I wanted to take this opportunity to update you on what’s been happening with the club since we followed both the Government and RFU’s advice to cease any form of activity at the club. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has already had a profound effect on our rugby club and we can’t predict when normality will return. The committee, that represents you, has been planning how to manage the situation and I want to share that information with you. I have divided my report into four areas; Wellbeing, Financial, Social and Maintenance.

Wellbeing

Our first priority is to ensure that our members stay well and fit through this difficult period. The following bullet points may help and are provided by the RFU to stimulate both discussion and a thought process.

Facts minimise Fears - Use the internet and research an issue that is worrying you
Take some time out - find a new hobby
Don’t forget physical health - Use the government guidelines
Support others - stay connected
Talk to children - ensure that they get updated and supported
Reach out - plenty will be having the same thoughts and issues

Get plenty of exercise and stay fit. Don’t however be tempted to think that you are exempt from the Government guidelines. You are not!

Look up Ian McCue at Ultimate Mental Conditioning 50 – he is supplying relaxation and mindfulness sessions on Facebook. I am sure that all of us as players, volunteers and supporters will be focusing our thoughts on our own personal issues such as family, work or simply putting food on the table. It’s important to us as club and for you as individuals that we understand who we can help and to what level. Please pick the channels that work best for you and continue to engage with players and family’s alike.

It is with much sadness that news filters through regarding the unexpected passing of much loved members and supporters of the club. Ted Leigh, former Landlord of the Railway and our bar manager for many years sadly passed away. Our thoughts are with his wife Margaret, Erin and Mike who both play for the club. Erin is also the organiser of our Good Friday festival. Our thoughts are also with Mike and Maureen Robinson who lost Maureen’s father.

Financial

Mike Robinson has been working hard on the accounts but these, as expected, make for a sharp intake of breath. The postponement of the Good Friday festival makes a very large dent in the club’s finances. Steve Benson and Mark Johnson have been very busy looking at the numerous grants and other incentives that are potentially available through the RFU and locally. All of these applications are submitted on your behalf to ensure that the club is able to bounce back. I am hopeful that we will be successful for and early indications are positive. In addition to this the club has been proactive in reducing its cost base.

The building has effectively been mothballed so heating and lighting have been reduced to the minimum to ensure all systems are maintained. The bar has been closed. Our suppliers are being very reasonable and will support us when we get the all clear with a simple new for old on any stock, past its best, which is marvellous news.

We will undoubtedly need to review some current contracts when we restart. These currently total an amount each year that may not be sustainable. We do not take these decisions lightly but feel that there must be some extra governance around expenditure to ensure that the club comes through in the best possible financial shape for the future. I am sure you understand this position.

Social

Looking forward we continue to work to support the club and community.

The Touch and Beer Festival is the second largest event in the Ringwood calendar so its absence, this week, will be felt in every corner. We hope that we will be able to stage the event later in the year as Erin and her team have already put so much work into the planning and preparation of the festival.

The club has a prominent role in the community for many reasons. We have ties with our local schools and we are always looking to strengthen these. The club has approximately 300 children in its mini and junior sections and 60 more in its thriving girls’ squads from U11-U18s. There are also nearly 30 colts (U17 and U18 boys). The senior sections have four teams comprising of a women’s team and 3 men’s teams numbering around 125 players in total. That’s more than 500 players enjoying the benefits of amateur sport. The club is run entirely by volunteers and we are keen to enrol more people to help build a long term future for Ellingham & Ringwood.

We offered an insight recently for volunteers to come along and see what is involved in giving some time to the sport. We are grateful to those that came along and those that gave up their time. We will be looking to repeat this once the Pandemic is over. We need support in all areas but will be focusing on critical areas for next season. We may be forced to advertise for some of these positions locally if they are not filled. If just a small percentage of the players and/or parents of players give up a little bit of time then the club can offer more facilities to everyone; whether it’s the bar, coaching, coaching, finance, fixtures, governance, kitchen, pitches or a better website, we all benefit from sharing the load.

The club also has a role to play in supporting community initiatives. A current example is the work the club is doing to support the Ringwood food bank. Keep an eye on the website over the coming weeks for updates from Mark on that. Another initiative is the Rugby4Refugees project that will resume once the Pandemic is over and the UN begin resettling families again. If anyone has a project that they would like the club to support, please contact a member of the committee. A great example of this is the current player campaign to raise money by shaving their heads for charity. I will share this story in full at a later date.

Maintenance

I have been busy myself with reviewing the playing surface working strategy in line with the recent RFU recommendations. The club was lucky enough to get guidance from Keith Kent who recently retired as the head groundsman at Twickenham. We have all been affected by the weather and the volume of playing and training on our limited surfaces at PBL. To put that into context; Ellingham has 25 teams all vying for training and match day playing space. That’s a fantastic achievement for the club and down to the hard work of the teams and management alike. It does come at a cost though. The work recommended by the RFU will cost between £4,000 and £5,000. I am pleased to announce that NFDC have agreed to assist the club and its provision of sport for the youth of the town with a piece of equipment named Vertilift. This equipment will hopefully aerate the surface down past the sodden layer (presently 6 inches) and allow the top soil some space to drain away the held water.
Following that we have the acquisition of 120 tonnes of graded sand, reseed and fertilize to complete. At this point I would like to thank one of our VP’s Mark Reeve. Mark has recently been able to donate a large amount of money towards the pitch project. This takes so much pressure off the club finances and allows Nick Wilson and his team to push forward with the incredible work that they do.

We have invested a large amount of money this season on the building which was to be expected after 12 years. I would like to thank Johnny Joiner and John Mandeville for their help and direction on these repairs. Countless issues with the hot water system, underfloor heating and extraction fans in the changing rooms, thermostats and the more than occasional light bulb have tested their patience. We have been advised against fully shutting the building and draining the heating tanks as we simply have no idea when the crisis will finish. We do not wish to be in a position that we are waiting for heating or sanitation engineers to sign off before we can start using the building again. Going forward, there are still a lot of cosmetic challenges ahead that we will look for support to make sure that the building is protected, modernised and made fit for purpose for the next ten years.

Finally, I would like to say a few words about the playing side. The season game to an abrupt end and we had to wait for the RFU to decide how they would calculate league positions. I have been very impressed with the maturity of the teams with this process. It gives a good impression to me of where we are as a club at the moment. The 1st XV remain in Hampshire Premier next season and are well placed to build on this years’ experience. Our 2nd XV were unlucky not to achieve promotion into Dorset 1 and are going to be in a strong position to challenge for promotion next year. The 3rd XV finished 2nd in Dorset 3 and are still a sign of everything Ellingham does well. Young and new players gain experience, old players get to keep playing and the whole club benefits. Most of our rivals struggle to put out two teams on a regular basis. This is largely due to our thriving mini and junior section. Nearly all of our 1st XV have been members of the club since they were minis. The great work of Andy Stevens, the coaches and volunteers that support our youngsters are vital to the long term success of the club. Unfortunately, our women will be relegated from South West 2 but I am confident that they will be back up again next season.
Please continue to check the website and social media for more club updates coming soon,
Rob