In June 2018 Yorkshire RFU was given the green light to restructure in order to make itself more relevant and effective as an organisation in order to ensure clubs where at the heart of everything we did.
Like many changes things take a while to fully embed and there is no doubt we are on an exciting journey. However we are also aware that there is a lot of jargon busting and education to be done in order to become one big happy Yorkshire rugby family!
So let's start that process now. Attached you will find the new structure and whilst it may look pretty lets delve into what the remit of the committees are and who heads them up.
Like many of our rugby clubs those involved in the Yorkshire RFU are all volunteers.
The Yorkshire Committee
The acting Chair of Yorkshire RFU is Dave Hunter. It is his responsibility to ensure the smooth day to day running of the County. As you can imagine it's a big and varied role with plenty of challenges and lots of interaction with stakeholders. Barry makes sure we are heading in the right direction at all times.
Joining him on the Yorkshire committee is the head of Compliance, Rugby Development, Club Development, Marketing and Communications and Finance. You'll find more information below. To ensure that clubs remain at the heart of everything we do, each District is represented by their Chairs. They ensure that messages from clubs are relied and any topics of concern of celebration are raised and dealt with accordingly.
The Secretary, Steve Corns is there to ensure record what is taking place at the meetings as well as inform the Committee of any key correspondence that may need addressing.
The Treasurer, Phil Shand provides reports on how finances are shaping up and ensures we keep on track with anything agreed within the Local Delivery Plan.
Then there's the two RFU Council Representatives, Joe Bedford and Ted Atkinson, voted to represent the game in Yorkshire at the highest level in England. They keep us up to speed with what the RFU has planned.
The President John Riley and the RFU Area Manager are also present to ensure we are all joined up and collaborating efficiently towards our key aims and objectives.
1. Compliance
The Chair is Mike Smith: denexlowe4232@yahoo.co.uk
The role of the Compliance committee is to ensure we are running the game in accordance with our Terms of Reference, Rules, Regulations and the Law. It's all the important things that ensure the core values and safety of the game are upheld to the highest standard.
The Compliance committee also has a responsibility of succession planning. This means they are actively looking for future leaders of the game to fill key roles. Any volunteering adverts you see posted come through them. Heading this up is Sally Burns. If you fancy find out how you can get involved drop Sally a line at sallyburns678@gmail.com.
2. Rugby Development
The Chair is Dawn Rathmell: dawn.rathmell@yahoo.co.uk
The role of the Rugby Development committee is to create playing opportunities and grow rugby in Yorkshire. This includes more playing opportunities in newer formats of the game, from 02 Touch, Mixed Ability, women and girls, 7s and the traditional 15 a-side game. They also look after all the representatives teams and player pathways.
This committee has the responsibility of developing coaches to ensure they can continue to reach their potential.
3. Club Development
The Chair is Toni Birch: tonibirch3@hotmail.co.uk
The role of the Club Development committee is to support and enhance the growth of rugby clubs in Yorkshire. This committee is able to give advice on funding avenues, heads up the running of competitions and also develops volunteers and rewards their incredible contribution to the game.
4. Communication and Marketing
The Chair is Tim Johnson: marketing@yorkshirerfu.co.uk
The role of the Communication and Marketing committee is to raise awareness and promote the work that Yorkshire RFU does to support its members. It plays a vital role in communicating information about the game from changes in regulations to development opportunities; but it is also here to aid clubs by offering support and advice to engage with a wider more diverse audience. It's core aim is to cultivate a more connected County by creating a brand and experience people are proud and inspired to be part of.
5. Finance
The Chair is Phil Shand: phil.shand@btinternet.com
The role of the Finance committee is to ensure that rugby in Yorkshire remains financially viable. It also looks at exploring and developing alternative funding streams such as sponsorship.
