Dear All
Happy Easter and I hope that you are all adjusting well to the enforced isolation.
I thought I would drop you all a line to keep in contact and let you know some of the things that are happening during lock down and to ensure that we stay in touch until we can all get back to normal.
The members and age groups that I have been in contact with all seem well and coping admirably and there seems to be a lot of healthy social interaction going on amongst the Maids’ family.
The U13s launched a great passing vid, the seniors have been quizzing via Zoom (looking forward to Bingo on Thursday, clickty click) and the Mighty 2s have been highly entertaining with their Instagram Challenges. Their ‘skills’ campaign is up and running and is particularly amusing and of course educational.
Mike Andrew will soon be launching a coaching webinar that all can log in to, more news on this as soon as ready to launch.
Rugby
The RFU has confirmed final League positions for the seniors and the calculations leave the 1st team in 3rd position in SW1 Prem. We were looking forward to the final games of the season and maintaining our second place position and we were confident that we could have made the play off. However, we are fully supportive of the way that the RFU has calculated final league positions and the speed in which they have made decisions.
With so many more important things to worry about at the moment, our focus will be on next season and the exciting challenges that it brings. We would just like to thank all of you who have supported the boys throughout the season, the noise at Braywick on a Saturday really is unique in the league.
Mobbs, his coaching team and senior players are already working on plans for next season with the potential of us moving into the London Division leagues. This will be a new and different challenge but one that we are looking forward to should it pan out. Also, it offers a lot less travel, so hopefully we can get even better support away than we have enjoyed all the way down in the West Country. Hopefully we can get a few Maids’ Supporters coaches organised. The only down side is that we have made great friends in the West Country and we will miss them, but new challenges and all that.
We are waiting confirmation on this and I will let you all know as soon as we hear.
The Mighty 2s had a fantastic season in the very challenging Raging Bull Zoo League and we are just waiting to hear how the leagues will be adjusted/restructured for next season. The organisers are trying where possible to match 1s and 2s sides against the same opposition. If they manage this it will be very exciting to have both sides together more regularly on a Saturday. We might have to bomb proof the clubhouse!!
The 3rds, what can you say about them. Resurrected this season and undefeated, ending the season top of their league. Well done to all the boys and especially John, Barbs and D for their great coaching and management.
A ladies team is also in its infancy and training with Gareth on a regular basis on Thursday nights. How exciting would it be to put a Maidenhead Ladies team out again?
Looking at our Youth teams, once again they have all had a great season and our numbers throughout all squads are a testament to the hard work and fun that all our volunteers create every weekend. I can assure you that your work, dedication and all that you bring to the Maids’ family is highly valued and appreciated.
You will also have seen that some bloke called Myke Parrott is making a big noise about his retirement. I will find out who he is and apparently we need a big send off, so watch this space. Sounds like he needs a new role, so we are working on this as well.
Club Finances
With the closure of the club and the sudden loss of income, we have obviously had to review our finances for the rest of the financial year.
Essential housework to protect ourselves financially wherever possible is nearly complete and with the work put in by Ross and Dom to reduce our unnecessary costs and work our way through available government support, we have limited our losses as much as possible.
However, this will put us in the red for the first time in a very long time but we are in an ok position overall and we will review finances again at the end of June to see where the land lies.
I must thank all on the committee for their constant hard work and commitment over the past number of years ensuring that we have a very well run club with good finances, including ‘rainy day’ planning and reserves, and a spirit that will see us rise to all challenges across the whole club.
General
Many AGMs will have been contacted by Dom recently regarding GMS details. He is working hard to get us in tip top condition on GMS so that when we come out of the other side we are ahead of the curve and the use of GMS will be so much easier for all at the club. A big thanks must go to you all for your help and patience on this system, we promise the hard work will be worth it in the end.
Several of our older members are in total isolation but we are in regular contact with them and they are being looked after by members with food deliveries, prescription pickups and the odd chat. Please keep in contact with your age groups and please contact me if there is anything that you need help with from the club.
We have several members supporting The Magpies Community Care Initiative as delivery volunteers supporting older people in our community with their shopping, prescription pickups etc. If you feel that you can help, then simply email Sasha at [email protected].
Keep in touch and see you all on the other side.
Stay safe
Boughie
#bleedmagenta