THE ANNUAL coming together of the rugby community to raise money for the Breast Cancer Now charity took place on Sunday (May 5) at Lydney’s Regentsholm ground.

The event is organised by international rugby referee Wayne Barmes and his wife Polly in memory of Mrs Barnes’ mother, Debbie Broderick and is now in its sixth year.

The centrepiece of the day was the game between a Forest combination team and a Wayne Barnes invitation XV of some of game’s big names coached by England’s Eddie Jones.

The sides compete for the Debbie Broderick Cup and for the second year in a row, the game ended in a draw – this time 50-50.

The event drew clubs from across the south west of England and south Wales and younger members showed their skills in a series of games.

There was also an auction with several rugby-related lots as well as a raffle with prizes donated by local businesses and an evening of live music.

Breast Cancer Now is the UK’s largest breast cancer research charity with the aim that, by 2050, nobody will die from the disease.

Today more women are surviving thanks to research into the disease but one in eight women will face breast cancer in their lifetime and every 45 minutes the disease claims another life.

For more information about the work of the charity, visit www.breastcancernow.org