Biggleswade RUFC

All grassroots rugby clubs depend upon the efforts of volunteers to carry out the many tasks needed to run rugby.  These volunteers give their time, knowledge, effort (and often their expenses) for the good of their rugby club and frequently the good of rugby in general.

It is easy to see the efforts of the groundsman, it is perhaps less easy to see the efforts of others who beaver away in the background.  The treasurer working on the books, the secretary dealing with the correspondence and the governance of the club, the sponsorship officer working to raise additional funds, without which we would struggle.  They all give in their own way and I am saddened when they are criticised and harassed by others for doing their best.

Club members will always have differing opinions, it is right and proper that they do so and discuss how to improve and go forward.  That difference of opinion and discussion is vital to the health of the club.

However, sadly, an individual with former connections to the club has recently made unsubstantiated allegations online about the club and about the honesty of certain individual members. The good name of Biggleswade RUFC has been under attack and members have been vilified from behind a keyboard without any evidence. By implication, the good, selfless work of people with the best interests of our great club has been unfairly impugned.

The unsubstantiated attacks on Simon Rutt, Alan Hilditch and Jess Andrews are hideous.  The club and I have no doubt they carried out their tasks honestly, to the best of their ability and to the benefit of all of us at Biggy.  These three have my sympathy, having had to endure a despicable ordeal and I thank them - and all club volunteers - sincerely for the work that they do and have done.

John Thoday

President BRUFC