As you hopefully know we have launched a fantastic new project Wimbledon In The Community. You should also know that, although we have some generous funders we need to get more funds to keep it running and we have applied to the AVIVA fund to help with that.

We need you to log on and vote and we stand a good chance of getting some funds to help us build a better club and a better community. So far, with only two days to go, we have only just over a 1000 votes as I don't think enough people knew about it. So please get on their website ( https://community-fund.aviva.co.uk/ ), register on the site, then type Wimbledon in the search bar and cast your 10 votes for the Wimbledon in the Community project and lets improve the ruby experience for 100s of children.

Sport has always been a great way to connect with people. It has the ability to build the strongest of bonds, whether that is through competition or being part of the crowd.

It is Sunday evening, so you have the time to make a difference today .............. please

Dave

"

Hi

The arrangements for Sunday are arrive for a warm up at 10am and then KO is at 11am. We are actually playing a Ironsides this weekend. Haselmere is next weekend (also at home).

If you have said you can play please be on time. If you cannot play it would still be good to get some support.

Dave

Hi.

Still waiting for responses for this weekend from
Luca Boyd
Charlie Brown
Jonny Davies
Sean Davies
Will Martin
Chino Onwuachu
Sam Park
Max Quenby
Alex Soriano
Jack Stace

Please let me know if you can play

Dave

A great win today which shows how communication can make so much difference. Well done.

Next week we have Haselmere at home in the delayed Waterfall Cup fixture. Can you please let me know if you are available.

Thanks

Dave

Hi

The arrangements for tomorrow are:

Venue: Camberley RFC, Watchetts Recreational Ground, Park Road, Camberley, Surrey, GU15 2SR (http://www.camberleyrugbyclub.co.uk/a/visitor-parking-45280.html)
Time Access to the pitches from 11.30 with KO at 12.30
Pitch: 2

So please arrive ready to warm up at 11.30

Everyone who is available should come

Regards

David

With the low response rate so far numbers are looking tight for Sunday so can I ask for availability responses from:

Jonny Davies
Sean Davies
Freddie Harwood
Rocky
Chino
Sam Park
Max Quenby
Jack Stace

Thanks

Dave

OK. This weekend we have a friendly at Camberley. Arrive 11.30 and KO at 12.30. Are you free? Answers asap. Please

Dave

Hi

Haselmere have been unable to get a team together for this weekend. I am seeing if we can play them next weekend. However it means there is no match tomorrow. Further as the club is so busy tomorrow, all of the pitches are already allocated and so we cannot train at home. Thus there is no rugby for our age group tomorrow

Sorry but it is beyond my control. Enjoy the lie in

Dave

Hi

Just to let you know we are still waiting for Haselmere to confirm times for this weekend. They said that they had not received the notice from Surrey RFU re the waterfall cup fixtures (and obviously had not followed up after they entered the tournament). Anyway they are checking that they have a team available and so you will need to keep an eye out on your messages for an update which I will send out as soon as I hear.

Dave

Not many replies so far for this weekend. If you are available please say now

Dave

Hi

Next weekend we have the first game in the Surrey Waterfall Cup. We are away to Haslemere. I do not know the kick off time yet and will let you know when I do. In the meantime please let me know if you can play.

Unlike with friendlies, we can only take 22 boys. Thus you need to let us know if you can play. No response will mean you are assumed to be unavailable. Selection will take place on Thursday so I need a response by close on Wednesday. However, don't delay and please let me know now. Even if you cannot play please respond so I can cross you off my list

Thanks

Dave
"

Hi

Just a reminder that it is training tomorrow. This is the last training session before we go into the Waterfall cup so please make every effort to attend. Usual time - 10am start

Dave

Hi - bad luck today. As it is half term we are going to have a rest next weekend. We then have training on 29 October followed by Haselmere away on 5 November in the Waterfall Cup.

I am just trying to firm up the final arrangements for the pre Christmas period and will let you know once this is settled

Dave

Hi

A real lack of responses this week. We have our home match this weekend against Esher - KO at 11 so warm up at 10. I am still waiting for replies from

Charlie Brown
Jonny Davies
Sean Davies
Callum Drewett
Rocky
Chino Onwuachu
Max Quenby
Alex Soriano

Please reply now

Dave

Hi

It was a hard day today but that is to be expected bearing in mind that the team has now only had two matches together.

Next week is our final game before the Waterfall cup starts. It is against Esher at home with KO of 11am (so turn up for warm up at 10am). Please let me know if you are available and don't wait to be chased.

Thanks

Dave

The match is now confirmed for this weekend at Effingham & Leatherhead. It is a case of turn up for training at 11am and then KO at noon. The ground is at King George V playing fields in Effingham although parking is at the Howard of Effingham School, Lower Rd, Effingham, Leatherhead KT24 5JR. There is limited parking at the club so you have been warned. I attach a map which gives further details. You may need to click on the link below to log on to the WMRFC website to view this

So far I know the status of about 12 boys and about half of those are injured so I really need to know from everyone else whether they are available (even if it is only to say that they are not). Please let me know now.

Thanks

Dave

"

Hi

I am waiting for confirmation from Effingham & Leatherhead that our away match is on next weekend and also for the time of the game. Assuming it is on please let me know if you are available.

Thanks

Dave

Hi

Tomorrow we play London Welsh away. We are playing in Barnes at the sports ground on Queen Elizabeth Walk, Barnes, London SW13 9SA. There are two sports grounds. We are playing at the one at the very end of Queen Elizabeth Walk (so go past the first one on the right and continue all of the way to the end). Parking is always a nightmare so you have been warned. The later you are the worse it will be. Warm up will start from 10am and KO is at 11am.

Everyone available will get to play. This will be the first combined u17/18 game. The plan is to play together until Christmas but it will take a while to get things to gel so please bear with us.

See you tomorrow

Dave

"

Hi

Firstly a clarification - we are playing London Welsh this weekend in Barnes and not London Irish.

Secondly I have had only 10 replies as to availability. It would be really good if you could let me know if you can or cannot play. I know some boys are deliberately ruling themselves out before Christmas due to school commitments and that is fine. However, can anyone doing that let me know so that I can then mark up my availability sheet accordingly.

As we are running a mixed side pre Christmas we need more time to co-ordinate with the U17s. Thus please let me know availability now (if you are not one of the 10 who has already done so)

Thanks

Dave
"

Next Sunday we are away to London Irish. Please let me know if you can play. Even if you cannot please let me know that you cannot as then we can plan.

The coaches will talk about team selection on Thursday night so those who reply be then get first picks

Dave

Sorry but Esher have called off. We will be training this weekend at home.

Regards

David

Hi
I am waiting for confirmation that the match is definitely on for this weekend at Esher and also for the KO time. However, in the meantime please let me know whether you are available. This will be a mixed u17/18 side and good preparation for the waterfall cup later in the autumn.

Thanks

Dave

In case you want to keep up with the latest rule changes. See the link to the RFU website http://www.englandrugby.com/news/world-rugby-announce-six-law-changes/#

Dave

Re the email just sent, in case it was not apparent, you will need to click the link to "Read more" so that you can then see the attached pre season letter.

Dave

Hi

Please see the attached letter on how things will operate this season.

Regards

Dave

Hi

The registration form for next season has now been published. See
https://goo.gl/forms/syAOrLDHSGffVHXD2

Please register and pay in advance. If you pay quickly the subs for a single subscription are £135 for the year. If you take too long it goes up to £150.

It really does help if subs are sorted out quickly. Otherwise I have to spend time chasing which is not pleasant and it costs you more.

When you have paid please let me know so I can make sure that the records are up to date.

We look forward to seeing you all on Sunday

Many thanks

Dave

Hi

I know it is hot today, but the season starts again next Sunday 3 September at 10am. Hopefully everyone is coming back and we look forward to seeing you next weekend.

We can give you more detail about how the season will work then, as there are no leagues this year. Instead there are two different cup competitions - so there will still be plenty of games. However, it is easier to explain how it will work face to face.

See you all next Sunday at 10am

Dave

Just a reminder that we have our final Sunday of the season at the club on Sunday. I have not heard from Alex, Freddie or Chino as to whether they will be there (please let me know).

We start at 11am. See you then.

Dave

Hi

We are meeting at the club on 30th April for our final session of the season. Meet at 11 am and we will finish by 12.30 and then have a drink and some food.

I am lacking a lot of responses. Can the following let me know if they can make it as I need to know for the food order:

Kym A
Luca B
Charlie B
Nick B
Jonny D
Callum D
Louis F
Jonathan H
Rocky H
Hamish L
Will M
Chino O
Sam P
Beau R
Freddie
Adam S
Alex S
Jack S

Thanks

Dave

Hi

As it is the mini's last Sunday training session this Sunday we are going to have ours on Sunday 30th April. Meet at the club at 11am. We will play touch etc for an hour to an hour and a half and then try to sort out some food etc afterwards. However, keep the day free now and let me know if you can make it so that I know numbers for catering.

Dave

Don't forget we start at 9.45 tomorrow. Everyone who said that they can play will play. Kick off at 10.45. This is the last match of the season so let's hope for a win.
Dave

If anyone is looking for something to do today, apparently the club have a tv/movie crew on site interviewing members and kids involved in rugby! Ex player Lewis moody  Martin Corry and Tom Shanklin will all be there to participate.  11 till 2pm.

Hi

We do not have the numbers to run a training session on Thursday so we will cancel that. The match on Sunday AT HOME will however go ahead. That said, I am still waiting to hear whether the following are available - please reply now:

Louis Fleming
Jonathan Harland
Hamish Lawless
Chino Onwuachu
Dan Owen
Sam Penny
Adam Scully
Jack Stace

Please note that this is the last match of the season. It is also a league game which we could really do with winning.

The plan is to try and kick off early (10.40) so everyone needs to arrive for 9.45 (which has the bonus that parking will be easier). Do not be late.

As there will be no more matches this season, we will then have a break until 23 April. I will let people have details of the arrangements for that day nearer the time.

Those who have not replied please reply now

Dave

An unlucky game today. It sounds like it was a good game, and we were unlucky to lose at the end.

Next week we play Vandals at home in our last league game of the season. A while ago I asked for availability, but as a lot has happened since then, I want to confirm things now. Also rather than having training on Saturday we are going to try an hour at 6pm on Thursday if there are enough boys interested.

So two things for you to reply about:

1. Availability for Sunday (arrive 10am KO at 10.40)

2. Whether you can make training at 6pm on Thursday

Please reply now

Thanks

Dave

Hi

So that everyone is aware tomorrow we play at Ironsides.

The address is
Battersea Ironsides Sports Club
Burntwood Lane,
Earlsfield,
London SW17 0AW
020 8874 9913

We are hoping to kick off early so please try and be there for 9.45

Regards

Dave

OK we are 17 players for this weekend so it is really important that everyone turns up. Everyone who said they can play will get to play.

Don't forget that for those that can make it we have an hours training at 4pm tomorrow afternoon.

Dave

Hi

We are tight on numbers this weekend. Freddie. Adam and Charlie can you let me know of you can play.

Thanks

Dave

As of now I am still waiting to hear whether the following are available for this weekend. Can you let me know now please:

Charlie Brown
Jonny Davies
Daniel Owen
Sam Penny
Freddie Russell
Adam Scully
Alex Soriano

As an advance warning there will be training at the club at 4pm on Saturday. Kick off will be slightly earlier (10.45) on Sunday to try and finish early as it is Mothers' Day

Dave

With apologies to all of the mothers but I just checked the Surrey RFU website. We are AWAY at Ironsides next weekend. Fortunately they have confirmed that KO is still 11am

Dave

Bad luck today.

Next weekend we have Ironsides at home in the league. Please let me know availability now

Thanks

Dave Wilkinson

Hi

We have 21 boys available this weekend so everyone gets into the match squad. It is however a league game, so game time is not guaranteed.

As Saturday is a big day for England rugby and lots of people will want to watch the England game, we will not hold a training session on Saturday. Instead please turn up at Old Cats for 10am on Sunday.

I am told that parking is a nightmare at Old Cats. They say parents should drop off at club and then park in the Caterham Dene Hospital car park on the right hand side of that car park.

The address for the Old Cats ground is:
Old Caterhamians RFC
Park Avenue
Caterham
Surrey
CR3 6AH

See you on Sunday

Dave

Still no reply re availability for this weekend from Jon Harland, Chino Onwuachu or Max Quenby. Please let me know if you are available now.

There will be training on Saturday but I am just waiting for Adam to confirm the time and will then let you know.

Dave Wilkinson

As some people will know wheelchair rugby is a mixed gender team sport created for people with Tetraplegia (either through injury or genetic disorder) and a sport that provides inspiration and hope in spinal units and military rehab units throughout the UK. At the elite end, it is a sport that gives people with some of the most severe levels of disability the chance to compete at the highest level, the Paralympic Games. England's, Mike Brown is one of the Ambassadors for the sport and does what he can to promote and fund raise for it.

Unfortunately in December of last year UK Sport made a decision not to provide any further funding to the elite end of the game; despite it being able to demonstrate a consistent improvement in its competitiveness against the top four teams in the world. Great Britain is ranked fifth, despite only missing out on a semi-final spot in Rio by the roll of a wheel (eventually losing in extra time in its deciding game).

The funding cut comes even though UK Sport acknowledges that the sport has genuine podium potential. The impact on the game is massive - not just for the elite team but also for those at the lower levels (due to the inevitable profile that the elite game brings in terms of volunteers, sponsors and so on).

The sports governing body has now launched a crowd funding appeal to support the team in attempting to qualify for the Tokyo Paralympics – the following link is to an article in the Independent which gives a little more background. http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/olympics/gb-wheelchair-rugby-crowd-fu...

Bearing in mind that the lost funding totals some £3m (spread over the full four year cycle), filling the gap will definitely not be an easy challenge. However, the intention is to raise as much money as possible to give the guys and girls the best opportunity of qualifying. So, based on the principle of "if you don't ask you don't get", if anyone does feel that they can spare a few pounds (personally or corporately), please click on the following and hand over the cash - however large or small, it all helps. http://gbwr.org.uk/ Currently the total raised sits out £13,000 which means they have a long way to go. The RFU provides some funding but cannot bridge the gap as the sport is a separately regulated sport. However, hopefully those involved in the able bodied game can still help. Please help if you can

I am still waiting for a lot of responses re next week's league game at Old Cats KO 11am. Please let me know now if you can play.

Dave

Having just sent my email re this weekend, I have now heard that we will play the Old Cats league game on 19 March (11.15 KO at their ground). We will then have a further league game the following weekend.

Please let me know availability for the 19th now

Dave

Hi

Unfortunately for various reasons the game this weekend will not now go ahead. Accordingly we will now train as normal at the club.

We still have a game in for next weekend though, and then have a league game the following weekend and are also trying to rearrange the Old Cats and the Vandalls league games. Thus there is still a need to train to improve on the areas where we need to improve to ensure we win the final league games

See you on Sunday at the club for training at 10am

Dave

Hi

I am still waiting to hear about availability for:

Kym Azzopardi
Jonny Davies
Jonathan Harland
Hamish Lawless
Will Martin
Chino Onwuachu
Beau Roberts
Adam Scully
Alex Soriano

Please let me know now as at the moment it looks like we will have to cancel for this weekend.

Regards

Dave

Well done today. A close fought game so good to get the win. Nick is now home and all is OK after the bang on his head.

Next weekend we are currently away to Roslyn Park. Please let me know availability now.

Dave

The bad news is that old cats have messed up their schedule and cannot play. The good news is that we have sorted out another game. It is against Sutton & Epsom who we have beaten twice but narrowly second time so they will want to beat us this time.

As a result of the change we will now play at home. They would like to kick off early so, if we can be on time we will kick off between 10.30 and 10.45. Please be on time.

As it is not a league game we will not now train on Saturday and everyone who said they could play will do so.

Dave

Hi

I am still waiting to hear from Jonathan re availability this weekend.

I am still waiting to hear from Jonathan, Max, Freddie, Jack re availability on 2 and 9 April

Please let me know now. thanks

As it is a league game this weekend we will have a training session on Saturday - this time starting at 2 pm for those that can make it. With the numbers who are available for this weekend, everyone who has said that they are available will be able to play so please make it to Saturday training if you can

Dave