Our host charity Rackets Cubed, through its founder Michael Hill, has been very busy supporting the Roehampton Community Box Initiative. Please click here to learn more. Michael picked up a car load of food stuffs from the Club this morning which we were happy to donate with help from Amadu from Securuty and Head Chef Adam. (Forgive the lack of social distancing here – we were keen to stack up the foodstuffs as quickly as possible so it could be distributed this morning to the local families in need). The Club has also donated an amount from its charity fund so that disadvantaged Roehampton families can be supported during this crisis.
Chief Executive’s Message
Dear Member,
As many of you are aware we have over 120 permanent, casual and self-employed staff and one of the Board’s key objectives is to look after all our staff’s welfare and retain them all to enable us to reopen the Club in a strong position as soon as we are permitted to. We have planned for most of the workforce to be furloughed to the end of May to maximise Government support with a minority working to maintain the Club’s grounds, secure the Club or work from home producing a fitness and social activities programme for Members as well as retaining events income for when we reopen. The team is working hard on Members’ behalf.
We have plans in place to be able to gear up within 3-4 days, with extra staff, to present the outdoor areas ready for play once we have the go ahead from the Government. The Clubhouse, Health Club, Sports Hall, Sports Shop, ITC and Tulloch Clinic have been ‘mothballed’ but keeping the outdoor grounds maintained is essential and has been recognised by the Government as such. We are taking advantage of the lockdown to redecorate squash courts 1-3, make repairs on Tennis Courts 1-3 and 11-14, upgrade the air conditioning in the gym, as well as rectify the damp problem within the Indoor Pool roof with all the contractors keeping to social distancing regulations. Keeping the Club’s assets protected and safe with 24 hour Security is also essential. Being good neighbours we are also keeping a watching security brief over Rosslyn Park FC while they are closed.
We have also established a package of support measures up to the end of May for our casual, self-employed and freelance staff until and alongside the Government support schemes they will qualify for. The Board will review all of these schemes in May once it has a clearer picture of when the Club is likely to reopen. All of these schemes has a cost. The Government has only guaranteed 80% of salaries up to a maximum of £2,500 per month up to the end of May and many of our self-employed staff only qualify for a fraction of their earnings. As a result we are topping up salaries and covering a percentage of loss of earnings for coaches and instructors.
I would like to particularly thank Emily Hurse and her team, Roy Ritson, Richard Harrison, Paul Mendelson, Josh Miller, Dan Lott and all the Members who have given their time to give online classes and tuition which have been very well received by all. Also can I thank the Members who are contacting vulnerable Members offering different levels of support.
Lastly we were able to help London’s air ambulance yesterday as it needed to land here with two doctors and a paramedic rushing out to meet police to attend to an emergency nearby. The pilot did apologise for landing without notice on our championship grass tennis courts and promised next time to land on Rosslyn’s artificial pitch! We were just happy to help this remarkable service.
Best wishes,
Marc