At Beccehamian RFC, rugby is about far more than what happens on the pitch. With a history stretching back decades plus a club membership which now stands at over 800 people, it is proud to offer something for everyone. From senior Men’s teams through to a vibrant Youth section and fast-growing Women’s game, alongside a large walking rugby who also wear STC kit, the club brings people together through sport, friendship and community. With a thriving social section, Beccehamian RFC remains at the very heart of the local community.
Club Chair Nick Brooks has been involved at the club for around fifty years; twenty in the role of Chair. Alongside a team of seven directors and a passionate committee Beccehamian RFC continues to be one of the most popular and successful rugby clubs in the Kent area.
With three senior men’s teams, five teams in their women’s and girls’ section plus a junior and minis infrastructure from U6s through to Academy, the club’s membership continues to grow season on season.
So, for a club of this size, managing kit and teamwear is no small task. For the last four years, STC has played a key role in that journey, as the club’s official Kit Partner -making all things kit easier for the club, its members, players and parents.
Before partnering with STC, Beccehamian RFC had used a number of different suppliers. The club’s ambition was to have something beyond a standard off-the-shelf product. With distinctive club colours and a large number of teams and age groups, finding a partner who could deliver customised rugby kits at scale was important. The club also wanted to make purchasing kit simpler for its members.
Following a tender process, STC was appointed as the club’s Kit Partner. They were assessed on factors including lead times, product quality and range as well as the overall commercial proposition. On top of this, STC also stood out because of the people behind the service. “They’re just really professional and good people.” said Nick.
One of the main changes for Beccehamian RFC has been the introduction of an online club store. The launch of this as part of the Kit Partnership means the club no longer has to manage large amounts of stock and process individual orders. Players, parents, members and supporters can simply go online and order.
As well as making the process considerably easier, it also frees up cash for the club and eliminates stock risk. “It just makes things easy. Everyone is far happier with how this now works. A club of our size needs something like this due to how many teams and age groups we have.”
When it came to playing kit, Nick quickly points to a few main things. “Quite simply, the choice of colours from STC was excellent. We have some complex colours and they easily accommodated this. The range and quality of what they offer is excellent.”
“For a volunteer-led club, the support we get from STC is second to none. They provided samples, answered our questions, and allowed us to work through different options before we needed to make a final decision.”
And away from the on-field kit, STC offers so much more. T-shirts, polos, hoodies and much more to help develop a consistent identity across the whole club.
And the range of options extends to something a little more unique – a reversible playing shirt that is worn by the senior Men’s and Women’s teams. It has provided a flexible option and a real point of difference to help provide a second playing shirt at no extra cost.
Having partnered with STC for four years, Nick is very clear about why it all works so well. “The lead times are excellent and so is the STC team. On top of this we have product choice and quality all wrapped up with brilliant customer service. There is absolutely no reason for us to look elsewhere.”
