Swindon & Wiltshire Community champions
Thursday January 26 2023
Author Name: Peter Davison

South West business rivals set to clash on rugby field in support of Bristol Bears Community Foundation

The rivalry between leading South West businesses is set to take on new twists and turns in a bigger-than-ever Bristol Bears Community Foundation tag rugby tournament.

Foundation staff have teamed up to organise the annual fundraising tournament with the Bristol-based team of design and build specialists, Paramount, which has an office on the city’s historic Welsh Back.

Thanks to their collaboration, soon teams of men and women from across the business community will be swapping the workplace for the rugby field to try to raise money for the foundation which supports local communities in and around Bristol.

Competing teams will be vying to follow in the footsteps of local heroes, as the tournament will reach its climax under the floodlights of the Bears’ Ashton Gate home, where top players such as England stars Ellis Genge and Kyle Sinckler usually take centre stage.

To win a chance to show off their sporting prowess at the stadium, over the next few months some 36 teams from across the property and construction, finance and legal, and business service sectors will be lining up to do battle for sporting glory when the seven-a-side competition kicks off in March at Lockleaze Sports Centre.

Bristol Bears Community Foundation development manager Craig Capel said: “The money raised by our friends in the business world will support the valuable work we do across communities in the South West.

“This popular tournament is designed to be fun and inclusive first and foremost, but with a competitive edge and we’re hoping that companies across the South West will join us to raise vital funds for a great cause.

“Every penny raised will help us make sure that the power of rugby is used to support the most disadvantaged members of our communities and engage children from the age of five to people as old as 103.”

Business leaders are now being invited to sign up for the tournament heats, which will take place over three days at Lockleaze Sports Centre before the finals day at Ashton Gate.

Sulli Gardner, Paramount business development manager, said: “There’s a healthy rivalry across the South West business community and we know this will come to the fore in the name of the Bristol Bears Community Foundation.

“Our region is blessed with brilliantly talented business people, and it’ll be great to see them show they can mix brains with brawn on a top sporting stage once the tournament gets underway.

“We’re looking forward to a set of fantastic events, suitable for all levels of sporting ability, but also with everyone keen to show off their sporting prowess and to secure local bragging rights.”

Paramount are confident it will build on the success of last year’s Paramount Property Tag Rugby Tournament, which saw 150 players put commercial rivalries to one side to raise £3,000 for the Foundation at Cotham Park Rugby Club.

Teams will be made up of seven players, with males and females taking part, and rules stipulating that two female players must be on the field at any one time, with each squad having a total of 10 players.

The tournament heats will take place at Lockleaze Sports Centre, on the following dates:

March 16 – Property & Construction
March 30 – Legal & Finance
April 20 – Business Services
May 3 – Finals

Anyone who would like more information should get in touch with Sulli Gardner to express their interest at register@paramountinteriors.com The deadline for entries is February 22.

Pictured: Bears stars Reneeqa Bonner, Mollie Wilkinson and Rosie Inman were on hand at Ashton Gate to help kick off the Bristol Bears Foundation Tag Rugby Tournament with (from left) Paramount Sales Director Kevin Mashford, Foundation Community Development Manager Craig Capel, Paramount Commercial Workplace Lead Carly Willis (with rugby ball) and Paramount Business Development Manager Sulli Gardner