby, they had been talking but not doing for some time.
Armed with a direction from the then chair, determination, a few rugby balls, and a sense of humour, they embarked on a mission to create history.
Fast forward to today, and their women's team has evolved into a force to be reckoned with.
Isle of Sheppey’s team
The origins of Sheppey Women's Rugby trace back to 2021, when a group of mums, partners, and friends of current and former players came together with a simple idea: rugby-based fitness.
What started as a casual fitness initiative quickly grew in numbers and enthusiasm. As skills developed, so too did the appetite for game time.
Fast forward to the 2022/23 season, and the team—now known as The Ewes—took to the field in the RFU's development competition, the Allianz Inner Warrior Series.
With each match, experience grew, and so did the desire to compete at a higher level leading to a major step forward: entering a competitive league for the 2023/24 season.
As they close out the 2024/25 season, the Ewes are now firmly established in NC3 and hungry for more; building on a strong 4th place finish and aiming even higher in seasons to come.
