Chairman's Address ~ August 2013

Season September 2013-April 2014

A New Season – An Exciting Challenge

As the incoming Chairman for your club, my first task is to thank you all for the trust that you have placed in me. It is greatly appreciated and I only hope that I can repay this by helping to provide the framework for a vibrant, successful and enjoyable club. I also wish to thank the former Chairman, Richard Homewood, for all of his work. His efforts over the past two seasons are without compare.

For the up-coming season, I consider the following as our main objectives:

• Train hard on Tuesdays and Thursday;

• Play hard on Saturdays;

• Make yourself available for all matches and communicate with your Captain;

• Respect one another and the efforts people make for the club;

• Enjoy the time you spend with your team-mates and colleagues.

These objectives are simple, achievable and if we attain them, then they will stand us in good stead for this season.

I suspect that many club members found last season challenging. This season is now behind us and we have instigated a series of changes that were needed. It is our collective responsibility to make these work and get Harwell R.F.C. back to winning ways. I firmly believe that everybody is involved in this process and can make a real difference. The new season will provide many new and exciting challenges and I am personally excited about the prospect of the mouth-water battles with known and unknown rivals. After all, Harwell R.F.C. is about the rugby, its team-spirit and its sense of friendship. Very few clubs can match us on the last two.

A Club in Transition

Over the next couple of years, Harwell R.F.C. will be a club in transition and there will be an increasing need for younger members to take a greater role in the management of your club. It is absolutely vital that this occurs because the club has to retain its relevance to you; the people who will ultimately support it. As a club, it is vital to remember that our only assets are its members and supporters and I am very proud of you all.

Royal British Legion

As a club, we are committed to using the Legion as our post-match venue and we should provide whatever support we can to it.

Unlike previous seasons, there are number of double-headers in the calendar with both the First and Second Teams playing at home. On these days, the legion will essentially be “our” clubhouse and the Royal British Legion is encouraging us to consider it as such.

As a club, I would encourage you to show your support for the Legion by:

• Hanging around with your team-mates after a match and enjoying a refreshment or two;

• Offering to support the Legion by volunteering to work behind the bar and;

• Attend the events organised by the committee on the club’s behalf.

Tour

Unlike many other rugby clubs in the area, Harwell R.F.C. is unique in that it runs an annual tour that is regularly attended by more than 30 people. The abundance of people joining our tour is testament to the team-spirit and the high-regard that players, both past and present, have for it.

Please make this season’s tour a success and commit to it as soon as you are able!

Harwell Old Boys

Many of you may not know but the former players of Harwell have a very active Old Boys network that regularly meets for social events. As the present feedstock of Harwell R.F.C. it is our ultimate destiny to become an Official Harwell Old Boy. As the Old Boys are passionate supporters of the club, it would be nice for us to show our appreciation of the building blocks they provided in their past lives. After all, we all ultimately stand on the shoulders of giants.

The Harwell Old Boys will have their first meeting of the season on September 28th. Let’s make this a memorable day with two very special victories.

Principal Club Sponsors

The cost of running your club is heavily subsidised by the financial generosity of our principal sponsors and without these, the cost of your membership would be significantly greater. At present, we have three principal sponsors. These are:

• Pyrotec Systems – Courtesy of Steve Pitts

• Smeg – Courtesy of Mike Gidding

• Mountain Mania – Courtesy of Jamie Lynn.

As you will note, all of these sponsors are players from your club. Their financial generosity reflects the high-regard they have for Harwell R.F.C. and the people that play for us. Please take a moment or to thank them for their generosity. We greatly appreciate their support and wish their businesses well for the future.

In Conclusion

The strength of Harwell R.F.C. remains its people. Without all of you, there would be no club and no rugby.

Through unity, strength, determination and courage we will make this season one to remember.

Owen Sutcliffe