Alison Griffiths, MP for Bognor Regis and Littlehampton with Justin Fitzpatrick

Fitzpatrick, who grew up in Bognor, addressed members who gathered on Thursday as the football club look to promote the outstanding facilities at Nyewood Lane.

The ex-London Irish prop – who earned 25 caps for Ireland during his career — has flown in from his home in Houston, Texas to attend the 60th birthday celebrations of the Bognor Rugby Club, taking place at their Hawthorn Road ground on Saturday.

But it was at the football club that he held court, in front of members of the association — which exists to support local businesses of all sizes — as well as Alison Griffiths, MP for Bognor Regis and Littlehampton.

Samaritans Bognor Regis branch Director Paul Brady also spoke to highlight the invaluable work carried out by the charity providing support to anyone in emotional distress, struggling to cope or at risk of suicide.

Russ Chandler, committee member of the Rocks, took to the stage to bring attendees up to speed with the £1.3million 3G pitch and infrastructure project currently nearing completion at the ground.

Alison Raymond, commercial manager at the football club, says the event was hopefully the first of many similar such occasions as the Rocks look to ramp up use of the venue to align with the increased footfall expected once the new community hub is complete.

She added: “With our exciting redevelopment due to be completed before the end of the year, this is a key time to showcase how the future looks. Chatting to the attendees here gave us scope to promote and gain exposure to maybe a new team of fans.

“Supporting the town’s football club shows commitment to the local community. We hope that any businesses that sponsor or partner with BRTFC will consider how exposure through match day sponsorship, signage, team kits, social media, and our events is mutually beneficial. We know that local residents are more likely to support businesses that invest in local initiatives, creating a cycle of mutual loyalty.

“With the new 3G pitch incoming and the opportunities it offers, events such as tournaments, presentation evenings, and charity matches will attract additional visitors. Funding from local businesses helps youth teams, academies, and grassroots programmes, all of which are already booking to use our new facilities here.

“This creates opportunities for young people, reduces antisocial behaviour, and builds future local talent for the club. Over the summer months Seasons has been bursting with wedding receptions, birthday parties and much more.

“The valuable income brought in has been a grateful addition whilst waiting for our Rocks supporters to return. We are seeing an increase in bookings and are keen to continue to provide facilities such as this for meetings, events, and hospitality packages, giving businesses a professional local venue.

“We were delighted to host the evening. We believe such networking events offer a wide range of benefits for local businesses, helping them grow, collaborate, and stay visible within the community.”

*Contact Alison at Alison@bognorregistownfc.co.uk