Updated Friday morning, 09:00: GOOD NEWS: the overnight frost was no deeper than forecast, so the pitch is definitely playable. BAD NEWS:  there has been an overnight covering of snow, now lying on top of the covers. Today’s daytime temperature should see off this wet snow, but the forecast is for a repeat later in the day and overnight, so everything depends on how much we get.

In any event, if the match is to go ahead – and at the moment the advice is that it WILL - we shall CERTAINLY need manpower (and plenty of it) on Saturday morning to lift the covers, particularly if there still some snow to shift. So the call is out to all able-bodied folks to turn up at the club at 10:00 on Saturday morning, bearing a shovel. Warm drinks will be served!

Further news will appear here.

No fewer than 25 “prams” set off from the clubhouse in the annual charity event, once again organised by Adam Mason, raising no less than £1,097 for Upper Wharfedale Fell Rescue.

Despite the low temperature and torrential rain, the teams were in high spirits, especially the winners of the award for the best design, “The Simpsons”. Well done to all competitors!

On behalf of the Club I would like to wish all our Players, Sponsors, Patrons. Supporters, and those involved in any way with our Club, a Happy Christmas, and a Peaceful and Prosperous New Year.

We have had a roller coaster of a season so far, ending on a high note last Saturday and it is our  hope that you will all be as euphoric, and get behind the Players again, when the season recommences in January. In the meantime, don’t forget the Foresters with all their talent will be at Settle on Boxing day 2 p.m.

Chris Baker

During the Wharfedale – Fylde match on 17th December Wharfedale’s Under-17s took a bucket collection in aid of Keighley youngster Nathan Cubitt, seriously injured a few weeks ago. The effort raised £625.

The event at the club on Sunday 28th August has raised, so far, £4,000 in aid of the Help for Heroes charity, to assist wounded service men and women.

The John Dudley XV included, many well-known if slightly corpulent players of renown in the North of England, many of whom had played either for or against Wharfedale over the years, and it was good to see so many old friends turn out to support the cause. The thanks of the club and the charity go to the players, referee Chris Sharp and his assistants, and the many helpers who contributed to making the day so memorable.

You can still buy the fine polo shirt, here modelled by the svelte Denis Wood. They’re only twenty quid, of which some goes to the charity and some to the club, and can be purchased from Judith Wood, judithwood@talk21.com.

Altogether another good effort!

One of the great off-field successes in recent seasons has been the creation of the Cavalry Club, open to all folks of goodwill to the Green Machine who want to do and give just a little bit extra to help us compete in an increasingly professional division. Subscribers benefit from social occasions, awayday trips to matches, and the warm glow of doing something worthwhile to help the definitive rural community club compete against the big-city high-rollers.

The deadline is fast approaching for the coming season, but it is not too late to join. Andy Gould would love to hear from you on 07956 996107 or andy64gould@yahoo.com – or go to the Cavalry Club page of this website, where you can download an application form.

As we prepare for our 16th successive season at Level Three of the game in England, we are aware that we have to work very hard to make up for the reduction in funding from the RFU, not just for our league team, but (very disappointingly) for our community activities, taking the game into more than 50 schools in the area. We believe in what we are doing, in providing supervised sport for hundreds of children and young people, and entertainment for the large numbers who turn up, at home and away, to watch our First and Foresters – but we need to keep going.

There are various ways in which you can help. You can join the Cavalry Club and join in the fun; you can be a match sponsor a match or a ball sponsor, and enjoy our fine catering for your friends and guests; you can become a Patron and enjoy season-ticket rates for our home matches, or you can become a member, or a Vice President; or you take an advertisement in our programme – or all of the above! Just contact these people:  Club membership : Stephen Brake 07738 887813; match sponsorship: Allister Black 07736 375942 ; ball sponsorship and Cavalry Club: Andy Gould 07956 996107; programme advertising Gordon Brown 07845 547734.

If we’re honest, we didn’t know too much about “Prospect” magazine when its founder David Goodhart showed up at the beginning of April when we played Launceston. He was here to write a piece on the phenomenon that is our club, from a small village but competing in the upper echelons of rugby union. In one short visit he captured our essence to the letter, and in the May issue published an article which with the magazine’s kind permission we reproduce here. Just click on the magazine’s logo above to read it.

The magazine is a serious publication, covering news, politics, current affairs, arts and books, and much else. Its details can be found at www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/