This is the first opportunity I have had to address club members since taking over from the inestimable Graham Frankland as West Club President, a role I am honoured to do.

It is true that I have yet to preside over an actual game of rugby, however, I feel privileged that I have instead witnessed at close hand a tremendous effort by loyal club members. Not only supporting our club through exceptionally difficult financial times, but also in improving the facilities we can provide when we do return to some kind of normality.

I have always believed West to be a family club, run and maintained by a band of willing volunteers and when times get tough families pull together. That belief has now been borne out and it makes me incredibly proud to be associated with such a club. 

 There are dozens of people to thank for rising to the challenge, including the many volunteers who have manned bars when we could open for brief spells, in doing a host of jobs in and around the clubhouse, in generating ideas to increase bar takings and, of course, in the general running of the club. To try to name them all would be foolish, as I would inevitably leave out a vital cog in the wheel.

Suffice to say that we are keeping our head above water, despite not having our main income from functions and bars since lockdown began.

That is because we have received both tremendous financial support in donations, and incredible understanding from members near to home and as far away as Brunei. We have also been humbled by the support we have received from local people and companies we do not know that well, but who have stood back and appreciated what “West” means to the community, and felt we were worthy of help. We will never get those lost weekends of income back, however with continued good stewardship, and support, we will recover.

I am therefore delighted that we have been able to put something back into our community. A special mention for the 17 lads who ran the Santa and his Elves half marathon to raise almost £10,000 for the Alice House Hospice. We are not just about looking after ourselves, as the waiting list from community sports clubs to use the new Artificial Grass Pitch demonstrates.

We will all be glad to see the back of 2020. The New Year won’t look much different for a time, but we have started on a phased return to rugby with the prospect of a full season to come in 2021-22. As a result, my final words are to our hundreds of players - from the First XV to the Little Deers:

Rugby is on the way back. You will return to a facility where we have the new AGP, much improved training pitch floodlights and more attractive surroundings in terms of the club entrance and car park.

This has all been done to provide an opportunity for you to play rugby to your full potential and in the process, make life-long friends and great memories as I and many others have done.

 Merry Christmas to Everyone have a Safe and Happy New Year