UPDATE: The club will be closed until further notice and has been closed since Friday as per the government guidelines. Sorry for the confusing as there was a delay in sending my previous message meaning some of the information was outdated. Many thanks for your patience and understanding during these difficult times. Many thanks, Scott Jarrold.

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As you will be aware from my recent email, the RFU has suspended all rugby activity until 14th April 2020. In all likelihood this period will be extended. The RFU order means that all games and training at A&C are now suspended until further notice. Forthcoming fundraising events (such as the President’s Lunch and the Summer Ball) have also had to be cancelled in light of social distancing requirements put in place by the Government. The Club’s facilities will now be closed in line with the Government guidelines and will not open until further notice.

This unprecedented cancellation of games, training and fundraisers seriously impacts our revenue stream with immediate effect. Notwithstanding lack of revenue we still have significant outgoings and we need to take action now to cover the months ahead. As many of you are aware, the Club is a charity operating on a break even basis each season with very little by way of financial reserves. As a result, the unforeseen and sudden loss of income for several months has presented our Club with a problem which we must address at once.
In light of these very special circumstances, the Club’s Committee is asking all our members to help the Club now in one (or more) of the following ways:

1. become a life member
2. add money to your bar card
3. make a one off, Gift Aided donation
4. sponsor the Club

Your urgent support is needed NOW if we are to get through these difficult times and ensure continuity of our wonderful Club – we are a member’s club and need to pull together during this global turmoil. In the absence of sufficient funds to keep going, it is possible that the Club will not survive until next season.

The money we hope to raise from the membership is to help meet the significant shortfall in our income projections over the next three or four months. Inevitably we still have wages and other bills to pay.

The committee is fully aware of the implications of the present situation and will be reviewing employment contracts and all other areas of expenditure to make sure that we reduce our overheads to the bare minimum to get through the summer and hopefully be in a position to re-start in September but we need your help as well.

Please don’t delay but choose which of the one (or more) of the 4 options you will use to support your Club - this matter needs to be addressed and supported by all sections of the Club and I will be in close contact with Age Group Organisers and Senior XV captains to ensure that the financial call for help is being met across the Club. Please see below for more details of how to give your Club financial support.

If you have any queries regarding this matter, please email either me (scottiej11@gmail.com), or Peter Kenyon, Club President (diggerkenyon@btinternet.com) or David Crimp, Chairman of the Trustees (dcrimp@hotmail.com).

Thanking you in advance of your contribution.
Scott Jarrold
Club Chairman

1. Life Membership
Life Membership is secured by a one-off payment after which no further annual membership payments are payable (for more details, see the Club Membership pages in the Information section of the Club website). Life Membership costs are currently:

• Senior (over 70) £500
• Senior (over 60) £1,000
• Senior Player £2,000
• Non Playing £2,000
• Mini/Junior £2,500
• Family £5,000

Please contact the Membership Secretary, Sarah Greenstreet, regarding this option at sarah.greenstreet@sky.com.

2. Adding money to your bar card
Please download and complete the form below and send it to the Clubhouse or top-up using a credit card on the club shop here.

3. Making a one off, Gift Aided donation
Either transfer money direct to the Club’s bank account quoting reference COVID 19 when you make the transfer (following receipt of the transfer you will be contacted if the Club does not already hold a Gift Aid declaration in your name and asked to complete one) or download and complete the attached form and send it to the Clubhouse or donate with a credit card on the club shop:

Account name: A&C Rugby Club
Account number: 22664879
Sort code: 40 24 17

4. Sponsoring the Club
Sponsorship packages start at £250 + VAT. Please contact Liz Bradshaw regarding this option at liznharry@btinternet.com or on 07798 620190.