This week at the rock

We hope that you and yours are all keeping safe.

Michael Frangos

It was with great sadness that we learned of the death of Mike Frangos last week, who passed away peacefully, at home, on Tuesday May 19th. We have lost a great friend; the world has lost a force of nature. Mike lived life to the very full, running his family’s restaurant, Beotys in Covent Garden, six days and nights every week, coaching Rosslyn Park minis players every Sunday, working on countless Park committees to organise summer balls, socials, pre-match lunches, the ball boys for 1st XV home games, minis tours, parents’ dinners (oh, the lock-ins in the basement bar at Beotys) whilst raising Maria, Michelle and Theo alongside Gaby in their Wimbledon home.

Mike was nothing if not unreconstructed – roaring at players, parents, referees, fellow coaches, opposition with complete abandon – but never bad manners. His fury on tour in France when the Under 10s gazed uncomprehendingly at plates of carrotte rapée and salade frisée with OLIVES and demanded McDonalds… Mike’s unique belting voice and towering frame soon did the job. They ate it all.

Hung-over freezing Sunday morning training sessions at Barn Elms, fighting with the so-called cooker in the Portacabin and Mike screeching to a halt, striding in with his arms full of bacon for me to prep a million bacon rolls… woe betide the punter who asked for it to be “more crispy”. Mike soon declared him to be an ungrateful sod – as they undoubtedly were.

I was privileged to co-sponsor, with Mike, a whole bunch of minis tours in the U9s to U12s years. Mike’s passion for getting it right, the food, the fun, the fanatical attention to detail - these tours will live on forever in the memory of the tourists and the parents. Mike’s towering presence on the touchline, be that an U8 training session or a first team clash against Esher was a bellowing inspiration. Unmissable. Impossible to ignore. His fierce love for the boys and his commitment to the club ran deep, and he was never afraid to show his emotion – he loved life and wanted us to love it too. So, farewell, big man, you roaring tower of strength and generosity and ferocious kindness. You are and will be much missed, and the world is a poorer place without you. Thanks for the memories; they will never be lost.

You will be furious to miss your party, but we promise to do you proud.

Susie Cuff

2020/21 Memberships launched on 1 May 2020

Adam Tyrer's message to all members and supporters of the club mentioned that we would be asking you to help in alleviating some of the significant financial hit caused to the club through the cancellation of all our playing and commercial activities towards the end of the season; by paying membership subscriptions early. To this end the membership registration process for next season is now open for both Non-Playing and Minis & Youth playing members. Please visit the membership pages and RENEW TODAY! Thanks.

Please help The Park help our local community

Thanks for your support so far - due to significant demand The dons local action group are looking for additional volunteers to help at collection points and hubs, with driving, manning phones, procurement, media and marketing.

See below and contact Dom if you'd like to get involved.

We at RPFC want to help our local community at this difficult time. As part of that we have teamed up with AFC Wimbledon's, Dons Local Action Group to collect food and deliver weekly food packages to local residents in Wandsworth. The Action Group are already operational in Merton and Kingston and are working with us to set-up a hub for their operation in Wandsworth and surrounding areas.

The Park Community can help in a couple of key areas:

• donate food at the Pop-up collection point which will be operational in the car park outside the club house every Saturday from 10:00AM to 5:00PM, starting this Saturday 18 April 2020
• join the growing list of volunteers who are delivering weekly food packages to local residents in Wandsworth. Volunteers also provide support with running daily errands, technology issues and can be available as someone to talk to for people feeling alone at this time

In the first month the Dons Local Action Group have distributed around 3000 packs of food, and the demand is only going to grow.

Please do drop off whatever non-perishable food you can on Saturdays, in particular essentials like cereals, soup, pasta and rice, fruit, tinned food, biscuits, tea, coffee and soft drinks, chocolate bars, snacks - all the sort of things you'd normally have in your kitchen cabinets, as well as pet food and sanitising products.

Please contact Dom via email: dom.shabbo@rosslynpark.co.uk if you would like to Volunteer to help us with this important work with our community.

Welcome Back to the Rock planned

We are still are planning the return of rugby and hope to run a "Welcome Back to the Rock" event when given the all clear to resume a full schedule of activities. The date for this is obviously to be decided.

Keep Informed

Regular updates will be published on the web and we will be backing these up with notifications via our email and social media channels.

Please feel free to engage - and keep an eye on the website and social media.

Thanks for a season full of special memories

Thank you all for making the 2019/20 Season so special

We wanted to take this opportunity to thank all Sponsors, Members and spectators for making the 2019/20 season so enjoyable. Please see all our sponsors below:

Serious Stuff • BMS • Sambrooks • BMI Syon Clinic • Warrener Stewart • Robert Holmes • Roehampton Club • Allan Fuller • Plantation Shutters • Savills • Deloitte • Argentex • Franke Coffee • Sporting Pay • Infinity Drainage • Esperanza Holdings Limited • Heineken • Amchara • Vidrate • Gilbert • The Hand in Hand • Richmond Physio • My Healthcare Clinic • In The Loose • RPFC Oldmads • RPFC U9's Minis • Gardiner & Theobald (Gary D) • Blytheweigh • BBH • The RedFerns • Alain • Mermaid Gin • Paul Lyons • Nomads • Geoff Lound • Steve Condon • Western Terrace • Restart Rugby • Travel Counsellors • Susan McNeill & Family • U12's Minis • Richard Flook & Family • Quintant Partners • Kensington Parker • Premier Oil • Tigon Scaffolding • Slide Tribe • Train Inside Out