With preparations for next season now officially under way, Bedford Blues have committed to giving free tickets to NHS staff for their first home game next season as a thank you for their efforts tackling the coronavirus outbreak.
The news was greeted with positivity on social media yesterday evening, with the Blues adding to their already impressive level of community engagement.
The club already host an ‘Armed Forces and Emergency Services Day’ every season, with fans simply having to show their ID at the gate to get free entry.
Goldington Road is set to host the 10th edition in the 2020/21 season, after a huge success this past season in the live Sky Sports game against eventual champions, Newcastle Falcons.
The home of the Blues has a capacity of 5,000 – a figure reached during the Blues’ boxing day fixture against local rivals Ampthill – and that may well be matched after the offer from the club benefiting NHS staff.
The announcement follows the official decision by the Rugby Championship to end the season, with the final league standings decided using a “best playing record formula”.
With cases rising across the country, and 11 deaths in Bedford alone as reported by the Bedford Independent, the Government are warning that the outbreak will get worse before it gets better, on the same day that the much-needed Nightingale Hospital has opened its doors in London.
However, offers like this from the Blues along with countless other initiatives across the country are helping to keep spirits high as key workers fight the pandemic.
Details of the new season are yet to be announced, with fixtures and dates set to be released in the Summer.
