East London Rugby Football Club is celebrating the first silverware of the 2024-25 season after two players in its Vixens ladies team received royal recognition.

Club Co-Chair Kat Salthouse and club fixtures secretary Nicki Barlex, both firefighters based at Stratford, have this month received the King’s Coronation Medal, distributed to fire personnel, the armed services and other frontline emergency workers who had completed five years or more of exemplary service on 6 May 2023, the date of the coronation.

The medal features King Charles III and Queen Camilla on the obverse, and the Royal Cypher, a laurel wreath, and the date of the coronation on the reverse. The ribbon is red, blue, white and red, the colours of the Union Flag.

Kat has served 14 years in the London Fire Brigade and Nicki 15 years. Kat said: “The medal not only commemorates the coronation of King Charles III, but also honours the unwavering commitment and courage of firefighters. It’s a cool thing to have and we are chuffed to bits.”

East London Co-Chair Nick Parrott said: “Congratulations to Kat and Nicki. It is more than just a piece of metal. It represents countless hours of training, commitment, and selfless service to the community. We thank them for their service.”