Pre-Season Update - July 2024
Hello Milwallians,
As the Club kicks off its milestone 30th season, I’m thrilled to be part of this journey in my new role. This is certainly not a solo endeavour, and we are so lucky to have a great team of volunteers who have stepped up to help write the next chapter of Millwall Rugby Club’s remarkable story together. More confirmed role holders will be shared soon, but here is a reminder of your Club Management and Wider Committee for Season 2024/25 so far:
Club Management Committee (CMC)
Club Chairman – Kate Roy
Secretary – Megan Roy
Treasurer – Amedeo De Vincentis
Ladies Chair – Helena Shaw
Men’s Chair – Seb Villard
Youth Chair – Charlie Andersen
Clubhouse Officer – Adrian Williams
Communications Officer – Marcus Mitropoulos
Club Safeguarding Officer – Dr James Taylor
Wider Club Management Committee (Wider CMC)
Venus Team Managers – Amy Kavanagh & Megan Conquer
Men’s 1st Team Managers – Daniel Cundy & Dave Hayward
Men’s 2nd Team Manager – Mike Taylor
Fixture Secretary – Mike Beech
Social Secretaries – Dale Sewell & Giorgio Annecchini
Assistant Club Safeguarding Officer - Julie Andoh
Bookkeeper – Nigel Webb (Flex)
Disciplinary Chair – Seamus McGowan
Membership Secretary – Seb Villard
Merchandise Officer – Charlotte Paler
July CMC Update
We’re currently in a transition period with two-thirds of the committee new to their roles. However, the CMC, Wider CMC, and our amazing volunteers are working hard to get everything ready for the new season.Over the coming weeks, we’ll keep you updated on all the latest happenings, but I am pleased to share some updates following the CMC meeting on Tuesday, 16 July.
Clubhouse Repairs & Refresh - If you’ve visited the Clubhouse recently, you might have noticed we’re hard at work clearing out and cleaning up the space for the new season. We’re arranging repairs and service checks and reviewing storage spaces with relevant parties. We appreciate your patience as we freshen things up.
Fundraising Ideas & Sponsorship Opportunities - Some new and novel ideas were considered to fund Club activities, and the various levels of sponsorship packages we offer were also discussed. If you’re interested in discussing sponsorship opportunities for the upcoming 2024/2025 season, email me. We’d love to partner with you to support and promote your business while continuing to develop our community rugby club. Opportunities include team-specific sponsor packages, advertising in the Clubhouse, weekly comms emails, on our website and social media, and more.
Volunteer Recruitment - A call with information on various volunteer roles we’d like to fill, including First Aiders, Bar Staff, Duty Managers, Cooks, and Minibus Drivers, will go out next week. Free training and support will be provided for all roles, and we ask that when the email comes out, you share it with your partners, pals, and parents who live in London and might be able to help out too.
Senior Pre-Season & Fixtures - Wednesday night pre-season training for all senior squads has now begun! The fixtures for our Men’s 1st XV and Venus teams have been announced and can be found linked here. We are waiting for the Men’s 2nd XV info to be released to set plans for a Start of the Season Party and other socials.
Youth Training - After a well-deserved summer break for our coaches and players, our youth section will return to training on Sunday, 8 September in the park.
The Club Calendar - After what felt like a never-ending season, decisive action was taken to lock down some key dates for S2024/25 in the diary:
Thursday, 1 August 2024 - Thirst Thursday in Canary Wharf from 18:30. Exact venue details to follow and all are welcome, so invite partners, friends, and colleagues.
Saturday, 26 April 2025 - The Annual England vs Rest of the World Match & Social
Wednesday, 7 May 2025 - Millwall Rugby Club AGM S2025/26
TBC | Saturday, 17 May OR Saturday, 07 June 2025 - The Annual Dinner & S2024/25 Awards Ceremony
A reminder that members are welcome to attend the CMC meetings, but to help the flow and timekeeping of the meeting, as well as to ensure that queries can be answered effectively, you must submit any questions or proposals via email to Megan at secretary@millwallrugby.com. We will communicate the dates/times of the next meeting soon.
Season 2023/24 Annual Awards Winners
A simply lovely night was had at the Annual Dinner and S2023/24 Awards Ceremony on 6 July in Greenwich. We are very proud to share the winners for last season and thanks to photographer Anna (@shilonos.photo on Instagram) for capturing it all. Pics can be viewed here.
Venus Best Newcomer - Olivia Curtis
Venus Most Improved Player - Libby Meredith
Venus Player’s Player - Martha Savage
Venus Player of the Year - Dale Sewell
Men’s Best Newcomer - Gareth Fitzpatrick
Men’s Most Improved Player - Ian Needham
Men’s Player’s Player - Chris Prowse
Men’s 2nd Team Player of the Year - Adrien Malen
Men’s 1st Team Player of the Year - James Ampherlaw
Youth Volunteer of the Year - Tomomi Guillochon
Club Person of the Year - Kate Roy
Honorary Life Membership Award - Adrian Williams
A Tribute to John (Sean) McCann
It is with a heavy heart that I share the news of Sean McCann’s passing. Sean was a member of our first-ever Men’s squad in 1995/96, earning 92 caps. He was a Level 2 Accredited Coach who trained the Venus and Youth teams, a referee, and even met his wife Monica in the Clubhouse. A true Millwallian who will be greatly missed.
The funeral service will take place tomorrow, Friday, 19 July 2024 at 1:00 pm, in Northern Ireland. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to support Cancer Focus Northern Ireland. Details can be found on Sean’s tribute page linked here. His family has arranged for the service to be livestreamed should you want to join from afar. Platform Link: https://watch.obitus.com / Username: puqi8379 / Password: 141992
I look forward to seeing you at future events, matches, and training this upcoming season. For the most up to date info, check out the Millwall Rugby Club Calendar | Season 2024-2025
As ever, don’t hesitate to reach out should you have any questions, ideas, or concerns.
Viva Millwall,
Kate
Chairman