Letter from new NLD President Bob Curry

Dear Friends,

I trust that this note finds you all well.  No doubt preparations for the new season are well under way at your Club as we all look forward to getting back to Rugby whether your involvement is as a Player, a Volunteer or an Official.

This season I have the honour to serve as the president of NLD following on from three years in the same role in Derbyshire.  Reflecting on my time in Rugby recently, it’s certainly not something that I would have ever envisaged more than thirty-five years ago when I first came to Derbyshire to settle after leaving the Merchant Navy but I am extremely proud and privileged to be in this position.

I began my Rugby “career” in Bristol as a Junior playing firstly at Cotham Park and then Cleve before the call of the sea took me away for the best part of nine years.  During this time, I did manage, through happy coincidence, to attend the first RWC as my ship arrived in Sydney on the morning of the England v Japan game.  Who would have thought back then that the game would become as popular as it now?  I have spent the last thirty plus years at Tupton and have made so many friends from across the Rugby family that have been an inspiration as we have sought to develop our Club.

It has been a busy period settling into the role and spending time talking to people from across the County to determine what the challenges might be and how best the Union might be able to address them.

For me it is important that we are a “listening Union” but for that we need to have all Clubs involved and so I urge you all to please come along to the NLD Meetings – there are fifty five Clubs in our Constituent Body and it would be great to have each Club represented at the table.

I also believe that we must be a “playing Union” with the County fully engaged in a Rugby programme that includes Men’s and Women’s Rugby at both the Senior and Junior level. In the Union we continue to promote diversity and equality for all, this theme will underpin my role as President.

We must also, in my view, continue to build an “inclusive Union” to ensure that we represent our communities in a way that is accessible to all.  We only have to look at the wonderful work that is going on in our Counties whether that be our young Players, our Volunteers and of course those that Coach and promote the game for us all to be part of.  Their enthusiasm is inspiring and something to behold.

I fully intend to be an active President and visit as many Clubs as I can. If you have an event that you would like me to attend then please get in touch, I’d love to support you all where possible.

I realise that I have already broken the golden rule of writing beyond a page so I’ll conclude by wishing each and every one of you a successful season and I look forward to meeting you all throughout the coming season and beyond.

Yours in Rugby,

Bob Curry

President

07483 211176