A sunny Saturday (17th November) saw nearly 90 members, sponsors and guests attending the annual Presidents and VP’s lunch at the club. Active VP’s were invited to attend a cocktail party in the Curve Bar and were greeted by the President with a glass of bubbly.
An excellent lunch was prepared and expertly served by Richard Spratt and his team from Hot Rocks, the clubs’ caterers, to general acclaim.
President Lionel then formally welcomed our guests, which included Neale Andrews and Anne Renshaw for Mundays Solicitors, Charles Broadbent-Coombe from Savills and Duncan Townsend from The George & Dragon (Thames Ditton) - our new player of the match sponsors.
The implementation of the new ‘One Club, One Shirt’ policy this season was explained and the club was delighted to present Neale Andrews with one of the new shirts to replace that currently displayed in Mundays offices. We were also delighted to be able to present Duncan Townsend with a club shirt to display in The George & Dragon.
President Nigel Campkin and Chairman Jon Mangall from Havant RFC, who were with us for the league game that followed, received a warm Cobham welcome as did the group of supporters who joined us for lunch.
Lionel expressed the club’s thanks for all the work that our VP’s perform but referred to the urgent need for additional volunteers to come forward to help with the running of the club; Cobham RFC’s continued expansion and success is placing an increasing burden on current volunteers who sometimes struggle with the load.
The club was delighted to confirm that a planning application has been lodged for the installation of a new all weather pitch, which, subject to successful completion of funding, will be installed before next season on Pitch 2.
Much to the surprise of President Lionel, Tony Balkwill congratulated him on being made Volunteer of the Year at last week’s Elmbridge Sports Award evening and as he was unable to attend this event, Elmbridge had asked the club to present him with a magnificent glass trophy to mark this achievement.
