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Covid 19 Update from your Chairman

Covid 19 Update from your Chairman

Rob Evans29 Jun 2020 - 14:19
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A message from your Chairman - Elliot Zagger

Dear Members

I hope you and your loved ones are all safe and well, although I know some of us have been affected personally by the current situation and my thoughts are with you and your families.

The last few months has been a strange and tumultuous time across society and the effect on rugby and other sports is known only too well. The premature end to the season was disappointing for everyone involved in the sport and our Club. However, the spread of COVID-19 and protecting the most vulnerable in society is undoubtedly far more important than Sport. Fortunately, it appears the worst may be behind us and as such the RFU released a road map for the return of community Rugby at the end of May. We are still a long way off playing games again, but we can now start to train, albeit under strict and specific conditions.

To give you a brief overview of what’s been going on at the Club over the past couple of months since lockdown; The Management & Finance Committees have continued to meet once a month over Zoom and were very quick to put in place plans that, as best we could, would protect the Club financially which at this time we have been successful with.
This has included furloughing staff, cancelling non essential services and closing down all utilities within the Club. The effect this will have on us when we reopen is that all the systems will have to be checked over and in the case of the hot water and air conditioning systems, flushed through completely. The Club will require a professional deep clean and COVID-19 Risk Assessments and subsequent measures put in place.

We have changed the senior men’s coaching set up with the Club terminating Andre Beukes’ contract. I would like to thank Andre for his work over last season and wish him the best of luck for the future, but financially we couldn’t keep him.
Kevin Blackmore has moved to Director of Rugby with Dave ‘Wobble’ Hyatt & Scott James as Forwards and Backs Lead Coaches respectively.
The 2ndXV have new joint managers in the two Andy’s, Cooke & Barker who are already making a difference with bridging the gap for last seasons U18’s into senior rugby.

Gordon Ash Vice Chairman and Tania Smith Membership Secretary have both stepped down and I would like to thank them for their hard work and dedication to the Club. Vince Ball is the Vice Chair elect and Sally Clifford the Membership Secretary.
Andy Pyne is going to be the joint Chair of Youth with Richard Williams due to Richards work commitments, and I look forward to working with them all to get the Club through, what will undoubtedly be a testing time.

Senior Men start their preseason training on Tuesday 30th June, with the Ladies’ section following closely behind on 7th July.
A huge amount of work by Kevin Blackmore has gone into the organisation of training under the conditions that the RFU have prescribed. Kevin, martin Dunn & Matt Greenwood have completed Risk Assessments and these will be a living document to be regularly updated as guidelines change. Hygiene and social distancing protocols have been agreed so we can start training again. The start of senior training provides the opportunity to fine tune our processes’ before we start to enable other sections of the club to recommence Rugby activity.
However, there is light at the end of the tunnel and Lead coaches and team managers are encouraged to start pencilling in dates which can be shared with the parents of their teams so we can start to get the players thinking about rugby again. With many children still not back at School having a positive sporting and social outlet at this time is vital.

Please see pencilled in dates for training to restart from for the different age groups:
U18\U17 (Boys & Girls) – Week commencing 13th July
U16 (Boys) – Week commencing 20th July
U15 (Boys & Girls) – Week commencing 27th July
U14 (Boys) – Week commencing 3rd August
U13 (Boys) – Week commencing 10th August
Minis training will restart as usual on the first Sunday in September, which is the 6th.

It will be up to the Lead Coach for each age group in consultation with Kevin Blackmore, Chair of Youth Richard Williams and Andy Pyne to ensure age groups have the right personnel and protocols in place to start training. If an age group is not ready, then we can shift the date until they are. Equally if we have tried and tested procedures, and enough coaches and other support in place then training can commence from the above dates. Lead Coaches and Team managers are encouraged to come to observe Senior Training over the next couple of weeks to observe the systems that have been put in place, but also to see the types of activities that could be done with the age group sides, if restrictions remain the same.
I am sure everyone is eager to get back to normal and the club and I are no different, but I am sure you can all appreciate the need for caution and a carefully managed return to training in line with government and RFU guidelines.

Lastly I would like to personally thank all of our members and their families that are Emergency Service and Key Workers that have done and are continuing to do such a fantastic and professional job in helping to get the country through these uncertain times.

The Committee are getting a number of requests to look at opening the Club sooner rather than later however if we are unable to operate in a safe environment for both you and our bar and catering staff we won’t be rushed into doing so.
We have to take into account social distancing our alcohol licence, which doesn’t permit us to drink outside and also whether with reduced capacity it would be financially unviable to do so. I can assure you I want the Club open as quickly as possible for us to get back to ‘normality’ whatever that will be in the future, but will not do so if it could risk anyone’s health.
At this time we don’t anticipate opening the Clubhouse until the 1st September, which of course is subject to change.

Stay Safe

Best Wishes
Elliot Zagger
Chairman

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