SILVERWARE FOR WELLESBOURNE

The ball carrier is inside centre Matt Newberry supported by Chris Thomas and Joe Aston (Library picture)

May has been a good month for Wellesbourne RFC: on the 1^st they received the runners up trophy in the South Warwickshire RFU's annual Harold Stilwell tournament. Wellesbourne narrowly lost to Stratford in the final but gave a very good account of themselves especially considering that there are three leagues between the two teams.

The tournament was 15 a-side (20 minutes each way) and although we wouldn't claim that Stratford fielded their strongest team they did include a significant number of their 1st XV. The final score was 12-0 to Stratford.

We were very pleased with the performance of the team especially as it featured a number of our promising youngsters.
The final playing event of the year was on the 15th in memory of ex Chairman and sorely missed talisman, Darren Daniell who tragically died last year. A number of his old teams (Wellesbourne, Warwickians and Shottery) competed for the inaugural “Bam Bam” cup at Warwickians' ground.

Sixty players and around 80 supporters gathered to celebrate his life in the way he loved best by playing Rugby. Darren, known to friend and foe alike as Bam-Bam played for a number of teams. The format of the competition was that each team would play each other (15 minutes each way) then the 2 teams with the best record played in the final (20 minutes each half).

Wellesbourne beat both Warwick and Shottery to secure a place in the final where they met Warwick­ians again and won by an emphatic 27pts to 7. The trophy was presented to Wel­lesbourne captain Chris Thomas by Bam-Bam's widow Claire and will be competed for on an annual basis by Warwickshire Clubs that Darren played for.

Since the football and social club closed the rugby team has lived a nomadic existence but has been very well supported by other local rugby clubs and the fire station who allowed them to change, train and play on their premises. The level of support from these organis­ations and from the Warwickshire Rugby Union has been heart warming but the team remains hopeful that they will be back in Welles­bourne as soon as the sports build­ing's current issues are resolved and changing facilities are made available. In spite of all the difficulties Welles­bourne eventually came a very credible 4th in the league (out of 9 teams) and hopes to build on this year's success by training throughout the summer and strength­ening the playing squad.

Martyn Rogers

Compton Verney

Stratford's award-winnning art gallery

Reader special offer - 2 for 1 admission* Print off a voucher at www.comptonverney.org.uk/2for1
* admission ticket of lesser value is free.

Opening times and prices:
Compton Verney is open from 27 March until 12 December 2010. Tuesday – Sunday and Bank Holiday Mondays 11am–5pm. Admission to Compton Verney is £8 Adults, £6 Concessions, £2 Children, £18 Family. Under 5s are free. Admission includes entry to the gallery and grounds. The gallery is home to six permanent collections and a changing exhibition programme.

Tailpiece

God is sitting in Heaven when a scientist says to him, “Lord, we don't need You anymore. Science has finally figured out a way to create life out of nothing. In other words, we can now do what You did in the beginning'.”

“Oh, is that so? Tell me more...” replies God.

“Well,” says the scientist, “we can take dirt and form it into the likeness of You and breathe life into it, thus creating man.”

“Well, that's interesting,” says God, “Show Me.”

So the scientist bends down to the earth and starts to mould the soil.

“Oh no, no, no.” interrupts God, “Get your own dirt.”