BRIDPORT Rugby Club’s junior tour to France has been given the go-ahead after a sterling fundraising effort.

Bridport Rugby Club’s junior tour in April to play their twinned club Lège-Cap Ferret, plus Pays Medoc Rugby, in France had come under financial pressure.

Morrisons kindly allowed the boys to bag pack for two days at Christmas, but a shortfall due to rising costs of accommodation and flights led to a key meeting with parents and under-15 and under-16 players.

The response from the floor to raise the deficit was fantastic.

Bridport’s under-15s are to cycle 618 miles on static bikes – the distance from clubhouse to clubhouse.

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The 'Cycle Multi-Marathon' will take place outside the Bridport Arts Centre on Saturday, February 11.

Other fundraising events to be organised are Friday night bingo, a curry and quiz night, cake stalls, car washing, raffles and a horse racing evening using screened recordings.

Lège-Cap Ferret, in the Bordeaux region of France close to the Bay of Arcachon, shares many similarities with Bridport Rugby Club.

Both are on the coast, and were founded a year apart, Bridport in 1968 and the French club in 1969. But one key difference exists.

The local authority in France majorly funds the club, paying for the grounds, pitch maintenance and game transport whereas Bridport RFC has to raise money to pay for most of its activities.

Bridport hopes that these extra fundraising efforts will impress on future parents that twinning with Lège-Cap Ferret can continue well into the future.

The French club’s juniors will visit Bridport in April 2024.