An update from the Chairman Ivan Powell

Hi all,

I appreciate,  for some this may be a little late in coming but we have been concentrating on the urgent activity needed down at the club.  We have been endeavouring to provide some updates via social media, but appreciate that doesn’t reach all.

You will be aware that for the first time flooding breached the new section of the clubhouse causing significant contamination and damage.

Firstly

Can I thank all of those people, club members and wider club friends who have rallied together over the last week or so, providing physical effort, equipment donations, financial donations and specialist skills.

Hopefully you will be aware of the Hereford Rugby Go Fund me page: https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-rebuild-and-repair-hereford-rugby-club which Spencer Goodall our President set up.  If nothing else, promoting that would be a great help. We have a current target of £20,000 and are nearly 3/4 of the way there; but in reality now we know the extent of the damage that is not likely to be the full amount required.

As Spencer has posted on that page ”Without flood insurance, any further donation will be of such great help. Let’s get our club back up and running. Thank you all again!!”

Our collective mindset is one of absolute positivity

Seeing this as an opportunity to refurbish the club in advance of our 150th anniversary next season.  We will be relying on the continuing collective efforts and good will not only of our club members but friends of HRFC too, particularly those trades people who have either helped already or have offered to do so. Even if you can’t come and help with tasks, just popping down to boost spirits, have a chat and make the workers a cuppa is very valuable.

To date; we have fully cleaned and sanitised the club with the exception of the dining room which needs a final clean as it is currently being used as a carpentry workshop!

Importantly we have concentrated our initial efforts on making the club safe from a health perspective.

We are having to completely refurbish the kitchen, (including replacing the floor boards and front wall) replacing all units, cookers, fridge and freezers.

Spencer has posted some other information on this on the go fund me page so I won’t repeat it here.

The committee met last night (24th February) and will be meeting again in the next few days to finalise our required recovery activities.  We will be sending out this information as soon as we can, so if you can help in anyway please do so.

For now we need to continue to apply the restriction on under 18’s being involved in the work as there is construction activity within the club.  However, I anticipate we will soon be looking to our younger members to help fairly soon.

Thanks all

Ivan