Old Elthamians Rugby Football Club and Cluberly: One of Our First Affiliate Adopters

Cluberly is proud to announce that Old Elthamians Rugby Football Club is one of the very first clubs to adopt our affiliate model — a significant milestone as we begin embedding our funding ecosystem into grassroots sport.

Old Elthamians is a club steeped in tradition, community and competitive ambition. With senior, youth and minis sections, the club represents the full spectrum of grassroots rugby — from player development and coaching pathways to matchday culture and supporter engagement. Like many community rugby clubs across the UK, it relies heavily on volunteers, sponsors and loyal members to sustain facilities, training programmes and long-term growth.

The decision to become an early affiliate adopter reflects forward-thinking leadership within the club. Director Gavin Lach recognised the potential of a model that allows everyday financial activity to generate sustainable funding for the organisation without placing additional pressure on players, parents or traditional sponsorship streams.

Grassroots rugby clubs operate in an increasingly challenging financial landscape. Facility maintenance, kit, travel costs, coaching development and youth provision all require ongoing funding. Traditional income sources — memberships, bar takings, local sponsorship — remain vital, but they can fluctuate depending on seasonality and wider economic pressures.

Cluberly’s affiliate framework introduces a complementary funding channel.

Through the platform, members and supporters of Old Elthamians can nominate the club and contribute to its development through structured financial engagement. The model is designed to generate recurring support rather than one-off fundraising spikes, providing clubs with a more predictable revenue stream over time.

Kevin London, Director of The Cluberly App Limited, commented:

“Having Old Elthamians as one of our first affiliate adopters is significant. Grassroots rugby is built on loyalty and community. When a club like this embraces innovation, it demonstrates confidence in building sustainable funding models that support long-term development.”

For Old Elthamians, the affiliate partnership is about more than income. It also creates new opportunities for digital engagement with members. As Cluberly continues to expand its in-app functionality, clubs will be able to integrate notifications, event promotion and supporter communications within a single ecosystem. This strengthens the connection between club leadership and the wider membership base.

Director Gavin Lach commented:

“We are proud to be among the first clubs to adopt the Cluberly affiliate model. Grassroots sport requires new thinking around sustainability. If our members can manage their own finances more effectively while supporting the club at the same time, that represents a win for everyone.”

The affiliate structure also aligns with Cluberly’s broader mission of combining financial wellbeing with community impact. Supporters are not being asked to make additional donations; rather, they are given the opportunity to align everyday financial behaviour with the organisations they care about most. The result is a model where personal financial responsibility and collective club development operate side by side.

For a club such as Old Elthamians — with multiple age groups, competitive squads and a strong volunteer culture — the potential impact is meaningful. Funding generated through the platform can support youth development initiatives, coaching qualifications, facility improvements or community outreach programmes, depending on the club’s strategic priorities.

Being an early adopter also positions Old Elthamians as a leader within the grassroots rugby network. As Cluberly expands across additional clubs and sporting bodies, those who joined at the outset will have helped shape the model and demonstrate its viability within community sport.

Grassroots rugby thrives on commitment, resilience and shared responsibility. By becoming one of Cluberly’s first affiliate partners, Old Elthamians Rugby Football Club is reinforcing those same principles in a modern context — embracing innovation while protecting the traditions that define the club.

For Cluberly, this partnership marks the beginning of a wider rollout across rugby and beyond. For Old Elthamians, it represents a proactive step towards strengthening financial sustainability and supporter engagement in the years ahead.