Thank you: Crowdfunder making a difference to men's rugby team

22 December 2025

Manager Detective Inspector Dave Knight thanked colleagues and supporters for helping the team raise £410 so far.

Dave said the backing is already having a meaningful impact.

And he hopes to extend the campaign until the end of January to push towards its £1,000 target.

Dave said: “We’re really pleased and grateful for the support. Any extra pounds make a huge difference for us.”

He explained that the team’s budget has faced additional pressure, as many of the more affordable grass pitches were unplayable due to the recent wet weather.

That often forced the squad to hire artificial surfaces at a higher cost.

The £410 raised so far has already allowed the team to replace ageing match balls and will help cover essential match-day costs.

Donations

Dave said: “We’ve upgraded a couple of match balls, which were seven or eight years old.

“Every time we rent a ground, it’s around £200 with the pitch, floodlights, physio and referee costs.

“You can see how quickly the money goes, but the donations we’ve had will fully fund a couple of games.

“We usually play five or six matches a season, so it provides real security for the team.”

Dave has also stressed the importance of the team for officers' and staff wellbeing.

He said: “Being part of a sports team that has police in its heart, with camaraderie and support but that is also distanced from the negative aspects of a difficult job, makes a huge difference.

“I believe there are officers and staff who play rugby for us, and without the team might not have remained within West Mercia Police.”

Find out more about the Crowdfunder, including how to donate.

West Mercia Police opened their Police Sport UK (PSUK) Plate campaign with a tough away fixture in Scotland.

Training sessions

Playing at Meggetland, home of the Boroughmuir Bears, they lost 78-0 to a well-drilled Scotland Police Saltires.

The game was overshadowed by a serious injury to West Mercia flanker PC Olly Pike, who suffered a broken leg. He is now two and a half months into his recovery.

The team responded strongly in their second fixture, hosting an amalgamated Greater Manchester and Lancashire police team at their Stourport home ground three weeks ago.

West Mercia’s organisation and the training sessions under coach Andy Kilmister paid off in an impressive 57–12 victory.

Dave said: “We went into the game knowing that they had around eight times the personnel to pick from.

“But the experience we gained in Scotland, and the structure Andy is putting in place, really paid off. It was a great performance.”

The squad now prepares for a decisive final group match against West Midlands Police at Stourport on 21 January (7pm kick-off).

A victory would secure a place in the semi-finals of the PSUK Plate, where the top two teams from the northern group will face the leading sides from the southern group.

Dave said the team is determined to continue building.

“We’re showing real progress and we’re in a strong position. If we can get the win in January, we’ll be into the semi-finals again, and that would be fantastic for the squad.”

Donate to the team’s Crowdfunding page.