President's Welcome
Welcome to our upgraded website, courtesy of Andy Smith’s excellent hard work and energy.
I am delighted to have been asked to be President of UH Rugby in succession to Dr Terry Gibson, and I would like to pay tribute to him for his immense contribution over the last ten years.
In the last two years there has been a resurgence of enthusiasm for UH Rugby, very much initiated by our last two Captains, Simon Bellringer and Will Dooley, and I hope that we can build on this and restore the Club to its former glories. To this end, I am pleased to announce that Mr JPR Williams MBE and Dr John O’Driscoll, both former UH players and British and Irish Lions, have kindly agreed to be Patrons of the Club. I have also agreed a formal association between UH and the Wooden Spoon Society and we will be representing them at our matches. The ‘Spoon’ are the biggest rugby-based charity in the world and raises money for disadvantaged children.
I am determined that representing UH should be seen as a privilege and an honour and that the best players are chosen from all the constituent clubs. Selection will be fair and inclusive and anyone who feels that they have been unfairly overlooked is very welcome to contact either myself or the Captain.
There are problems ahead, particularly financial which will need all our efforts to solve. We are, I am sorry to report, in dire financial straits. The huge financial loss made in staging the Cup Final last year, more than our income for that year, and the low level of support is not sustainable and there will be difficult decisions to be made as to the future date and venue for the Final. There is a difficult year ahead.
Only once our finances have been put on a secure footing, and I think that this will take five years, can we begin to make progress and regain the prominence that the Club and the Final merit.
With this in mind I intend to start the ‘100’ Club. We will be asking as many supporters as possible, students and particularly doctors who have enjoyed playing for UH in the past, to commit £30 a year to the Club by standing order. The forms can be obtained by emailing me (or by clicking here) and I would urge as many of you as possible to join If we can get ‘100‘ members it will solve our financial difficulties. Members names will be posted on the web. Don’t miss out.
I wish our new Captain, Ollie de Brett, and all the players a successful and enjoyable season, on and off the field, and hope that thanks to our new website, we will see much more support from both doctors and students at our matches. Do please visit the site and keep up to date with fixtures and results and be part of this great Club.
John Maynard
Tel: 07720161518
Email: jmaynard@doctors.org.uk
I am delighted to have been asked to be President of UH Rugby in succession to Dr Terry Gibson, and I would like to pay tribute to him for his immense contribution over the last ten years.
In the last two years there has been a resurgence of enthusiasm for UH Rugby, very much initiated by our last two Captains, Simon Bellringer and Will Dooley, and I hope that we can build on this and restore the Club to its former glories. To this end, I am pleased to announce that Mr JPR Williams MBE and Dr John O’Driscoll, both former UH players and British and Irish Lions, have kindly agreed to be Patrons of the Club. I have also agreed a formal association between UH and the Wooden Spoon Society and we will be representing them at our matches. The ‘Spoon’ are the biggest rugby-based charity in the world and raises money for disadvantaged children.
I am determined that representing UH should be seen as a privilege and an honour and that the best players are chosen from all the constituent clubs. Selection will be fair and inclusive and anyone who feels that they have been unfairly overlooked is very welcome to contact either myself or the Captain.
There are problems ahead, particularly financial which will need all our efforts to solve. We are, I am sorry to report, in dire financial straits. The huge financial loss made in staging the Cup Final last year, more than our income for that year, and the low level of support is not sustainable and there will be difficult decisions to be made as to the future date and venue for the Final. There is a difficult year ahead.
Only once our finances have been put on a secure footing, and I think that this will take five years, can we begin to make progress and regain the prominence that the Club and the Final merit.
With this in mind I intend to start the ‘100’ Club. We will be asking as many supporters as possible, students and particularly doctors who have enjoyed playing for UH in the past, to commit £30 a year to the Club by standing order. The forms can be obtained by emailing me (or by clicking here) and I would urge as many of you as possible to join If we can get ‘100‘ members it will solve our financial difficulties. Members names will be posted on the web. Don’t miss out.
I wish our new Captain, Ollie de Brett, and all the players a successful and enjoyable season, on and off the field, and hope that thanks to our new website, we will see much more support from both doctors and students at our matches. Do please visit the site and keep up to date with fixtures and results and be part of this great Club.
John Maynard
Tel: 07720161518
Email: jmaynard@doctors.org.uk
