Marshfield Junior FC

NEW TRAINING AREA AT THE WITHYMEAD

To view the proposed site plan click here

The link above will show you the proposed layout of the new training pitch and tennis courts at the Withymead. The newly formed Tennis club have funding in place to build 3 floodlit tennis courts, with an option to build a fourth. As part of this development there is an oppportunity to extend the current playing surface beyond the Pitch 3 (where the U9's and 10's play) and into the rough grass area at the south end of the Withmead playing fields. 

Work is already underway to level the site and create two terraces, the upper one will be level with the edge of the current cut grass area and will be seeded to form the new training pitch. In time, it is hoped this will be floodlit to allow training under lights during the winter. The lower terrace, which is about 1.5m below the upper terrace will be home to the tennis courts.

The club fully supports this initiative and is working with MORA, the senior football club and the Tennis club to make this happen as soon as possible. The last committee meeting voted unanimously to part fund the project and has committed £5,000 of club funds to phase 1 of the project, which is levelling and seeding of the upper terrace. The senior football club have pledged a similar amount. It is likely that there will be a need to raise funds to pay for the floodlights to be installed in time for September 2011. 

Mark Tyrrell has kindly agreed to act as project manager on this for MJFC, so any questions should be directed to Mark or to a member of the committee. This is a fantastic development of the facilities at the Withymead and will provide a lasting legacy for future generations of young Marshfield footballers.

TRANSPORT TO TRAINING AND MATCHES

The club would like to make it clear that the safe transport of players to and from matches (home and away) and training sessions is the parent/guardians' responsibility. Any arrangements you may make are at your own risk, regardless of who takes your child to club events.

New Legislation - Vetting and Barring Scheme

For clarification. Under the new Vetting and Barring Scheme which comes in to effect next year, the scope of who is defined as a volunteer will be widened, and any person designated a volunteer within the legislation will require to undertake an enhanced CRB check and be registered. (For detailed information, click here). Having consulted with the scheme help line, it is clear that any arrangement made between parents regarding sharing lifts to matches or training etc. is considered to be a private arrangement and so parents in this instance are not designated as volunteers and so not subject to a requirement for checks. The statement above in 'Transport to Training and Matches' remains true.

If however the Club was to ask any individual to voluntarily undertake to transport children for any reason, then by that fact the individual may only do so if having undertaken an enhanced CRB check and registered with the scheme.

It is important therefore, that in preparation for the new legislation coming in to effect, any party who wishes to be available as a voluntary driver in this context should take the necessary steps now to be identified and to undertake the advanced CRB check. Anyone to whom this applies should contact Hugh Swan.

Club Welfare Officer

Hugh Swan is now the registered Club Welfare Officer for MJFC.

But what does a Welfare Officer do?

He or she has two fundamental roles:

1. Taking the lead in being informed and aware of the league or club’s responsibilities when running football activities for children and young people. This involves:
   
   • Ensuring these responsibilities are well-understood by others
   • Developing best-practice processes
2. Helping league and club personnel understand what their ‘duty of care’ towards children and young people actually means and entails on a day-to-day basis. For example:
   
   • Ensuring all relevant people complete The FA’s ‘Safeguarding Children’ training programme
   • Helping to make sure trips away are organised properly
   • Assisting those with regular contact with children and young people to complete the FA CRB paperwork