Dear all
We held the LMV AGM on 30 October at Rowley Lane. Full minutes will follow in due course, but highlights included:
- Player of the season award to Ben Lederman, Alan Shapiro award to Steven Allweis, Junior Players to Judah Kandel and Yoni Laitner and champagne moment Benjy Lovat;
- Confirmation of the new committee: Alex Haffner (Chair), Terry Hyman (Hon Treasurer), Adam Brand (VP), Steven Allweis (First Team), David Marks (Development & Safeguarding), Jon Feigenbaum (2nd team), Anthony Wise (Juniors), Russ Corin (Fixtures), Ben Lederman (First Team VC), and Jack Davis (Communications);
- An announcement about our plans for a new ground at JFS School - please read through my Chairman's report below for more details. As you will see, the partnership will start with all our indoor nets taking place at the excellent Sports Centre at the school from January on Monday nights from 6-9pm (U11s 6-7pm, U13/U15s 7-8pm and Elite Squad 8-9pm).
I hope you'll all agree this is a very exciting development. In the meantime, please can I encourage all the Juniors to attend winter nets which are ongoing at the London Academy (6.45-7.45 and 7.45-8.45pm).
Best regards,
Alex Haffner
Club Chair
Chairman’s message
So that just leaves me…
6 years ago now, I took on this privileged position without any real expectations other than to make sure I didn’t undo all the great work that had been done by my illustrious predecessors.
For that reason, I’m extremely grateful that, far from just keeping the status quo, we have got to the position we find ourselves in this evening. A club that has grown significantly over the past few years, increased its membership, created a new improved structure which provides playing opportunities for all Jewish cricketers from the age of 7-8 to cricket pension age (and in some cases beyond that age…), raised the overall playing standard and above all kept the sense of identity which defines our club.
How has that happened? Well teamwork makes the dream work and nowhere is that more apparent that here at LMV.
First the team captains Steven Allweis, Jon Feigenbaum, and David Marks
We all have multiple whatsapp groups. During the cricket season, Steven, Jon and David’s phones have one group at the top of their Whatsapp screen – the one through which they work out who is playing in which team each Sunday, bemoan the lack of responses on Pitchero and threaten to resign from their positions on a weekly basis whilst still (for the most part) maintaining a sense of humour.
It doesn’t get any easier for the three of you, but I really hope that each of you knows just how much your efforts are appreciated and, dare I say, the on-field results speak for themselves. I’d also like to give particular praise to you Steven for a great season from a personal perspective for the 1sts including some brilliant opening spells and taking out the gun player from the opposition on at least three occasions I can remember off the top of my head.
Feigy, you were the one who came up with the idea of the Elite Squad and the Paul Weekes sessions which have been a huge part of our evolving the club. Thank you for that and for helping to unearth the Jewish cricketers no-one else had previously been able to find.
Marksy, you were made a life Vice President of the club last year for a reason. The way you have taken the Elite Squad under your wing over the past few years has been amazing and I know how much those kids look up to you which is a testament to your talents.
Finally in terms of the adult playing side, thank you also to Ben Leders who continues to be an excellent foil for Steven as VC of the first team and, where necessary, a fantastic stand in captain. The fact you were appointed captain of the Maccabiah team last summer speaks volumes about your cricketing nous and tactical talents Benj.
As to the junior section, I never tire of lauding your efforts, Anthony Wise. We all know that, without a thriving junior set up this club will simply go backwards – as have so many other cricket clubs for the same reason. You are truly one of the good guys Tony and loved by all the kids and their parents for the good humoured way you get on with the job.
Off the pitch, we are lucky to have the biggest mensch of them all in your Russ Corin (as well as the fact you have managed to produce three great cricketers for our junior section – so far at least..) Russ is literally always there to help. Aside from the fixtures which he does every year without fuss, his is the hand that goes up first for whatever needs doing – thank you so much Russ for all that you do.
As a committee we are always looking for “new talent” and this year we have had the pleasure of Benjy Lovat’s input as our lead on the tech side, particularly in getting Pitchero off the ground. Benjy thank you very much for doing that job so effectively and teaching the tech luddites how things are done with such good humour.
And then finally, my two trusted advisors. Adam Brand, club legend whose thirst for runs and wickets thankfully shows no signs of abating, but who also provides me and the club with constant support and wise counsel. Assuming you don’t get the current QPR vacancy Brando, I look forward to you continuing to perform wonders on the pitch for many years to come.
Speaking of many years, finally I need to thank our very own Lord Terry Hyman of Potters Bar. Not only are you our most loyal matchday supporter Terry, expert guardian of our finances and the heartbeat of our club, but what marks you out amongst everyone involved with LMV is the utter devotion and selflessness you provide to all of us. Everything we achieve is testament to the many, many (should I say another many?) years of service you Terry have given to the cause and I really hope that we can all continue to do you proud.
Coming back to the point I started on, we need to make sure that, as a club we don’t stand still and rest on our laurels. That means firstly we need people who are prepared to get involved in running the club. I’ve already rightly spent some time lauding those who have done the latter of those things, but I would really urge those of you who are not currently involved in an organisational capacity to do so – it really does make a difference and we will only keep going with more people doing so.
Secondly, we need to keep attracting and developing new cricketing talent. As you’ve heard tonight we have spent a lot of time as a committee working on this by developing a real pathway for youngsters to develop in the club and we need to continue and redouble our efforts in that regard to continue to thrive.
Finally, however, we also recognise that one of the things we are lacking at the moment – through circumstances more than anything else – is a place to really call home. We have this facility at Rowley Lane for practice and good pitches at Potters Bar, Southgate and Old Camdenians to call on for matches, but no permanent home venue.
For that reason, I’m really pleased to confirm that we have recently had very positive discussions with senior management at JFS School in Kingsbury to develop a new ground and centre for Jewish cricket at their site, building on the existing facilities they already have which include excellent indoor facilities, a cricket pitch and outdoor nets needing a good deal work but with plenty of space to work with.
It will take some time to get up to scratch and a significant fundraising effort to get everything we might want, but we are very keen to make it work. The first formal stage of the development plan will start in January when we switch to having all our indoor training on Monday nights (for junior and elite squads) at the JFS Sports Centre.
This is a very exciting opportunity and one which I really hope everyone in the club can get behind.
Thank you all very much.