Here are some important dates for your diaries as we approach the season:
• 30th August – Men’s 2s and 3s are playing in the Chelmer Cup
• 31st August – Club Day at Warners Bridge 12 to 4pm
• 1st September - Membership subscriptions will be issued.
• 3rd September - Senior training is back, so please confirm your availability on Pitchero.
• 6th September - Ladies are playing in the Chelmer Cup
• 6th September - Men’s teams have friendlies against Witham and Rochford
• 7th September - Youth training is back, so please confirm your availability on Pitchero.
• 13th September - Men’s teams have friendlies against Maldon (away), Ladies 1’s have a friendly against Upminster (away) and Ladies 2s have a potential friendly at home.
• 20th September – The Season starts. Fixtures have been agreed and are on Pitchero; however, fixture time and venues will be added over the next couple of weeks as they are finalised. So please keep an eye out for these and use Pitchero to confirm your availability as soon as possible to help your team captain.

For those you that were unable to attend the AGM (minutes available on the website) as a result of England Hockey re-evaluating what they charge clubs on an annual basis, they have implemented a change that sees a charge for each playing member in addition to the current club charge. At the AGM the meeting agreed that for the 2025-26 season subscriptions should increase by £10 for all adult and youth (over 12) players (England Hockey will be charging the club £16 per player) and youth player under the age of 12 by £5 (England Hockey will be charging the club £10 per player). The Committee felt that to maintain the club’s financial stability it had no alternative, but to pass on some of the England Hockey increase; however, felt that passing on the full amount was unacceptable.

In addition, the AGM also agreed that because of the clubs increasing running costs that match fees should be increased by £1 for the 2025-26 season.

On a more positive note on the playing side, we had 2 Men’s and 2 Ladies teams competing in Summer Leagues, with our joint Ladies 1st and 2nd picking up the trophy for winning the Maldon Summer League for the second successive year. Congratulations to everyone involved.

To continue the positive news the Garons Park Project planning application was finally approved by Southend Council in late June. Whilst there is still much work to be done including raising the balance of the funding, tendering for the contractors to undertake the work and competing the work. A big hurdle has been overcome and Garon Park CIC are now focussed on delivering these and getting us up and running in our new home for the 2026-27 season.

Please make the most of what remains of the summer and enjoy those pre-season training sessions and friendlies and let us make the 2025-2026 season an enjoyable and successful one.

Peter Woodman
Chairperson