Presentation of RFU Seal of Approval
The
clubhouse at Effingham and Leatherhead Football Rugby Club was packed on
Friday evening, 18 January, with representatives of all the different
age groups and officers of the club, together with invited guests, for the
presentation of the Rugby Football Union Seal of Approval Award. Effingham
Senior club, with the 1st XV team lying tidily in London South West Three
division – showed their solidarity with and support for the Seal of Approval
through being represented by
Nick Ridley,
Club Head Coach, Mark Fricker and Joe Callender from the 1St XV
and Stephen Hart as senior representative on the management committee.Winning
a Seal of Approval status is a major milestone for a rugby club. It
demonstrates, through external assessment and verification, that the club is
well run. However, 'Well run' is not necessarily an adequate phrase to
describe the accomplishment which means achieving the highest standards in
critical aspects of running a club, including : communication, organisation
and financial integrity, safety, first aid, child protection and inclusion,
community outreach, playing achievement, development and opportunity,
coaches and referees, coaching and refereeing, structures and developments,
and of course demonstrating the key values of respect, trust, teamwork and
aspiration.
That the club achieved the Seal of Approval marks three years effort from
many key people in driving changes and advances within the club that
everyone has embraced. It is a celebration of the fact that all the junior
and mini players are benefiting from a club that is proven to operate at a
high standard - they are receiving an experience in rugby that is enjoyable
and developmental - surely, a statement of which any club would and should
be proud.
The evening began with a reception for the various executive invitees,
including Sir Paul Beresford Conservative MP for Mole Valley, Richard Shaw,
Chief Executive of Surrey County Council, Mike Nevins, Mayor of Guildford,
Jean Pearson, Chair of Mole Valley District Council, Local councillors John
Chandler, Derrick Burt, Chris Reynolds, Jim Smith (the latter three had been
players in their time, which gave the evening special resonance) and Parish
Councillors Eddie Crouch and Terry Driscoll. Sponsors of the club were
represented by Andrew Halliwell and Tim Pearson from Henshaws Estate Agents.
Local schools were represented by Shaun Birkett from Howard of Effingham,
Keith Batchelor, Head of Sports at Therfield, and Robert Harts, Head of
Oakfield. Surrey RFU was represented by David Judd, Head of Surrey Juniors
and the RFU by Martin McTaggart.
Graham Fawcett, club President gave the welcome address, responded to on
behalf of the club by Nigel Maycock, club Chairman. The club used this
opportunity to make a series of special awards, presented by Sir Paul
Beresford, by way of recognition and appreciation of people who have helped
the club to achieve the community approach to secure the seal of approval:
Ed Allingham, for Effingham U12s, introduced the award for Mark Holman, who
has done so much great work on Schools liaison. Nigel Maycock introduced the
award for Steve Smith, Youth Development Officer, who undertakes sterling
work for the junior sections and Graham Fawcett introduced the award for
club secretary Robin Page, who was key to the achievement of the award. Ed
Allingham then introduced the Seal of Approval award itself, with the
presentation by Martin McTaggart to the President and Chairman.
All guests and club members then enjoyed a magnificent buffet provided by
Sue Crabbe and the catering team. The evening was a wonderful success, for
the club in general and for the Seal of Approval Committee in particular -
Jo Lawrence, Welfare officer, Andrew Robinson, Head of Minis and Alan
Ellinson, Executive and Sponsor liaison. Nigel Maycock said he was delighted
with the success of the evening’s presentation and that “the Seal of
Approval shows the commitment of the club to aiming to continue to build on
the values and achievements represented by the award and take its place
amongst the foremost rugby clubs in Surrey.”
