After the Hottest summer recorded in the UK, the Facilities and Tuesday teams have been working hard to get the club ready for rugby this weekend.

A huge thank you to everyone who has put in the hard work over the summer:

• Our irrigation team — Dan Laird, Dickie Marshall and new YTS helper David Hemstock — can finally hang up the pipes after plenty of rain. Pitches 1 and 2 have looked fantastic all summer thanks to regular watering from our borehole, while the recent rain has brought the other pitches back to life.

• Summer maintenance is complete, including refurbishing the advertising boards and first aid unit, along with lots and lots of painting. Well done to all the Tuesday boys!

• The new hedge has survived the drought thanks to Martin Gibbs, supported by Malc Davison and Andrew Clay’s bowser.

• David Rhodes and Daniel Laird have worked hard on the grass and pitches, which are looking fantastic. With support from Doug and Rachelle Lynes on mowing, the next big job is marking out the pitches.

• The facilities compound has had a makeover, including a new 40ft container donated thanks to David Rhodes. Tink Hutchinson of Hutchinson Engineering transported it to site and dropped it into place. It would make an ideal space for a new sponsor to advertise their business — is that you?

• The compound has also been tidied up, thanks to Chris Coen for the planning, while Andrew Clay and Kevin and Ed Ellison of Gillivers Haulage helped rearrange the existing containers. This has created much-needed space for machinery loaned by David Rhodes.

• Pitchside posts and ropes are going up, and with help from Viking Electrical, the floodlights will soon be back on for evening training and games.

It’s been a very busy summer getting the club and facilities ready. Now it’s time for rugby!

See you near the bar!

David “Picky Pick”
Director of Facilities