‘Red sky at night, sailor’s delight’ is a part of weather lore that has been around as long as people have needed to predict the elements. Sailors still use meteorological forecasts to navigate and plan their passage and operations, whilst farmers look to optimise weather conditions to plough, sow and harvest their crops. Living by the sea I am constantly aware of the elements and over the past week, seemingly every day has seen grey skies merge with grey seas which I always find a mental struggle. Like many I fall victim to the winter ‘blues’. I need light, which is one of the reasons I love Cornwall, where the light has a unique beauty which has inspired artists through the ages. So my spirits lifted when yesterday evening I took Lily my cocker spaniel out for her final walk of the day, to see a break in the grey and a glorious pink sky in front of me reflected on the water – a real symbol of hope.
Hope is an energiser; it motivates us to think positively, encourages us to believe in something better and is a catalyst for us to take action to create the changes we want to see. I have written much lately about social inequality and exclusion and whilst it’s important that we acknowledge such injustices it’s equally critical that we have and inspire the belief and the hope that we can deal with them. Whilst the brutal killing of George Floyd at the hands of the police in the USA earlier this year disgusted us and reminded us of the evils of racism, it also ignited the Black Lives Matter movement and importantly engaged a more racially diverse population in protest and debate, signalling hope for change. Likewise the coronavirus pandemic continues to claim lives, wreck businesses and disproportionally impact the vulnerable. But amidst this turmoil there has been hope with volunteers rallying to provide foodbanks, local cafes and restaurants opening their doors to feed children and families in need, sports clubs checking on the elderly and the vulnerable, and schools, colleges and groups making PPE equipment for key workers. So often it is a crisis that unites us and inspires hope in a common humanity. And this week, the real hope that we may soon see the roll out of an effective vaccine and the beginning of a slow road back to some sort of normality.
As a sport we are looking ahead and planning for life beyond the pandemic. Our Board is positive, optimistic in its belief that together there is still much more we can do to provide great experiences for everyone touched by our sport. The Board has been sharing ideas about a future beyond coronavirus and using the results of the recent member survey to give insight into how we can best deliver what you want to see. More competition and support for clubs to increase their attractiveness as places to play and to enjoy being part of a supportive community, is top of our list of things to work on. Understanding what part we can play to help clubs achieve this is a high priority for us as we look towards the next stage of the sport’s development. The Board has come up with a number of goals which it believes could form the basis of a new long term plan for our sport. Over the coming weeks we will be sharing these with you, our members, so that you can help shape the future you want to see.
On a practical note, last week we launched the Club Hub which is rich in resources for clubs to access including advice on how to recruit volunteers, manage social media to your benefit and how to look out for one another. There is help to be found for the club affiliation process and for budgeting, with templates and case studies to draw on. Have a scan through this material as I am sure there will be lots which will help you and it is designed to make life a bit easier for the many volunteers who manage our clubs.
It’s been a tough year for everyone and we have all felt a bit isolated separated from many of our friends, family and work colleagues. With some clubs only recently returning to training it’s been a real blow to suddenly go into lockdown again and it is understandable that we feel dispirited. The hope that the pink sky inspired last night was realised this morning with the most glorious of early winter sunshine. In a similar vein, the positive announcement about the arrival of a vaccine gives us the hope that we will return to our rugby communities very soon.
David Pond, Chief Executive
