Season launch at Canary Wharf (with video clip)

Millwall Rugby launch new season at Canary Wharf 

“We are excited”, that’s the word from newly elected club Chairman David Leftley, ahead of the 2011/12 rugby season, which starts next week.

Speaking at the club’s season launch during a publicity event held at Canary Wharf on Saturday, the former coach said that Director of Rugby Warren Abrahams has breathed new life into the club. (See video clip)

“Warren is providing the impetus for a lot of positive changes and there is an enthusiastic and exciting feeling around the club”

“With the Rugby World Cup about to start, this promises to be a fantastic season for Millwall Rugby Club”

The Isle of Dogs-based club will hold a series of Membership Days on Saturday 3rd and Sunday 4th of September for Men/Women and Youth members respectively.

The day’s will provide new and existing players the opportunity to pay up their annual membership fees, purchase the necessary playing kit for the new season as well as meet the newly appointed Abrahams.

For the adult men’s teams, there will also be a trial match against local rivals Phantoms on Millwall Park and new players, as well as spectators are invited to attend.

In the new season, the club will field an impressive 4 men’s teams, an improving ladies side as well as U10s, U12s, U14s and U16s youth teams, with the older boys competing in the Essex U16 league for the first time.

Social memberships are also available and with the club looking to show most games during the world cup, season 2011/12 is shaping to be a successful one for Millwall Rugby Club.

For more information visit www.millwallrugby.com Alternatively, come along to Adult membership day on Saturday or the Youth membership day on Sunday, both from 12pm - 4pm at Millwall Rugby Club, 75 Manchester Road, E14 3DN (next to Island Gardens DLR station).

Membership Fees

The club's management committee met recently to review the club's membership charges. This year we've made a number of changes to the way membership works and these are effective as of 15th August 2011.

We hope that the changes below will encourage greater membership of the club and help us cover our increased running costs.

> You can join or renew here

Overview

• Membership now valid a full 12 months
• New volunteer discounts
• Hardship discretion retained
• Unemployed & Student rate just £25
• Trial period for new players retained and amended to encourage membership sooner.
• Men's Pay-As-You Go - £60 + £10 subs
• Loyalty rewarded for people with standing orders - no increase for those who've not cancelled, but now closed to new members.
• New Men's 12 month inclusive Membership & Subs option £260 - now payable in 8 instalments of £32.50 per month paid in Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar & Apr.
• Venus Membership £40 + £7.50 per game subs.
• Social Membership & Parent Membership £25
• Youth membership £15 + £3 per game subs
• Life membership frozen at £1000

And in more detail....

Now Valid a full 12 Months

• For all memberships we've decided to move to a rolling 12-month membership term instead of the AGM-to-AGM season based approach we've had to date. This will provide better value for members joining mid-season and encourage people to join year-round.
• Memberships will generally start from the date of payment or will start from the date of the first game you play this season, whichever is earlier. We trust continuing members will choose to rejoin promptly.
• In future years, for continuing members, membership will start from the date the previous membership expired unless the member gave formal notice of leaving the club prior to leaving (eg going overseas etc).  This will ensure continuous membership and no advantage is gained from delaying payment. 

New Players' Trial Period (applies to Men, Women & Youth)

• The first game for new playing members will continue to be completely free of charge.  
• Match subs are payable for the second game 
• Players must be fully paid-up as a playing member to be selected for and play in their third game.
• When new players decide to join, the first day of their membership will be backdated to their first game with the club - in this way players can enjoy the chance to try-before-they-buy, but gain no advantage from delaying payment.

Hardship Discretion Retained

• At Millwall we pride ourselves in being 100% inclusive. As in previous years, members unable to pay membership for genuine reasons may make their case in confidence in writing/email to the treasurer who will come to an arrangement for membership and/or match day subs.

Men's Pay-As-You-Go Full Playing Membership

• Increased to £60 but now valid a full 12 months. This is the first increase in 4 years and with a new Director of Rugby in place and weekly coaching, still represents excellent value for money. 
• Match Day subs remain at £10 per game irrespective of time on the pitch and payable by everyone (including substitutes and drivers). Subs correct at time of writing but may be subject to increase if the club needs to do so.
• Arrangements are already in place to reimburse people asked by an official to drive (£5 within M25 and £10 outside M25).
• After 1st October in the (exceptional) event that a non-member is selected to play, casual player subs of £20 per game will be payable for each game until membership is paid - this is to encourage people to join the club as a full playing member.

Loyalty Rewarded for people paying by Standing Order

• As in previous years, to say thank-you, we've decided to allow members with current standing order arrangements to continue paying as they do right now with no increase so long as they do not cease or amend the arrangement.

New Men's Regular Player Scheme - Valid 1 year but paid over 8 playing months.

• To provide value and convenience for people playing more than 20 games per year, we have retained a discounted "membership and subs-inclusive" option but this is now payable over the 8 playing months of the year to ensure that all the payments are collected in full before the playing season ends.
• This option is not available after 30^th September. 
• Membership is valid 12 months starting from the first payment date in September each year and will now form a contractual commitment to pay the club £260 over the year. This is paid in 8 instalments of £32.50 in September, October, November, December, January, February, March and April.
• Members will be expected to make all 8 payments and if not, may not be allowed to play/renew membership in subsequent years without making up the shortfall. 

Venus Playing Membership

• Increased to £40 per year but now valid a full 12 months. With a new Director of Rugby in place overseeing development of Venus and access to weekly training sessions (and a low coach-player ratio) this still represents excellent value for money. 
• Match Day subs increase to £7.50 per game, irrespective of time on the pitch and payable by everyone (including substitutes and drivers). Subs correct at time of writing but may be subject to increase if the club needs to do so.
• Arrangements are already in place to reimburse people asked by an official to drive (£5 within M25 and £10 outside M25). 

Students & Concessions

• Membership £25 and match day subs £2.50 per game, irrespective of time on the pitch and payable by everyone (including substitutes and drivers). Subs correct at time of writing but may be subject to increase if the club needs to do so.

Youth Pay-As-You-Go

• Increased to £15 but now valid a full 12 months. With a new Director of Rugby in place overseeing development of Youth, and regular training sessions, this still represents excellent value for money.
• Match Day subs increase to £3.00 per game, irrespective of time on the pitch and payable by everyone (including substitutes and by players with parents driving). This small increase recognises the increasing costs of providing rugby but still keeps the charges affordable for all.

Social Membership

• Increased to £25 but now valid a full 12 months. We expect this will entitle members to a discount off certain social events throughout the year as well as local discounts that may be arranged by our members for our members.

Volunteer Discount

• In order to encourage volunteering, it was decided to reward people who make a significant contribution of their time to the club. They will be entitled to claim 50% off their membership fees and any match day subs due. This discount will apply to all categories and methods of paying membership except life membership. In this day and age, with time an ever precious commodity, we believe this is one of the fairest ways of rewarding people who give up their time to make the club work. This replaces the previous volunteer hours scheme which was difficult to manage.
• The discount will apply to all club management committee roles and all other elected positions automatically.
• The discount will also be available to all other club (sub)committee members and volunteers, including unpaid coaches and unpaid referees upon application to the respective management committee chair and subsequent approval by CMC. A volunteer may need to pay the full amount and receive a rebate later following CMC approval.
• The discount is not expected to apply to bar staff who are rewarded for their work in clubhouse credits, unless of course, they contribute significantly over and above that.
• The discount on subs shall apply as long as the committee member/volunteer continues to serve as such. A discounted membership shall remain valid as long as the committee member/volunteer continues to serve.  
• For more detail on this, please ask the Secretary.

Life Membership

• This is frozen at £1000 lump-sum and covers your membership and match day subs for life.  If you want to pay over 12 instalments, the price is £1200 (12 x £100).

Membership Cards

• To keep costs and administration to a minimum, members will no longer be provided with electronic door-access cards as a matter of routine, but will still be able to request one if they would like one.  The card will gives access to the clubhouse during normal opening hours.
• Instead, members will receive a simple laminated card bearing a photo and expiry date to make it easier for coaches, team managers and bar staff to see whether membership is valid.
• This will also help us reduce the costs associated with our door access system and should help us issue membership cards more promptly than we've been able in the past.

Memberships bought at the Bar

• Memberships bought at the bar will now be valid from the day after they are purchased and must be supported by the signature of another currently paid up member.
• This simple measure aims to provide added protection to the club and its members by preventing passers-by gaining instant access to the bar without being invited and signed-in by members.
• Nevertheless, we are looking at ways to provide temporary membership cards to people immediately so that people who join can get a card instantly.

Renew now online
You can pay your membership here

New Season Social Calendar!!

We have lots on offer at the clubhouse this coming season 2011/12 starting with our Registration Day on Saturday 3rd September and Youth Registration Day on Sunday 4th September.

Check out the club calendar regularly for new events and keep an eye out for our clubhouse posters.

We have lots of plans to get your clubhouse thriving again... it will be the place to be!!

Here's a quick taster of what's coming up:

• Once a month we will be hosting Hot Shots Night...come down and sample our selection of speciality shots and jelly shots at fantastic prices!!
• We're having an evening of cheeky fun for the girls with a Friday night Ann Summers Party... bring along friends and family and pick up some goodies!
• Themed nights will be popping up over the season... Halloween Party and Youth Halloween Fundraiser are always popular and we'll be getting all romantic with a Valentine's Day Ball.
• Outside of our clubhouse, events like Thirst Thursday will be back on along with events like paintballing and trips to the races.
• Look out for information on our Christmas Meal, Clubhouse Christmas Party and New Year's Eve tickets.

If there are any particular events you'd like us to arrange or have suggestions please contact us at socialsecretary@millwall.com.

Looking forward to a great new season!!

Kerry and Paul

Wondering what the management committee has been doing? Updates - July & Aug 2011

Hello members, friends and potential players,

In the interests of being open and transparent, here is a run down of the key things discussed and decided at the past two Management Committee Meetings on 19th July and 9th August:

July

• Management Committee Dates set out to the end of 2012 - so that people have more notice of the meetings.  Dates generally fall on 2nd Monday of each month and will appear in the club calendar. 
• Vacant CMC positions - Secretary to be covered by Andrew Hesselden (minutes by Kev Doherty) for the time being.  Development Committee to be chaired by Club Chairman Dave Leftley in the absence of a Development Officer
• Club Captain - per new constitution, the three playing Chairs decided that Randall Powell, Men's Playing Chair would fulfil the nominative/"ceremonial" position of Club Captain for 2011/2012.
• Minibus/Car accident - long standing issue over minibus crash now resolved.
• Farm - talks ongoing to come to a formal document/agreement of tenure with the farm. This it is hoped will enable us to pursue more funding opportunities and allow us to invest in the paddock to improve the training surface.  We are hopeful we will come to an agreement that all parties are happy with and secures the club's future on the island.
• Tower Hamlets Parks - met with new Head of Parks recently and they confirmed that LBTH has no plans to take away the rugby pitch on Millwall Park.  This is excellent news for the club.
• Communications - Sophie Buckman will be producing the matchday programme this season and Andy Stephens will be assisting Matt Shorrock and Andrew Hesselden with press officer duties.
• Player Appearances - Ryan Kuleska will be maintaining the big magic spreadsheet this season.
• Venus - recruitment planned for Greenwich University Freshers' Fair. Venus Committee set up.
• Youth - Preseason has started: 45-50 kids have turned out so far. Rugby ready course 27th July - fully booked so there is the potential to have more. 4 teams running this year starting with minis 7,8,9 year olds, under 12’s, under 14’s and under 16’s who are in a league. Scott Vinnicombe will now be promoting the club in LBTH schools in his role as LBTH Rugby Development Officer. 
• Clubhouse - some operational issues continue - Kerry Attwood & Edna to convene a meeting of the clubhouse committee asap and all interested to be invited.

August

• Meetings: September CMC meeting to be rearranged as 12th September will not be quorate.  Additional meetings to be scheduled: 15th Aug for CMC to discuss and agree membership charges.  10th Aug for Clubhouse Committee.  13th August for Men's Playing Committee
• Guidelines for (sub)committees have been produced and circulated by the secretary to try and improve notice of meetings and notice of agenda points for members and those interested in attending.  CMC members have all been requested to convene their respective committees urgently before the end of August.  Club members to be invited to all committees (except management committee which remains necessarily guests by invitation only)
• Communications: reminder to all committee chairs of the need to tell members what is going on.
• Men's Chair: New Director of Rugby Appointed - committee met Warren Abrahams and discussed how the club would be developed this season.  Warren welcomed to the club.  We have a 4th team manager.  Chris Attwood will help with 2nds or 3rds.  Fixtures being handled by Men's chair in absence of a fixture secretary.  Transport to be arranged for all teams by Andy Stephens, Transport Officer.  We believe we can operate without team managers if absolutely needs be and Chris Attwood, Scott Vinnicombe, Randall and Warren can all help with these duties.  Recruitment and player retention plan in place.
• Clubhouse: Meeting will be held asap to resolve some issues with clubhouse management.  Plans to apply for funding to cover the clubhouse manager position.
• Financial Position: Clubhouse has made a loss over the summer months, May, June, July.  Need to workout what members want in terms of opening hours/events.  Budget process now in place and after running the club for a year, Edna has a good picture of what the various aspects of the club cost to run.  Plan to apply to IDCF or other bodies for revenue funding to avoid passing the costs onto our members.
• Very large bill for water has arrived which will regrettably take a lot of committee time to resolve. If we are liable for the full cost then this will cause significant financial hardship for the club.
• Next meeting Mon 15th August purely to discuss Membership Charges.

If you find this summary interesting, please do drop me a line at secretary@millwallrugby.com or comment below to let us know and we will continue doing this.

Secretary & Development Officer

At the committee meeting on 19th July, the committee discussed the current vacancies on the management committee of Secretary and Development Officer.

It was felt that we needed to fill the secretary role, and Andrew Hesselden agreed to cover the majority of the role for the next few months until another candidate could be found. For the time being Andrew will be club secretary with the exception of minutes and player registration. Kev Doherty has kindly agreed to produce the minutes of management committee meetings and player registration will be handled by Randall Powell, Men's Chair.

In the absence of a Development Officer this season, Dave Leftley will chair the meetings of the Devevlopment Committee - Andrew Bates has kindly volunteered to assist in certain development activities.

Secretary
Andrew Hesselden

Millwall appoints Director of Rugby

Millwall Rugby Club got their plans for Season 2011/12 on track this week as they appointed Warren Abrahams to the newly created position of Director of Rugby.

Abrahams, who hails from South Africa joins the Isle of Dogs club following coaching stints at London Irish and Harlequins. As a player he competed at national level both in the UK and in South Africa, as well as being selected for South Africa's 7's national team.

Following the departure of last season's 1st XV coach and the retirement of a number of senior players, the appointment couldn't have come at a better time for Men's Section Chair Randall Powell:

"We are very excited to have Warren as our Director of Rugby.  He brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the club. With the talent the club brings in from Canary Wharf, I believe Warren is the perfect coach to take the club to next level.  He has a great ability to draw people in and get them to perform to the best ability.

As well as filling the senior coaching role for the men's teams at the club, Abrahams will be responsible for all coaching throughout the Millwall Park-based club, including its four junior teams and ladies section, Millwall Venus. And it's clear the new coach is up for the challenge:

"First of all I would like to thank Millwall RFC for giving me the opportunity to be part of the club. I'm very excited about this challenge, especially at a stage when there have been many changes at the club in terms of the set up and also the playing personnel. I hope to bring a level of experience and achievement that will be of immediate benefit to Millwall RFC. I'm looking forward to a great season and working with a group of players and coaches that consist of youth and experience."

Pre-season training for the men's senior teams begins on Tuesday 9th August at 730pm on Millwall Park. New players of all abilities and experience are welcome. For further information please visit www.millwallrugby.com

ENDS

Chairman's Update

Hello Members,

Firstly I just wanted welcome you all to the beginning of another exciting season at Millwall Rugby Club.

This weekends events:

England vs. Wales - Shown live in the Clubhouse on Saturday the 6^th of August at 14.30

Caribbean Night at the Clubhouse – tonight Friday the 5^th of August from 18.00. More details on Facebook.

Director of Rugby:

I’m delighted that we can start the 2011/12 season with the appointment of a Director of Rugby.

This professional position represents a real investment by the Club in the development and sustainability of Rugby at Millwall. This paid position is not just about running a training session, although this will continue to be a key part of the role, he will be focused on leading the Men’s training sessions.

In addition, an equally crucial component will be the professional development of our Coaches and looking at all aspects of coaching across the Club, which you asked for in last seasons Club survey.

Warren Abrahams is an IRB Level 2 qualified coach and brings experience of coaching and playing at the highest levels, working as a coach for London Irish and Harlequins as well as playing at a national level in the UK and South Africa he represented South Africa in the emerging Springboks Seven’s team.

Please feel free to introduce yourself to Warren, get to know him and welcome him to the Club.

Volunteers:

One of the things that makes any Club special is the involvement of you, it’s members and players in the running of the Club, no matter how big or small the contribution. We couldn’t do what we do without people like you helping.

We recognise that in the current climate finding time alongside work and home commitments is increasingly difficult but for our Club to keep the lights on, game teams out on the weekend and the ability to have a drink in the Clubhouse it’s vital that we get some more help from you. Whether it’s regularly volunteering 5 minutes or 5 hours a week your valuable time or some occasional expert advice/help, YOUR CLUB NEEDS YOU!!. We are looking for ways to recognise your contribution to the club, more details to follow.

Please contact volunteer@millwallrugby.com if you can help.

Recruitment:

We are always looking for new members to participate in this great Club as a player or socially, so spread the word amongst your mates. The amazing mix of people at Millwall is one of the reasons that we are such a welcoming and dynamic Club. More details to follow on some upcoming Club organised recruitment events, but don’t just wait for us.

Venus:

Congratulations to Louise and the ladies for starting the 2011/12 season for Millwall, last weekend Venus took part in the Worthing Seven’s tournament. The event was the first opportunity to put all the hard work and skill gained at training into a game and although the team didn’t win, each match was an improvement on the last and was a great opportunity for the team to play together and develop as squad. Good luck for the rest of the season, I’m sure you’ll go from strength to strength.

Men:

With season rapidly approaching, we have less than a month to go to the first game for the men.

We are hosting a trial game against the Phantoms on the 3^rd of September on Millwall Park. This is a great opportunity for you meet the new players in the Club and show of your skills to Warren and the rest of the Club before the start of the regular season.

For the existing players out there if you haven't already done so it would be great if you could drop an email to the men's chair Randall Powell or to the relevant team mangers email address letting them know of your intentions for the season.

Details of training and upcoming fixtures will be on the clubs website.

I hope you have a great weekend and are looking forward to the World Cup and the coming season as much as I and the rest of the Committee are, I look forward to seeing you at game or down at the Clubhouse.

Regards

David Leftley

Chairman

Millwall Rugby Club