Chairs Newsletter - February 9th 2024

After an eventful January where we cancelled one weekend because hard frosts, had a drier period in late January and early February, I got down to the club this morning to find a lot of surface water on the pitches caused by nearly 15 hours of rain, at times very heavy. The top left is playable, and the others could be ok by Sunday, there being no games tomorrow. We have yet to see if the work projects done in the last 3 weeks helps, helps the drainage, it is certainly the worst water I have seen, in recent memory on the whole site. We are about to submit an invoice to the Football Foundation and the RFU to cover most of the cost of work done so far.

The playing side of the club has been great in the last month. The senior teams playing well, the 1 st XV being top of the league, and the 2 nd XV having some good results. The moral and enthusiasm is high.

The junior sides are strong and producing good results in both cup and leagues, whilst the minis are making great progress with 3 great results against local opposition.

Over the last month Lindsay Digweed has made great progress with the club Impact25 Social Spaces submission. She has put in a lot of hard work having received lots of ideas from a wide range of members in the club, particularly female who this project is aimed at - to make the club social areas more welcoming to all, inclusive and a place to entertain family and friends. The submission went in at the star of this week. The RFU have requested further info which, was speedily sent and approval is imminent. Thank you Lindsay for all your hard work.

The work on Impact25 Socia Spaces will begin at the end of the season TBA. It is important that we get dates for matches, inc the seniors ‘Papa Johns’ Cup Dates ASAP, awards and presentation day and celebrations ie BBQs In the diary ASAP. Managers and coaches please think about this. I will send dates available once I have consulted with Lindsay and the Impact 25 team. It maybe because of the work done that we have a 75 th anniversary +1 and an Impact 25Social spaces upgrade Celebation, early in the new season.

David Roberts, the Herts RFU President will be making a visit shortly to see how we are faring. I am sure he will be very impressed with our progress as a club since covid, where other clubs nationally unfortunately have ceased.

To all of you that helped at the club Many Thanks.

A special mention to Rob Lines, Bodie Eddy and Tom Digman who apart from marking the pitches last Saturday cleared all the soils and weeds from around the container near the k entrance. Looks Great. Any volunteers to go round the outside of the rest of the Club?

Regards Ian ‘Shanks’ Graham Chair