The hot dry summer goes on and the new season gets ever closer . Older members (including me) may remember the summer of 1976 when conditions were similar and the opening fixtures had to be cancelled due to hard pitches. This was in the era of friendly fixtures so we expect the guidance will be issued by the league and county bodies about whether there should be any postponements. We will keep you informed.
As things stand, we are due to travel to Vipers in Oadby on this coming Saturday, 18 August, for a trial games (1st and 2Nd squad) and we entertain Stratford at home on Thursday, the 23rd
There are no games on 25 August (bank holiday weekend) but we are now playing Silhillians at home on 1st September in the Warwickshire Shield. The Second team have drawn Coventry Welsh at home in the Second Team Cup to be played by end of October
League games are due to begin on 8 September with a visit to Nuneaton Old Edwardians
Those of you who studied your AGM papers will have seen that the club made a loss in the past two financial years and we anticipate another one this year. Whist we will do all we can to bring in extra funds through sponsorship, events and other activities we cannot ignore the need to ignore the need to increase our internal core funding. The Committee has therefore reviewed the levels of membership subscriptions and has decided to increase them – for the first time in 15 years. We hope that the increases will be acceptable and that those of you who pay by bank mandate will increase the level of your payments appropriately. Membership mandates etc will be posted next week.
Senior Rugby Playing Members £240 (£195 if paid by 30 September) or £20 per month by Standing order - this is inclusive of match fees, gym use and physiotherapy
Student and Colts £50 (student refers to players in full time education)
Vice Presidents £70 (donations above this requested, but optional)
Social Members £50
Gym Member £100 for use of the gym (£50 additional for VPs and £70 for Social Members

Warwickshire RFU have informed us of the death of Les Rodgers (pictured) on 1 August. Les was well known to many at the club as a leading Society referee and although he was principally associated with Broadstreet, he was a good friend of Leamington and even came on tour with us on occasions. His funeral will be at Canley Crematorium on Friday 24 August at 12.15 followed by refreshment at Old Leamingtonians. Club colours are welcome but the main theme is wear something red

You can still apply for tickets for the autumn internationals, details of which have been circulated for the past few weeks. We are playing Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and Japan. We have a very limited allocation for the main games (28) but there is no limit on the number of Japan tickets we can apply for and there is a junior concession. Prices have gone up and there are less price bands. An application form is attached to the weekly email or you can request a copy from me

John Lyons
We continue to have difficulties again with the GMS mailing system which sends out In-Touch and other communication with members. I am aware that some people are receiving it but others are not. I am in correspondence with the RFU geeks at Twickenham about this but so far they have not come up with a solution. If you have missed any editions you can view them on the club website or I can send them to you via my email

johnlizlyons@btopenworld.com
tomchandler@sky.com.
Web site: – www.pitchero.com/clubs/leamington
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