30/08/21 | General
Presidents Welcome
A very warm welcome to the new season on what I hope sees the beginning of the end to the
dreadful disruption caused by Covid 19 over the last 18 months or so.
This has been a very difficult time for many people and especially for those who have lost loved ones and to all our members, friends, and families we extend our deepest sympathy and hope that Beechwood and the great game of rugby can in some small way help to remember the good times, smile, and perhaps raise a glass to absent friends.
The financial cost of the pandemic has been huge and despite the assistance given by the
government many clubs and indeed the RFU are having to take drastic actions to ensure they
survive. I am pleased to report that, whilst we are far from unscathed, the tireless work of the Board, the Executive committee, and our supportive membership we have continued to push on with our development plans and hopefully we can remain on target to “break ground” on the new clubhouse and the associated facilities within the next 12 months. There is clearly a lot of work to do and the support of all sections of our membership is vital as we strive to develop our continued role as a leading community club. I would encourage anyone and everyone to get involved and help this noble cause for the next generations of Lymm.
Please do not hesitate to contact me or any member of theBoard or Executive (everyone’s contact details are in the Club House and on the Web site!!).
Good luck to all our teams and coaches and congratulations on last season unbeaten record!! Let’s hope this season can be equally as good but that you manage to get some game time.
Let the fun commence.
Neil Kelly – President
Chairmans Welcome
To all our members and visitors to Lymm Rugby Club, Thank You for your continued support for our great club and welcome to the 2021/22 season.
The past 18 months have been very difficult for us all and I hope that you have managed to endure the effects of the Covid-19 Pandemic with little or no long-term impact. Covid-19 has challenged our society in ways that I would never have imagined I would see in my lifetime, and I sincerely hope we are all able to take advantage of the experiences of this dreadful pandemic and grow stronger for the future.
Like the majority of clubs throughout the country, we have seen little competitive rugby for the past 17 months and have in effect lost a complete season of rugby and many of the regular social events that we are recognised for as an active Rugby Club. We were planning to use our normal summer event period in the summer of 2020 to celebrate our 60th Anniversary, but these plans were scuppered by the government lockdown which impacted on many of our social activities. We also missed the formal opening of our AGP and our 2020 Panto season, the first time that a Panto has not been staged at Lymm Rugby Club for more than 30 years! Hopefully for both of these events, and others, we will be able to run them again in the not-too-distant future, starting with the 2021 Panto which is currently under discussion.
Throughout the Pandemic, normal activities at Beechwood were suspended to comply with Government guidelines and the income streams that we would normally enjoy were disrupted, creating some initial concerns amongst the Board and Executive Committee. The continued support of our volunteers and members and the effective financial management of our overall activities has ensured that we have remained in a good financial position.
I would draw your attention to the Financial report presented by Andy Leach at our recent AGM if you would like to see and understand the details of our current financial position. There are also a number of other AGM related reports that may be of interest to you, these are available from our website.
The fixture list for the new season is also available on our website and you will find fixture details for all our senior teams. This season you will have the opportunity to use the Halfway House before, during and after the match to buy refreshments whilst watching the game. You will also find new benches for you to use during the match. Each bench has been sponsored by members or sections of the club and their support is recognised on plaques attached to each table. We hope you enjoy these facilities during your time with us on match days!
Covid-19 also had an impact on the progress of our Club House development activities. Although progress slowed down during the pandemic, members of the development team have been working hard to ensure we are in a strong position as the impact of Covid-19 recedes. This includes development of the Manor Road Tennis site planning application and the club house and housing development on the Beechwood site. Details of progress in all of these areas will be communicated in the next few months.
Finally, you may be aware of the book, “The Dewhursts of Lymm and Beechwood Hall”, written by club member John Lord. This book, now being published as a second edition, tracks the history of the Dewhurst family and Beechwood Hall from the 1800’s to the present day, including its more recent history and transition from a family home to the home of Lymm RFC.
If you would like to secure your own copy of this book, you can obtain one from the bar or please contact me by email on, jpcartwright@talktalk.net or by phone on 07970 247646.
The book costs £10 and all profits go to support our great club.
This season the entrance fee to watch our First XV will increase from £5 to £7. This is the first increase for as long as anyone can remember – certainly more than 11 years and maybe as many as 20. Other than general inflation over this extended period, one factor that has forced our hand here is the termination of the RFU travel subsidy which historically has been available to clubs such as ours to help with the costs of fulfilling our league fixtures to our more distant opponents. Whilst the level of this support has generally been reducing over time it has now gone completely and understandably has been a factor in our decision to raise match entrance fees – which despite the increase are still less than most other clubs in our league.
I look forward to seeing you at Beechwood over the coming season and thank you again for your continued support, it is very much appreciated.
Your Club, Our Community, Their future!
John Cartwright – Chairman