Long Road Ahead

The last week has seen a couple of meetings occur to discuss the way forward on dealing with the flood damage.

Despite our initial efforts, the seriousness of the flood waters within the clubhouse mean that virtually nothing of the interior is salvagable. The damp has caused mold to spread on all surfaces, the furniture is all ruined, the kitchen & bar unrecoverable, damp has penetrated the plaster on the walls, and flies are breeding copiously.

The changing rooms are similarly affected, as too is the garage/score hut, and the grounds-keeping machinery all needs stripping down by professionals to determine if it can be repaired.

We have not been able to assess the pitch itself as yet due to the water still covering it, but certainly we no longer have any boundary fencing, and the site screen housing is either gone or damaged at both ends.

All in all, not a good position to be in just a few months before the start of the new season!

But all is not lost. The spirit amongst those who have rallied to help rebuild is good, and there is a strong sense that this can be the start of new and better club - almost beginning again and perhaps doing things a little differently (for instance, the bar may be moving to allow a better seating area, and the new decor could make the place feel a little brighter.)

So let's not be too down. There's a lot to do in the next three months, but by summer we should all be able to look back on the journey with pride.