Two rugby volunteers from Aylesbury have won a prestigious national award for their brilliant work transforming their club’s facilities and turning it into a hub for the community.

Paul Milham, 51, and Derek Spence, “older than that”, are Chairman and Secretary respectively at Aylesbury RFC and claimed the Connecting the Community prize at the Honda Volunteer of the Year awards on Friday.

The Honda Volunteer of the Year awards are part of the Honda Volunteer Recognition Programme, which provides a platform to recognise the volunteers who make up such an integral part of the game and who have made a great contribution to their club and community – no matter what their role.

Derek and Paul have a long history with the club, going back to 1996 and 1999 respectively, and in recent years have masterminded a huge project to transform it into a community hub and to make the club bigger, better, and more financially secure than ever. 

(Image: RFU)

The pair were crowned winners at an awards ceremony hosted by RFU president Rob Udwin and presented by Alex Payne.

Paul said: “For me, it’s about more than just Derek and I. It’s a reflection on the whole committee, the club, the volunteers. It means an awful lot in terms of recognition for us personally, but the club as well.”

Derek, who has played rugby since the age of five, echoed that sentiment: “I’m proudest of the way people have pulled together to build what we’ve got. Over the years various committees have made good decisions and we’ve built on those. It’s about getting people involved and we’re really lucky to have so many people who are prepared to get involved and do stuff for rugby and the community.”

The awards recognise the local heroes who have had a major impact in their clubs and communities and demonstrated their commitment to the game over the past 12 months. It brings the opportunity to thank those who have gone above and beyond this year for teams, clubs, referees’ societies, and educational establishments.

Over 2,000 volunteers were nominated, with nominees being recognised at local level, before winners from these events were put forward as national finalists, with 46 nominees recognised at an awards ceremony at Allianz Stadium last week.

Paul and Derek have presided over a huge extension project beginning in 2019 and seriously disrupted by the pandemic. Now, though, the club is home to a state-of-the-art gym – which opened the week the first lockdown began – as well as two function rooms, a kit shop, two classrooms, a balcony and a brand-new kitchen, all driven by the duo's hard work.

The rugby club has become a real community hub, beginning in the pandemic when the gym was opened when restrictions permitted, and an outdoor hut built to facilitate the “biggest pub garden in Aylesbury,” as Derek said. “It kept people coming to the club and was a community asset as well. During Covid, we did a lot to keep the club alive, and it’s paid off now, when we’ve probably got as many – probably more – members than before Covid.”

The club also plays host to the local Muslim community for Eid celebrations post-Ramadan, charity functions and fundraisers, weddings, funerals, and festivities of all kinds. “All of that income helps us keep the membership low and give the members value for money,” Paul added. “We don’t want cost to be a barrier to being part of the rugby club or playing rugby.” 

There are plenty more projects in the pipeline, including a car park refurbishment and “making everything match the great facilities we’ve got at the heart of it."

Although Paul – who runs his own business as well as the club’s operations – joked that, “Derek and I are going to retire now, now that we’ve won this award!

“It takes a lot of time, but it’s very rewarding. I was down the club this Sunday and we had 500 kids running around in the sunshine with big smiles on their faces. You get a lot out of it.” 

Rob Udwin said: “It’s great to be able to be celebrating amazing volunteers through the Honda Volunteer Recognition Programme, because, like everyone who has played rugby, I know that our sport wouldn’t happen without them. What they have done for their clubs and communities over the past year has been invaluable and I hope the Honda Volunteer of the Year Awards lets them know how valued their work is.”

Rebecca Adamson, Head of UK Automobile, Honda, added: “At Honda we strive to improve people’s lives through the Power of Dreams, and that same challenging spirit can be found in abundance at rugby clubs up and down the country.

“We see many parallels between our brand values and those of the individuals that are celebrated as part of the Honda Volunteer Recognition Programme.

“We are proud to recognise the enormous efforts of the volunteers that make Rugby such a special sport to be a part of.”

Volunteers are the backbone of grassroots rugby in England. If you’d like to get involved and make a difference at your community club, visit: www.englandrugby.com/run/club-management/volunteers