The Rugby March

Signing up

When will registrations open?

Registrations are now open. Sign up here to register yourself and your family and friends.

Can I buy a gift voucher for a friend?

Yes! We are pleased to offer gift vouchers this year so you can give the great gift of taking part in The Rugby March - combining the great outdoors, a fun challenge, a thrilling rugby game and supporting St Peter's Hospice. They will love it for sure!

Gift entries will be available to purchase soon. You can choose from either adult or child (under 18). 

We will provide a voucher to give to the recipient, and then they will just need to contact us nearer the time to provide their further information. Please note that all under 18's will need to take part with a participating adult.

Participants

What is the minimum age?

There is no minimum age for taking part. Participants under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a participating adult and also have parent or guardian permission. Adults are responsible for their children's safety throughout the event. There will be free entry for those under 18 months old as they do not need their own ticket or seat for the match and they will not receive a t-shirt.

When's the deadline to sign up?

We advise you sign up early to secure your space as we have a limited number of tickets for the Bears game. If we still have spaces available, the last day to sign up will be Wednesday 19 March. We will not be taking any registrations on the day.

Can I take part in the walk but not stay for the Bears v Exeter Chiefs game?

Yes that's no problem at all. When you register for The Rugby March, select that you don't want to receive a ticket for the match. Registration will then be just £25 (£20 earlybird) to take part in the walk and receive the t-shirt but not a rugby ticket. You'll receive all the information you need about the walk in advance.

Can I take part in a wheelchair?

Yes, our shorter accessible route is approximately 5km. It is a flatter route with no steps and is suitable for wheelchairs and pushchairs. Entry to the stadium is wheelchair accessible and we can organise an accessible seat upon request so please do get in touch to let us know.

Unfortunately the 10km route is not accessible due to some steps going up Nightingale Valley into Leigh Woods.

I can no longer take part, can someone else walk in my place?

No sorry, your registrations are non-refundable and non-transferable so you can't give your place away to anyone else. Please do let us know if you can no longer come.

Bristol Bears v Exeter Chiefs 

How do I get my ticket for the match?

After registering for The Rugby March, we will be in touch with your unique booking code and all the instructions you need to book your seats. 

Can I sit with everyone in my team?

Absolutely! You choose your own seat in the stadium so can select who you want to sit with, regardless of whether you all signed up to the Rugby March at the same time or not. 

Where will we be sat?

Our designated section will be E34 within the Dolman stand.

What if I'm a season ticket holder or don't want to stay for the game?

That's no problem at all. When you register for The Rugby March, select that you don't want to receive a ticket for the match. Registration will then be just £25 (£20 earlybird) to take part in the walk and receive the t-shirt but not a rugby ticket, so you're welcome to complete the walk and then go to your season ticket seat. Unfortunately, we cannot rearrange for your season ticket seat to be in the Dolman stand with the rest of us for the game.

Timings

What time does the walk start?

Join us at Ashton Gate from 10.30am and we will all start walking together at 11.30am.

What time would I finish the walk?

The average person walks around 4-5km per hour, so the course could be completed within a couple of hours. There is no deadline to finish the walk, however be mindful that the match will kick off at 3pm. The stadium will be open to go into for food, drink and to find your seat from 1pm.

When is kick off?

Kick off is at 3pm.

Event day

When will I receive my event pack?

Your event pack, which will include your Rugby March t-shirt, will be sent out to you at least a week before the event. If you register from 17 March onwards, you will need to collect your event pack from the registration table on the day of the event instead.

My event pack hasn't arrived

If your pack hasn't arrived in time for the walk, no worries, you should receive all the information you need for the day by email and we'll have spare t-shirts and wristbands available at registration on the day.

Where is the starting point?

Join us at Ashton Gate within the Lansdown concourse on the left hand side of the stadium when arriving from Winterstoke Road via VIP Entrance 2, there will be signs to direct you. Here you'll be checked in, there will be hot drink stands to purchase from, and we'll say some words before starting the walk and cheering you on!

Where do I park?

Be aware there is no parking at Ashton Gate. There is residential parking in the streets nearby, but please be mindful of the residents. The following car parks are a half hour walk: Bedminster Car Park - Dalby Ave, BS3 4DJ, Wapping Wharf Car Park - Wapping Rd, BS1 4RE, Millennium Square Car Park – Canons Way, BS1 5LL

Please lift share, walk or use public transport where possible. The closest train station is Parson Street Station which is a 15-20 minute walk away.

Is there anywhere I can leave my personal belongings?

We do not have a bag drop and take no responsibility for any personal belongings. Everything you bring along will need to be carried for the whole event or locked in your car.

Is there anywhere I can leave a pushchair?

There is no facility to store pushchairs at Ashton Gate Stadium; if you do wish to use a pushchair for the shorter 5km walk please arrange to store this off site such as back in your car before the start of the game. 

Can I walk with my dog?

Dogs are welcome to join you on the route if they are well behaved and can stay on a lead the entire time, and you keep a safe distance from other walkers. However they will not be able to join you within Ashton Gate for the registration or for the match.

Will there be any water available?

There is water available at Ashton Gate as well as a refreshment stand halfway along the route, but we ask all participants to bring enough water to keep them hydrated throughout the walk. Please bring a reusable water bottle if you can.

What should I wear?

Come in comfortable clothing and good walking shoes, plus be prepared for all types of weather. You'll receive a Rugby March t-shirt in the post before the event to wear with style. If the weather looks wet, bring a spare pair of clothes to change into after the walk to be dry for the game.

Volunteering

Walking is not for me but can I help in any other way? 

Yes! You can help by volunteering on the day to help us with registration, marshalling, front walkers and collecting donations around the stadium. We need a large number of volunteers to make this event possible so would really appreciate your support. If you would like to volunteer at the event, please do get in touch and email fundraisingvolunteer@stpetershospice.org or fill in our form

Where and when is the volunteer briefing for marshals?

The briefing will be at Ashton Gate, please aim to arrive for 10am to be ready for the briefing. You'll receive some further information before heading out to your marshal point. There is parking organised for volunteers a short walk from the stadium. The event organiser will be in touch with more information before the day.

Fundraising 

Is there a minimum amount you need to raise?

We would love for every participant to make a donation or aim to raise £100 for the Hospice, so that we can reach as many local families as possible during their time of need. Every pound raised will help make a difference when it matters most.

Your entry fee covers the cost of organising the event, so it is your kind donations and sponsorship money that will go toward supporting your local community. In 2024, The Rugby March raised an incredible £40,000 for local patient care! And we would love for this year to be our biggest walk yet.

What does my entry fee get spent on?

Your entry fee helps us cover the cost of putting on the event including t-shirts, the rugby tickets, first aid cover and general event costs. As a result, everything donated and raised can go to helping patients and families in Bristol. 

Why should I raise any money?

St Peter's Hospice is Bristol's only adult hospice, and are there to support patients and families across the Greater Bristol area from Chew Valley to Keynsham, Fishponds to Portishead. All our services are free and for most of this we are reliant on our wonderful supporters' fundraising and giving donations at our events, in our shops and in wills.

How can I get the money I've raised to you?

There are lots of ways that you can get your wonderful sponsorship money into us. If you've fundraised through an online giving page like JustGiving then it will come to us automatically without you having to do anything at all! You can also pay it straight to us through our website and let us know that it's your sponsorship money, or you can also send us a cheque to the Long Ashton office.

How do I set up a JustGiving page?

JustGiving pages are a great and easy way to spread the message about what you're doing and why you're doing it! You can make your page here, and then post your page on your Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, email signature and anywhere else you fancy to spread the word. You can also set up a team on JustGiving.