Education 42

After the wettest November for many a year we have been grateful that our First xV pitch is all weather and that has meant that none of our sides have lost any fixtures whereas other local clubs have suffered.

November started with our usual Bonfire and Fireworks night on Friday 4th. Customarily we build the bonfire on the Thursday to be lit on the Friday evening. This year, however, we had an unwelcome visit from an arsonist just past midnight on the Friday morning followed by wake up phone calls and a visit from the Fire Brigade. Plan B accelerated into action from early morning by when all the local radio and social media contacts had started to generate offers of wood and pallets from as far afield as Cheltenham, Fernhill Heath, Minworth and Sutton Coldfield. Could we collect ? I have got one pallet ! We have got two lorry loads. The phone never stopped nor did the flood of volunteer bonfire builders and van drivers who were despatched around the locality to collect whatever was available. Of note were Fieldings Auctioneers and The Cornish Pasty Man whose vehicles and willing drivers continued a constant relay back and forth. We are eternally grateful to each and everyone for rescuing our Bonfire and Fireworks night. The community spirit was heart warming as was the bonfire which ended up twice the size of the original as the wood kept coming. Suffice to say that the night went ahead without any further mishaps.

On the field neither the First xV nor The Lions have started off well in their leagues and are both concerned about the prospect of relegation. Late in November our local derby against Bournville resulted in a very tight game when the visitors just managed to overcome us 34-29.There is plenty of work to do between now and April.

The First xV are now in National Two West and have been travelling to new venues down the M5. Redruth, Exeter University and two Bristol sides, Clifton and Old Redcliffians. In the New Year they will be playing against three more new sides, Newport (Salop), Barnstaple and Weston-Super- Mare Hornets.