Rugby players from all over Gloucestershire and beyond will be at Fairford this weekend to pay tribute to a very special man.

Jonathan Chambers, or ‘Beamer’ as he was widely known, passed away in October from a brain tumour at the age of 53, and on Saturday rugby players past and present, men and women, will take part in three matches to celebrate his life.

It is clearly going to be a very emotional day because Jonathan was one of those people who was held in the very highest esteem by everyone who knew him.

“He had time for everyone,” said Steve Darley, Fairford’s acting chairman. “He was known as Beamer because of his beaming smile, he was a happy man, and always wanted to chat.

“He was a lovely chap and was a stalwart of Fairford Rugby Club. It was a massive shock to everyone when he passed away. It was very quick, and losing him affected everyone who knew him.”

His wife Gemma and their children Chloe, Will and Jack will all be at Fairford on Saturday with the first game scheduled to start at 11am.

That is a ladies’ match between Fairford Vixens and a combined Towcester/Ashley Downs OBs side and will be followed by a game between a Stroud Combination Vets team and a combined Fairford/Cirencester Vets XV that will kick-off at 1pm.

The final game between a Fairford XV and a Stroud Combination XV will start at 3pm. Fairford supporters will be joined for the day by VPs, club and player sponsors.

“The Fairford XV won’t just be made up of current players,” explained Darley, who hopes to be confirmed as the club’s new chairman at the AGM in May. “It will also include players who played alongside Beamer.”

Jonathan Chambers, a no 8, started playing for Fairford just after the turn of the century.

“He served the club as a player, successful captain, committee member and finally chairman for the last six years,” said Darley.

“He was a leader throughout, and his loss to his family and club has been great. He was an incredible man and all of us at Fairford Rugby club miss him deeply.”