Rugby is a community game and following recent events the communities of Worcestershire and Gloucestershire are in dire need of help. As figure heads within the counties, the clubs felt they should do something to help and a festival of rugby is a great way to raise money.

Worcester chairman Cecil Duckworth said: "We believe it is crucial to contribute to the victims of the flooding as the two leading sports clubs in an area so badly hit in recent times.

"We would urge all our supporters and sponsors to back the festival and, along with the other funds being raised, we hope to make a real difference to the lives of those so badly hit by this terrible disaster."

Tom Walkinshaw added: "Although this is a national crisis the areas worst affected have been Gloucestershire and Worcestershire and this is the driving factor in the two major sports clubs coming together and showing the strength and solidarity rugby has always been famed for at this time of need."

Details of the festival of rugby will be released over the next week but the mayor's offices of both Gloucester and Worcester will be asked to help administer the monies raised.

To start off the fund a sum of £30,000 has been jointly donated by the two clubs and we would ask all of our supporters, sponsors and corporate partners to get involved to raise as much as possible.

More information on the rugby festival will be posted on http://www.wrfc.co.uk/ in the coming weeks.