The first was from way back on Saturday 21st October, when we hosted Burgess Hill Town, penned by Football Committee member Mishi Morath; while on 31st October, when we took on Greenwich Borough, in our last home match, our Community & Schools initiatives Committee Member George Parnavelas stepped in, as Mishi was on holiday.

Here's what they both had to say, firstly, against the Hillians:

Here we are again, back at Champion Hill a few days after an emphatic victory over Harlow Town on Tuesday night. And just as things are exciting on the pitch, they’re also exciting off of it.

Not always for the right reasons, but this time it’s all good. This afternoon we welcome a party from local junior football club Athenlay, whose home ground is just past the far side of Peckham Rye. There’s also a young group here this afternoon from Magic Kids, which is a fun-based coaching scheme for youngsters. Everyone is welcome to apply for groups of free tickets to any future home Bostik League match here at Champion Hill, all you have to do, in the first instance, is to email our Football Committee Schools Liaison man George Parnavelas at gparnavelas@gmail.com

In my notes on Tuesday I mentioned that the Poppy Appeal tins will be here today, when we’re much more pleased to welcome Paula & Co. from the Dulwich branch of the Royal British Legion. We shall also be donating the proceeds of this afternoons ‘50/50’ tickets to their cause, as we do every season, when they visit. Thank you to all who contribute either though our ticket sales, or by putting something into their collecting tins.
I also gave advance notice of our own shirt denominational service, to be held in our Boardroom, which will be on Friday 10th NOVEMBER and not 10th of October, which I mistakenly typed, with my error not picked up by our busy editor. Sorry about that John, you must have been mortified after you’d gone to print! The evening will revolve around our Club War Memorial, which was inaugurated a few years after the end of The Great War, in the early Nineteen Twenties. The players who names are inscribed on it will never be forgotten, and even more so thanks to the booklet from the ‘Hamlet Historian’ stable, by Roger Deason, that remembers them all. Some of copies of these will be available on the night, and the evening will also see the launch of a companion brand-new booklet by Steve Hunnisett, who had written a volume on the four players of ours who never came home from the Second World War. Please make a note of FRIDAY 10th NOVEMBER in your diaries, the wreath laying at the memorial to take place at half past seven, followed by the new book launch in the bar, a great opportunity to chat with both Roger and Steve, who will be more than happy to personally inscribe your booklets.

In Tuesday nights matchday magazine I also gave a plug to the next Quiz Night I shall be running for the ‘Inter City 125’ appeal. The last one I ran was football specific, and due to a number of requests the next one will be on a ‘General Knowledge’ theme, so you can invite more of friends to come along and partake in the fun. It will be on Wednesday 29th November, and it’s vial we get another good turn out, with the July trip to Hamburg to play a special 125th anniversary match against our close friends from Germany, Altona 93 getting ever closer. Get that date in your diaries, it’s always a much less pressured evening that your local ‘winner-takes-all’ pub quiz and the last one was won by a team from the Football Committee, so they need knocking off their perch! It’s up to six players in a team, and the cost is a mere five pounds per player. We also hold a raffle and auction on the night to boost funds as well.

Another date for you note, which will be held early next year, also for the ‘Inter City 125’ fundraising, will be a RACE NIGHT in the Club Bar, on Saturday 20th January 2018. This will be held in the Club Bar, after our home Bostik League match with Merstham, and we expect the first race to be shown at half past six, so it will be early enough for it to be a fun event for all of the family. Once the Quiz Night has gone expect me to start ‘harrassing you’ to sponsor both horses and races for what promises to be a key fundraising evening, as we head toward the finishing post of our efforts to take the whole squad of players and management to Germany.

For those of you who haven’t noted the dates yet, we will play a match on the evening of Friday 13th July against a local Hamburg non-league side, before the much anticipatedl celebratory 125th anniversary game between ourselves and Altona 93, which will be on Sunday 15th July 2018, kicking off at noon.

Well that’s all for me, for this match. My next column on 31st October when we play Greenwich Borough in the Velocity Trophy [Don’t forget it’s only £6 & £3 concessions to get in that night] won’t be there. I’m off on holiday on Tuesday, heading to Budapest, as I always go away on my birthday for a ‘football trip’ somewhere. Hopefully George will step in to tell you about his schools outreach…

And so to George's notes from the last day of last month:

Good evening and welcome to tonight’s match on all hallows eve. Whilst Mishi is away trick or treating, I will be updating you on some recent developments in the community department of the club and will be appealing for fresh ideas and volunteers to carry on what has been a great start to the season. With recent developments off the pitch, it is more important than ever that we engage with our local community. Sport can be a brilliant medium for positive social action and in recent years, the club has gained a reputation for being in touch with its local demographic of supporters and we have had some great initiatives and awareness events taking place.

We try to appeal to different ages groups, backgrounds and interests and have provided a free introduction to the club with our ticketing initiatives with the hope of inspiring a new generation of long term support. These have included local schools, charities, NHS and council workers, unions, sports teams to name but a few. We also have the lowest concession rate in the league at just £5. I am very proud that our community engagement is never tokenistic, nor do we make hollow gestures for the sake of media coverage. A lot of people are working very hard behind the scenes. It was incredible to hear that whilst I was on holiday, over nine thousand pounds was raised for this season’s charity partners, the Copleston Centre and Southwark Mind at the Needham Market match. This was all from supporters generous donations. Having been on the turnstiles at last season’s ‘pay what you like’ match, I noticed that most people were still chipping in the full entry fee, or as much as they could afford, which was very encouraging.

I have also really enjoyed meeting some new supporters this season, particularly the mascots and their families. We have already welcomed groups from five schools this season and are very keen to hear from others. This can also be a great way to recognise an achievement and having come out as as the top sporting school in Southwark, Goodrich primary were due to lead our players out for the Harlow Town match until it was postponed due to their involvement in the FA cup – a common pitfall at this level of football. However, we are very flexible and happy to make alternative arrangements, should things change at the eleventh hour.

In other news, the Aspire academy are offering Saturday morning coaching sessions for children aged between 5-13 years old, for just £5. These will be taking place at every week at Champion Hill from 11am-12p and are overseen by FA qualified coaches. What’s more is that Liam has informed me every child who attends will receive a free family ticket voucher if there is a home match taking place that day. There is also a free coaching session available to schools who take advantage of our free ticket offer for Saturday home fixtures and a player will be in attendance.

If you are interested in volunteering or have any ideas you would like to contribute, please contact myself or Mishi on match days or the supporter’s trust via info@dhst.org.uk or in the mega container. Enjoy the game.