Danny Hitchcock, Billericay RFC Chair

What a frenetic start to the season it has been. November is already here, and the chilly training sessions have certainly started.

Andy Collings has spent a lot of time working on the fields, and we are now using the Paddock (the field next to the rugby pitches) for training. The aim is to rest the main pitches as much as possible and give the roots the opportunity to establish properly.

It is fantastic to see so many teams training during the week and at weekends, but we do need to manage the workload on our pitches. At present, the 2nd team pitch is being used around six to eight times more than the recommended level, which simply is not sustainable.

Wherever possible, please use the cricket outfield at the top of the club or the Paddock for training. The rugby pitches should ideally only be used as a last resort or for specific run-throughs rather than general training sessions.

A little bit of care now will make a big difference to the quality of our pitches later in the season.

Plans for the clubhouse are progressing. We have had initial drawings produced to look at redeveloping the existing clubhouse, but we are also considering the possibility of building a new, purpose-built clubhouse in the area where the beehive and containers are currently located.

Once we have more detailed drawings and plans available, we will put them on the website so that everyone can see what is being considered.

On a related note, if you are an architect, have an architect in the family, or know someone who may be interested in helping with the project, we would love to hear from you.

Ollie Fisher is leading this project, and we will be looking to undertake a procurement process for the drawings and design work. If you know someone who may be interested, please contact Ollie on 07714 571816.

Those of you who have been at the club recently may have noticed that some of the larger holes in the car park have been filled.

This came about thanks to Stock Tennis Club having a new surface installed. Their contractors had some tarmac left over and kindly used it to fill and roll some of the holes in our car park. It is not a permanent solution, but it certainly helps.

Willowbrook Sports and Social Club, our overarching landlord, is looking at having the car park professionally resurfaced. This is likely to require significant investment, so we will provide further updates when we know more.

More generally, we can all help keep the club and surrounding fields looking their best. Unfortunately, there has been quite a lot of rubbish left around the site recently. If you see any litter, please take a moment to pick it up and put it in one of the bins.

It might seem like a small thing, but if everyone does their bit, it makes a real difference.

• Saturday 14 November – Vice Presidents' Dinner. We are expecting around 50 Vice Presidents. These are always great occasions, so if you are around that day, please come up and enjoy the post-match atmosphere.
• Saturday 21 November – Junior Dinner, as we get ready for the Nations Cup.

Our club is run by volunteers, and many of them give up their time every single week, often working quietly behind the scenes without receiving the recognition they deserve.

To help change that, I am introducing a new Volunteer of the Month Award.

If there is someone within the club who you think has gone above and beyond for the club, their team or an individual, please nominate them to me. When nominating someone, let me know specifically what they have done during the month so we can properly recognise their contribution.

Each month's winner will receive a £25 bar token. If the winner is under 18, we will make alternative arrangements for the £25 award.

As this is our inaugural award, I have taken the Chair's privilege of choosing our first winner.

Steve has worked tirelessly to promote our merchandise. He has listened to what people want, responded to requests and sold a great deal of club merchandise in the process. I also hear there are still some piggy banks available if you are struggling for Christmas present ideas.

Steve, your £25 bar token is with Katie for you to collect. Well done, Steve, and thank you for everything you have done for the club.

There are always ways to get involved, even if you can only spare a small amount of time.

At the moment, we are particularly looking for someone who can help us reach out into the local community, engage with businesses and charities, and explore how Billericay RFC can become an even bigger part of the wider community.

If this is something you could help with, even if you can only give one hour a week, I would really like to hear from you. Please contact me on 07828 755198 and we can have a chat about how you could get involved.

Thank you, as always, to everyone who gives their time to support the club, whether that is coaching, managing, volunteering, helping behind the scenes, or simply picking up a piece of litter when you see it.

Danny Hitchcock
Billericay RFC Chair
chair@billericayrugby.com