Old Parkonians Welcomes Héctor Ruiz
Old Parkonians has a new member - Héctor Ruiz, from Spain...
"My name is Héctor Ruiz, I'm 24 years old and I'm originally from Burgos, a small yet very nice city in northern Spain.
I came over to England in April 2010 to study in Liverpool John Moores University.
I first met the Parks in a summer training session at New Brighton beach in July 2011.
Despite the fact that I was new to rugby, I received a warm welcome and was encouraged to come back again. I'm glad I did, because the atmosphere in the club is great and people are very friendly."
Welcome to Old Parks Hector!
Well Being in Sport
James Adie (adiej@hope.ac.uk) and Katie Lambert (k-lambert86@hotmail.com) at Liverpool Hope University are investigating well being in sport and are looking for people to assist with their research.
This involves completing the survey at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/2B3BWTB which should take about ten minutes.
If anyone has any questions about the research, contact James or Katie directly.
Mobile Site ~ http://m.oldparkonians.org.uk
Update - 19/09/11: Visits to the Home Page of the main web site from mobile devices will now be redirected automatically to the mobile site. A link there enables the main site to be accessed if required.
A site designed for access from mobile devices is now available at http://m.oldparkonians.org.uk - in the last month over 100 visits (just under 10%) to the main site have been from mobiles.
The objective of this site is to provide easier access to content that people may want to get to while away from a desktop PC - e.g. details of fixtures and kick off times. The site is accessible from desktop PC browsers, but is designed for use on small screens.
One problem about developing content for mobile devices is the range of different operating systems and browsers and the physical characteristics of the devices themselves. To offer access to as wide a range of mobile devices as possible, the site has been put together using the new JQuery Mobile framework, which offers support as outlined below.
Contact with any comments about functionality and suggestions for content that people would find useful.
The Working Party ~ 20th August 2011
A working party was held on 20th August to get the Club ready for the forthcoming Rugby season. Work covered included:
- Two trees taken down in the copse
- Old Boiler removed
- Showers cleaned, repaired and pressure-washed
- Changing Room doors repaired
- New fencing panels installed in the childrens' play area
- Overhanging trees and bushes cut back and foliage removed
- Holes in the road repaired with tarmac
- Containers and Third Team changing rooms were tidied and junk skipped
- Car park, play and old forge areas weeded and tidied.
In addition, the First Team pitch was marked by Gareth Pryce.
The volunteers were were fed and watered after several hours of graft - thanks to Mel for the sandwiches - and thanks to everyone who turned out to help to prepare the Club for the forthcoming Rugby Season.
Dave Westwater
The Bushell Cup
In 1950 the Headmaster of Birkenhead School Mr W.F. Bushell, donated a new cup to the increasingly popular game of squash racquets.
The basic outline was for local rugby clubs each to enter a team of 5 players from past or present rugby teams to compete each year for the cup.
At first Old Birkonians, Birkenhead Park, Waterloo and New Brighton dominated as victors although Old Rockferrians,
Old Instonians and Old Parkonians regularly entered the competition. It was not until the last year of the competition 1976 that Old Parkonians won the Cup.
The Cup itself originally resided in the Oxton Squash Club which closed many years ago. This club is still sadly missed (Old Parkonians played their home games there) but as final winners the Old Parkonians held on to the cup and it is now kept in the Old Parkonians' Pavilion in Holm Lane.
It must be emphasised that the motivators of this competition were the Old Birkonians. They were excellent hosts and played top class squash.
Bushell Cup nights at all clubs were popular and although games were hotly contested the cameraderie was superb.
This is reflected how our local rugby is played and is a tribute to the original thinking of Mr W.F. Bushell who, until he died, presented the trophy each year to the winners.
The Cup itself shows that in 1962 Birkenhead Park and Old Birkonians were joint winners a very unusual happening.
I understand that this was because the final was a very close, hard fought affair and went on so long that the bar was in danger of closing before the match finished - an unthinkable situation. It was therefore agreed by the two Captains that an honorable draw be declared.
It was very much through the efforts of Doug Brown that Old Parkonians finally joined the illustrious names on the cup as he was Captain that year (as he had been several years previously).
Other team players involved between 1965-1976 include: Les George (Captain for two years), John Fullard, Stan Prescott, Bob Powell, Dave Williams, Tom Whitfield, Gerard Gordon, Peter Grannon and Ralph Pearson.
There were certainly other people involved so if you have any further information please let me know through the Club - see Contact Us for details.
Special thanks must go to Peter Hartley, Past President of New Brighton Rugby Club for supplying some interesting background. He was an enthusiastic supporter of the Bushell Cup as well as being a top class player and very successful coach. Thanks Peter.
Les George, May 2011
Jim Kendall ~ Greetings from Australia
Jim Kendall, 'Star Full Back' and 1957 Captain sends best wishes to all friends and rugby forwards!
He left the area in 1967 to live in Sydney and has now woken up to realising that we have a web site, his details are in the members area. He is on 'Our History' page with the 1957 team. If you remember him, drop him an e-mail - his details are in the Members' Area
Dave Westwater
Bar Price Increase ~ January 2010
With effect from 1st January 2010 bar prices will be increased.
The justification for the level of increase is as follows:
- Prices have been held since October 2008
- VAT is increased to 17.5% from 1st January 2010
- Cost increases from suppliers have been absorbed throughout 2009
- Prices were not increased when alcohol duty was raised in the Budget
On a brighter note our product range will be broadened next week to include San Miguel, a popular premium lager.
Chairman's Notes on 2009, from Dave Westwater
Another excellent year with more positives than negatives.
Lots of progress in all areas of the club keeping up the momentum of 2008.
The 1st team pitch is holding up very well, the new areas have coped extremely well with the recent 30 days rain out of 35.
The outcome of all our efforts has been a great atmosphere at Holm Lane leading to increased usage which has kept us on an even keel financially in these recession hit days.
Many people doing something for the club are to be congratulated for their continued support. No prizes for project of 2009, there are too many, but on a practical note the ‘Steve Williams Team’ flagged path from the rugby viewing path to the car park is a big plus.
Let’s look forward to 2010 with great optimism and hopefully good news on Mike Beckett’s sterling work regarding the new development.
Support the Old Parkonians in every way you can, sign up to the monthly development scheme and pledge a minimum of £5.
Any ideas, gripes or items to be added to our jobs register are welcome, contact me at the club or call 07894 543729 or mail me at
Season’s greetings from Joyce and myself, we are off to Italy but will be back for Boxing Day.
Dave Westwater
Chairman
The Jobs List
The Association maintains a jobs list that tracks items of work that are needed to maintain the facilities around the ground and clubhouse.
Were money no object we would simply pay for this work to be carried out, but the reality of a club like ours is that we rely largely on volunteers to maintain what we have.
Click here for the current jobs list which is in PDF format.
If there are any items that you are willing and able to help with, please contact Dave Westwater on 07894 543729 or by email at
Remember, the Club relys on volunteers and if members are willing to spend just a little time on helping with maintenence it will help keep our facilities in good order.
Avoiding expenditure on getting work done will also help keep the subs down!
Ground Works ~ May 2009
Thanks to all those volunteers who spread 50 tons of top soil on the 6 very bad areas of the 1st team pitch last Saturday/Sunday, 16/17th May.
On Sunday the weather was atrocious but to their great credit nobody took an early bath, top marks to Matt Prescott and Jess Pryce who worked as hard as anybody, it was a great way to get rid of her hangover.
Our Graeme Bennett, Capenhurst Tractor (the Beast) was invaluable in completing the job.
Due to the conditions the seeding was finally done on Wednesday morning.
Well done to all those involved in the project, we hope it makes a big difference next winter.
Click on a picture for the full sized version
Life Members
We have had visits in the last two weeks from two life members, C.D. Forbes who lives in Norwich and Dave Evans in Cumbria. They are both pictured in the 1956/7 team on the History page.
Colin left the district in 1959 to work abroad and eventually settled in East Anglia. He was well known for his suede shoes, trademark moustache and monocle. It was a pleasure to see him again last week at Holm Lane, shoes and moustache on show, no monocle, but sporting a very dashing cravat! Probably the most cultured second row pairing we have had starred CD and CK Wilson.
Dave Evans was Captain of the 1957/8 season, mainly because he had a 1930s Lanchester which could carry two thirds of the team. He is pictured with our President Geoff Davies who never became Captain as he only had a two seater.
It was a pleasure to see them at the club, they were most complimentary about the grounds and general atmosphere, a tribute to all those involved at the club.
Clubhouse Alterations - Part 1
It is 'time gentlemen please' for the old shutters at the bar.
The 'Heath Robinson' mechanism was probably an idea more suited to a heavy lift in the shipyards and was a difficult job to remove from the loft - ask the Marnick boys!
The taking out and reconstruction of the shutters was done very ably by Dave Galwey. If you want some first class joinery or cabinet making done, contact him by the new shutters any Saturday afternoon.
The new electric units improve the looks, security, insulation and help the bar team hernias at opening and closing times.
Carl Brannan sponsored the removal of the tiles as they reminded him of something he would rather not remember.
New lighting will be installed this week and further work to the rear of the bar will take place shortly.
At the same time we have upholstered the lounge seating and wallpapered the lounge as in the bar area.
Many other small jobs are on the go, if you would like to suggest some other items that would improve your club or would like to offer your services, contact
For example, we would like to put paving stones between the viewing path on the right hand side of the clubhouse and the swing area to provide access for parents and children. WHO WILL TAKE THIS JOB ON?
The old bar shutters
Shutters coming out
The new bar shutters
Clubhouse Alterations - Part 2
After much discussion, a decision was finally made to open up the bar and lounge areas in the Clubhouse. The work was entrusted to Alan Morris & Son who completed the transition in a day.
Early reports indicate that the lounge area of the Clubhouse is now seeing increasing usage!
The specialists commence work...
Halfway there...
Finishing touches...
Job done!
The new layout
The Awards for All Grant
The Association have now received confirmation that the recent application
for National Lottery funding through Awards
for All has been successful.
The £10,000 award includes provides funds for the purchase of the following equipment for both the Cricket and Rugby sections:
- New cricket pitch covers sufficient to protect the cricket wicket
- Two new cricket sightscreens
- A new rugby scrummage practice machine
- Purchase of new waterhog to allow drying of sports pitches
The application to Awards for All outlined the Cricket and Rugby played at Holm Lane as well as the use the Association's ameneties by the local community for both sport and social activities. The Association's Clubmark accreditation was also mentioned in the application to demonstrate our commitment to providing a safe environment in which young people are encouraged to become involved in sport.
We expect the new equipment to be bought soon and will update the web site with information on how these superb new assets will be used to the benefit of both members of the Association and the local community.
Our thanks go to everyone who helped make this application for funding a success.
Membership
To apply for membership of the Old Parkonians Association as either a playing member of the Rugby or Cricket sections or as a Social member requires:
- The completion of an application form.
- Sponsorship by two existing members of at least three years standing.
- Payment of the appropriate subscription.
The application will be considered by the Association Committee and the applicant advised of the outcome.
The application form can be accessed here in PDF format.
If you require the Acrobat Reader to open the PDF file, it can be downloaded from the Adobe Web site.
Association Officials
The Association Officials are:
| President | K Cooke | |
| Vice Presidents | N Morris Dr R Fallowfield E Smith MJ Curphey D Westwater |
|
| Chairman | Dave Westwater | |
| Vice Chairman | Paul Corvers | |
| Secretary | Mal Evans | |
| Treasurer | Steve Williams | |
| Managers | ||
| Development Plan | Paul Corvers | |
| House and Ground | Chris Hall | |
| Entertainment & Participation | Jane Burton | |
| Membership | Tony Burton | |
| Bar Facilities | Chris Hall | |
| Communications | Alan Morris | |
| Fundraising Manager | Paul Corvers | |
| Community Liaison | Vacant |