Walcot Rugby

It’s been a baptism of fire in more ways than one for the Bath based Walcot RFC’s new club chairman Kevin Davis.

Just weeks into taking up office for the first time and intent on easing his way into the role gently, a minor fire behind the clubs bar, started by a glass-washer and which, fortunately, starved itself of oxygen and went out, produced so much acrid smoke however that the entire bar area had to be closed down for renovation.

That was back in July and while the bar will be operational once more on December 17th it will not be until early in the New Year that the new furniture will arrive to complete the refurbishment.

“As a new chairman it’s been one of the most traumatic times of my life,” admits Kevin. “In the first year as chairman I was going to learn all about the role, but I really had to hit the road running.

“All of the soft furnishings, carpets and fixtures and fittings in the bar area were ruined and even the piano we had in there was ruined by the smoke damage and had to be thrown out.

“It’s been a topsy-turvy, roller-coaster ride and I’ve quickly seen the best in people and the worst!”

At least, after protracted discussions with their insurance company, it was proven that all of the clubs electrics were serviced regularly, including the errant glass-washer, so that all of the costs involved in rebuilding and refurnishing the bar will be fully covered by their policy.

In the meantime it’s been business as usual on the pitch for the clubs three teams including their high-flying 1st XV who, after every home Southern Counties South league match, have had to direct their visitors to the Old Sulians club, fortunately only some 300 meters away, for the post match food and drinks.

But, for the mini and junior sections, they’ve had to make do with a burger style van parked up at the club every Sunday serving up burgers and bacon butties plus sandwiches for the visiting teams.

“It was a case of carrying on regardless and we’ve managed to keep the Youth section going quite well,” says the clubs inspirational Youth co-ordinator Gary Dagger.

Having already gained the RFU’s prestigious Seal of Approval Award for its mini and junior sections Dagger and the rest of the club are now concentrating their efforts on earning the entire club version of the award where they will have to demonstrate evidence of good practise in areas such as club management, player development and recruitment, child protection, sports equity, coaching, refereeing and volunteering.

“We’ve got to push on with our development plans,” says Dagger. “We need to set our sights on five years down the line and to get all of the club involved.”

Part of that endeavour was kicked off last week when the RFU’s Rugby Development Officer for Somerset, Julie Price, headed up a Club Development evening in the rented Portakabin brought in since the fire and currently acting as the clubs temporary office cum meeting place.

She explained: “The aim of the workshop is for a rugby club to take stock of where they are now, where they want to be and how they are going to get there.

“Walcot already have a thriving junior section and put out three senior men’s teams but with a changing room project on the horizon and, as with any club, an aim to get bigger and better, club volunteers wanted to make sure they were ready to make the most of future opportunities.

“Some really valuable ideas came out from the group of 20 members assembled and the next step is for a smaller group to focus on writing the plan and using it in the day-to-day running of the club.”

While, all-being-well, they will have the bar up and running by Christmas the club will put on an official opening launch when everything is complete and in place and when they will invite local officials and, in particular, the RFU personnel who have been so helpful.

“Dave Stubley, the RFU’s Fundings and Facilities manager, came down a week after the fire and immediately said, `right we’ll help you,’” recalls Dagger. “We’ve also had some good help from the RFU in terms of directing us and generally pointing us in the right direction.

“Dave Stubley has been extremely helpful and Julie Price coming in has been truly excellent.”

On top of that the RFU have also lent the club some immediate financial support should they need it.

As Kevin Davis says: “The RFU gave us £10,000 to tide us over, but we’ve only had to dip into it once so far – they were brilliant!

Normal service should be resumed at Albert Field in early 2012 and, while the past six months will have tested officials and members resolve to the limit, as in so many cases a challenging set-back can emerge as a positive step forward in the long-term.