If you couldn’t make it, you missed a great party at the club on Sunday 1st January when upwards of 100 people welcomed the New Year in style. Topping the bill was that very popular local band, Dukes Jetty, who played two great sessions and really got the old place rocking to its foundations!
But equally well received, and putting on a terrific show as well, was the Chris Tew/Cat Pawsey combo, who gave us a great hour of entertainment before the main event. Chris was joined for a couple of numbers by our very own Ricky Reed; and the two of them welcomed 10 year old Toby Corrigan (Bev’s son) to the microphone for a fantastic rendition of Wonder Wall.
But they weren’t the only OL’s talent on show, as later Luke Harris joined Dukes Jetty to sing another Oasis number – so we have got the makings of a great home-made show for the future!
Many thanks to the others who worked hard to make it a memorable day, from midday ‘til late. Paul Willis slaved away in the kitchen for a couple of hours preparing bacon and egg rolls; and Butch Reeve took charge of the door (and the ‘champagne’) and with James Melvin in support made sure that the day realised a small profit for the club. Finally to Keith Baxter, who booked the band and stayed in touch to make sure they turned up! And they are booked for next year as well!
And where would we be on days like this without the hard work and unstinting good humour of Chris and his fabulous bar team!
Many thanks to everyone who contributed Christmas parcels for Support Our Soldiers (SOS): we collected the equivalent of 20 parcels out of the 150 that were to be sent from 'the Midlands'.
The co-ordinator told me that almost 16,000 would be sent to Afghanistan and every member of the British forces (Army, Navy and RAF) would receive one.
In addition she is provided with the details of those who never receive any mail or parcels from relatives/friends and special provision is made for them.
This is another wonderful effort by everyone concerned and shows that the true 'spirit of Christmas' is still alive and well in the OLs 'community'. Sincere and hearfelt thanks
Jane Adams
Many thanks to all those who turned out for our second working party at Fenley Field on Saturday July 30th and worked hard to make the place spick and span outside, in readiness for the new season. Particular thanks go to Tim Dougherty, Paul Willis and Keith Baxter, who showed up for both sessions and got through a lot of work. With just a few minor bits and pieces to finish off, we are almost there!
New strimming experts are Aaron Metcalfe, Richard Parker and Troy Owen (and, briefly, Paul Willis, before he did his best to sabotage the machine!) who spent several hours in the sun trimming around the grounds and the borders of the pitches.
Should there be any weeds still visible in a couple of weeks, it won’t be for lack of effort by James Melvin, who painstakingly sprayed every last square inch of the area around the clubhouse and down the driveway; and Matt Pritchard and son James went on a thorough litter clearance and tidy up campaign around the grounds and down the whole length of the drive.
Working on the stand were Ted Wallis (who put in his stint on Friday), Dan Volkman and Keith Baxter and it now looks immaculate with all its seats repaired; and Tim Dougherty and Al Foster were the craftsmen who lovingly painted the external walls of the gym extension.
Also seen with paint brushes in hand were Mark Todd (painting foreman!), Iain Wallis, Suzi Cox, Danny Murch, Ollie Cowley, Steve Pike and Ray Todd, who cleared up behind them! Their tour de force was the magnificent job done on the wooden enclosure to the litter bin outside the front door, no less than six of them combining to cover every last square millimetre with paint! Examine it closely when next you are there to admire the sheer beauty of the brush work!
And, of course, there was the inevitable Arwel Jones, who walked several miles marking out the pitch lines, mowing them and then applying the whitener. The main pitch now looks a picture, enhanced by Reiner’s marathon rolling stint two weeks earlier. All the pitches need now is a few inches of rain in August!
Bill Wallis
OLs would like to pass on congratulations to Carl and Leah Adams on their marriage and wish them all the best for their future together.
Thanks to Paul Willis in his speech as 'Best Man', Carlos may well, in future, be known as 'Quasimodo'!
Ditto to Jabba and Olivia:
and to Vic and Lizzy:
and to Andy and Ellen:
We look forward to photos of any other recent nuptials.
Nice to see one of our "old boys" has found fame in a Channel Five documentary! Robbie Dunn played at the club from about 1979 - 1984 and is now Commander of the nuclear submarine HMS Triumph, featured in the programme "Submarine School". Robbie is shown in action on the right and below, back row right. Anybody spot any other current members? |
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Charitable evening - 15th July 2011 :
Dear colleagues
Clive Coleman was a former colleague of mine in the police force and, following a sporting injury, Clive is now sadly confined to a wheelchair.
Over the past few months, monies have been raised to help Clive and with the permission of the Club, a Raffle and Charitable evening will take place in the clubhouse on Friday 15 July 2011. Clive played in a number of social matches at OLs for the Police against Prison Officers in games known as the Scruzz Cup (Screws and Fuzz!)
Tom Wood, England and Northampton Back Row Forward, who has connections with Clive, is donating his 4th England shirt as first prize, which has been signed by all the English players from the game against Scotland in 2011; the second prize is 2 VIP tickets to a Northampton Saint’s home game, meeting the players after the game and third prize is a ‘bag of Rugby Memorabilia’.
It is hoped that Tom will be in attendance to make the draw and meet everyone, subject to his England commitments. It would be great to get a good turnout to again demonstrate our club ethos of supporting our local community.
Keith Baxter and Bill Wallis will be looking after tickets, counterfoils and monies on my behalf, whilst I am away. If anybody would like to help out with buying/selling tickets, please contact Keith or Bill. All monies, counterfoils and unused ticket are to be returned to Bill Wallis by 1 July 2011.
Thanks in anticipation of your kind support.
Pete Staines.
Pete Higgs: (view tribute from Club Dinner>)
I now have details of Pete Higgs funeral and Joyce has asked me to forward these on to you.His funeral will take place on Monday 16 May 2011.
1.45 p.m. at St Peter's & St John's Church, Clifton Road, Rugby, CV21 3PY followed by
3.00 p.m. at Oakley Wood Crematorium, Bishops Tachbrook, Leamington Spa, CV33 3PY, then to
OL's Rugby Club, Fenley Field, Lime Tree Avenue Rugby, CV22 7QT where Joyce and family will join you.
Family flowers only, with any donations to Warwick Myton Hospice, cheques may be made payable to The Myton Hospice Warwick and sent c/o Wilf Smith Funeral Directors, 25 Main Street, Bilton, Rugby, CV22 7NQ. Cash and cheques may also be collected on the day of the funeral.
Joyce has said that everyone is welcome at all venues.
If anyone has any queries, please contact either Peter or myself on 01788 817401.
Kathy Staines
The annual Club Dinner will, this year, take place at the Clubhouse on Friday 6th May. Award presentations will start at 7:30pm prompt and the dinner will commence at 8:00pm....... The bar will be open from 6:00 however!! view poster>
Tickets are £20 or £10 for unemployed/student players. Please contact Alan Willis on 07849 615914 or via email>
We have reproduced below a couple of emails received from League Champions Dudley Kingswinford!
Just a note from all at DK to thank you for you very kind words during our visit to you yesterday. Whilst we are delighted to be promoted as league champions, sadly we will be leaving behind them many genuine friends we have made whilst we have played in this division.
Your club like Leamington, Stratford, Whitchurch, Camp Hill, Walsall & Lichfield are a credit to the 'Spirit of Rugby' your hositality is excellent & we will miss not visiting you next season. With very best wishes for your vital game against Leamington; we will watch on in anticipation!
kind regards, Ken.Crane (Chairman of Rugby)
and:
My son, his friend and myself attended the OL & DK game on Saturday 9th April. We are DK fans !
I wanted you to know how much we enjoyed our first trip to Fenley Fields yesterday. The programme seller set a great example with a smile and a "good luck to your boys, but not too much !" wish as we passed !
The weather helped of course, but we enjoyed good natured banter with the passionate OL fans in the stand, were refreshed by fine ale served by smiling staff, and even the match programme was certainly the best I have encountered anywhere outside the championship league.
Topping this your boys played with dignity, skill and passion and certainly gave us a scare for twenty minutes until I think fitness levels started to tell.
Having " endured" some very petty and unpleasant away experiences this season I would like to thank OL for welcoming us so greatly.
Old Laurentians are a credit to both the town, and sport of Rugby. We wish you the very best of luck in staying up this season, and in progressing next.
Yours Sincerely
Dave Ormston, Dan Ormston and Conor Morris
We find ourselves increasingly out of step with other clubs in terms of the price of our programme, which we have been told is better than any other produced. They are frequently priced at £3.00 or £4.00 elsewhere and many clubs have an 'admission by programme' policy, meaning that purchase is mandatory to get in!
Therefore we will be increasing the price of our programme to £3.00, although, in recognition of their loyalty, we will keep the price at £2.00 for club members for the last two home games of this season.
We hope that members will recognise the need for this, particularly as it has become increasingly difficult over the last two years to attract new advertisers which has impacted on our revenue from this source.
Bill Wallis
Support Our Soldiers!:
I just wanted to express my sincere and heartfelt thanks for the wonderful response to the 'Support Our Soldiers Christmas Parcel Appeal' -through the generosity of OLs members and friends, we collected 32 parcels. The gifts, cards and messages will re-assure the soldiers that they have support in the UK and will boost their morale at a very difficult time. Thanks. - Jane Adams.
Ted and Tracey Wallis had a little girl on 5th May, born at c.5.30pm at University Hospital (or whatever they call it - Walsgrave!). Name - Florence Elizabeth Wallis, weight 7lb 4oz - a sister for Lenny.
Mother and baby both very well - but father a bit frazzled!
The second annual Ladies Day was an unqualified success and organiser Leah Hope was delighted with the attendance – and even more so with the sum raised for the ladies’ chosen charity, Rugby Myton Hospice.
On a lovely spring day, some ninety ladies attended the event, well up on the inaugural Ladies Day last season. The ladies obligingly left space for the blokes to reach the bar easily, but the weather was so kind that they didn’t appear to be in the least bit bothered by their temporary exclusion.
A raffle, lucky dip and bucket collection raised the amazing amount of £325 for the charity after covering all costs and leaving a profit that will be ploughed back into future events.
Leah would like to offer a big ‘thank you’ to all those who so generously donated gifts for the raffle and lucky dip; and she was equally grateful for the efforts of all those who helped in the organisation of the day and selling tickets, including Anna Hope, Sue Willis, Jane Adams, Lorri Pudge, Andie Middleton and Caroline Todd. And, of course, to Christine, our resident caterer, for laying on a splendid buffet.
The clubhouse and surrounding area was really buzzing on the day, creating a terrific atmosphere that was carried over into the great game that followed. And the support from the touchline was, without doubt, that much better for the presence of ninety or so ladies.
So the club as a whole, as well as the players on the day, owe Leah and the ladies a vote of thanks for helping to make it such a memorable day.
Can we have more, please?
The caption to this picture from the Droitwich game in the Rugby Observer read: “Steve Moomin celebrates OLs second try of the afternoon.”
Who is this guy? The number 1 gives us a clue but if he is half decent, we really ought to get him signed up before he returns to Finland to live with the rest of the Moomin trolls! - Bill Wallis.I delivered a copy of Ray Todd's great DVD to Pete Higgs today and found him to be in optimistic mood and in excellent spirits. He is now at home and would welcome any visitors, ideally after the daily call he has from a nurse. So from 11.30am onwards would be ideal for him and Joyce.
Bill Wallis
Many of you will have already heard the sad news; however, for those who haven't, here's what we know currently.
Matt Comstock went to the Wild hockey game with his son, Lucas, on Saturday night. He wasn't feeling well, and they left the game early. Matt went to bed and never woke up.
There was lots of support at their home on Sunday as family and friends gathered to grieve and reminisce. Matt is the youngest of seven kids, and Deebs is one of four sisters. I'll send out additional information once I have details on services, memorials, etc.
Whatever form our salute to Mitchie takes, you know it will NOT involve matching fashions. Plaids and paisleys? Perfect. Polyester? Even better. You may want to start scouring local Goodwills for appropriate attire.
Feel free to send pictures to Craig Peterson, any thoughts or stories that you'd like to share, and he'll recruit some help to compile the info in a fitting way.
We have a number of invites to other club dinners. These are at:
Rugby AEI RFC on Friday 21st May at the Three Horse Shoes, 7:00 for 7:30pm
and
Newbold RFC on Saturday 22nd May at 7:00 for 7:30 pm
If any member would like to attend to represent OLRFC, please contact Alan Willis>
1955-2010
Old Laurentian Rugby Club members were shocked and saddened to hear of the death of long-time member Kevin Jones. Universally known as KJ, the popular ex-player died suddenly at the age of 54, leaving wife Farrah and son Ash.
KJ joined the OLs as a callow youth straight from Lawrence Sheriff School but soon made his mark in the first team. But for a brief period with Rugby Lions, KJ remained a member of the OLs until his death. He played in the team that won the first ever Ralli Cup for the club and was the only player to play in all 7 winning finals between 1976 and 1987. After the third win he asked if the Ralli Cup final date could be changed as it always took place the day before his accountancy exams!
He was a member of the 2nd XV when they became the first team to win a county final for the OLs and was voted Player of the Year in 1979-80. It is also recorded that he was the first player in OL’s history to kick a drop goal off each foot during the course of a 1st XV game.
He was as popular off the field as on it, fully joining in the social scene. He made many friends during the club’s frequent visits to Minneapolis where his party piece of ‘One Wheel On My Wagon’, including the inevitable smashed tray, was always in demand.
KJ was a generous sponsor of the club with his business partners at Perry Appleton.
He will be sadly missed by all his friends at the OLs, whose thoughts are with Farrah, Ash, KJ’s Mother, his brother David, sister Helen and all of their respective families at this sad time.
Following Joe Kiley's lead, inspired by the OL clubhouse, we've established an Old Bastards section at Legends. We dedicated it tonight on the night of Kev's funeral, while sharing fond memories of times shared with KJ and christened it properly with a verse of "Walk on Water." We'll think of him while enjoying the section set aside for old farts like us.
Walk on water, KJ -- gorilla
All the best, Mick!
Club stalwart and "unbiased" touch-judge supreme, Mick Warwick headed to hospital on Friday (26th Feb) for a replacement knee operation, which, by all accounts, went well. On behalf of everyone at OL's, we'd just like to wish Mick all the best for a speedy convalescence and improved mobility in the future (although he already outsprints most of our forwards!).
Rest assured Mick, we'll be keeping your flag warm for you for (hopefully) an occasional outing next season. Hope to see you in the clubhouse soon!
