RugbyForce Day is almost here !

Our RugbyForce Day is almost here, and with only 36 hours to go we are getting excited ! We just wanted to share with you a little more detail about the plans for the day.

We have been overwhelmed with the response to our appeal for volunteers; we now have 77 people signed up for the day, with at least another dozen people having given time already to kick-start works. We have seen a deep clean of the gym and changing room toilets, planting of our raised flower beds, preparation of the balcony railings ready for painting and today the BBQ was cleaned and the surrounding grass cut courtesy of Peter and Tom Davies. Tomorrow, Paul Baty is coming along to clean the pitch fence posts ready for painting and Jack Deighton is joining Tony Howe in yet more preparation of the balconies. Never in our wildest dreams did we think so many of our DCRFC family would want to help - thank you so much everyone !

With so many people stepping up we are going to be able to achieve so much ! We have grouped our volunteers into teams, taking account of family wishes as much as possible, and have grouped the jobs into 12 key areas of the club:

Cleaning the stand and litter-picking
Improving the bankside, benches and scoreboard
Cleaning and improving the club frontage
Cleaning the main bar
Preparing and serving the BBQ lunch
Improving Changing Room 1
Improving Changing Room 2
Improving Changing Rooms 4, 6 and 8
Clean and audit the kit cupboards
Painting Hollow Drift 1 fence posts
Preparing both balcony railings for painting
Organising acitivities for the children

The full details of each project with tasks, volunteer teams and kit list can be found below.

Our volunteers are welcome to join us from 10am onwards in the main bar- there are packs for everyone with meal tickets, name badges and stickers to label personal kit (and some with T-shirts) to be collected and we will confirm what you will be doing. We will also be making provision to lock away handbags and valuables.

Kit packs have been prepared for each project but additional consumables such as black bags, disposable gloves, cloths, blue roll etc will be available throughout the morning from the main bar., along with tea, coffee, water and juice which will be available to everyone free of charge.

We are grateful to Durham County Council for loaning us litter-picking equipment - pickers, bags, hoops, gloves and hi-viz jackets - as well as delivering and collecting it.

Mike Hay has prepared a treasure hunt which the youngsters can complete at any time they become fidgety in the morning, and he and Jason Oakes also have some organised activities for the afternoon. Bouncy castle is booked and our thanks go to Richard Wilkinson for kindly offering to sponsor this. We are still looking for a couple of volunteers to supervise the bouncy castle later in the day - if you fancy a half hour shift please let us know.

Many thanks to Neil Dracup for being our nominated first-aider for the day and also to John Paine whose help in preparing for the day has been absolutely invaluable.

Needless to say we will be taking pictures throughout the day, and we intend to down tools at 1pm and finish the session with a whole group picture. We would like everyone to gather at the entrance to HD1 so we can take a photograph from the balcony and then the party can begin !

Our Cherrypickers have the BBQ in hand (please let us know if you would like the vegetarian option) and there will be free ice-creams (vanilla, strawberry or chocolate) available - our little people shouldn't be frightened to ask for seconds.

After all that hard work we know that we will be ready for a sit down in the sunshine and will be bringing along a couple of folding chairs, please feel free to do likewise !

All members and friends are very welcome, volunteering or not, and if you do intend to join us for the afternoon we would love to see you. All we ask is for £3 towards the cost of your food.

Fingers-crossed the weather will be kind, we will achieve lots and most importantly have fun doing it, so if anyone has any questions or concerns or offers of kit, please do just get in touch, otherwise we can't wait to see you all on Saturday !