I'M sure many readers will have heard about our storage container fire over the Christmas holiday period which destroyed much of our playing and training equipment.

The response to our loss has been amazing and on behalf of all at Berry Hill RFC I would like to thank all those who have contacted the club to offer help either financially or in the short term with spares so as not to impact matches.

Anyone involved in a sports club knows that equipment doesn't come cheap and keeping it up to date can be managed within a budget by replacing and updating over the years. However, the problem occurs when you lose nearly all of it in one go, as this puts a major strain on a club's finances.

In due course as we receive our replacements we will make our thanks more public, however, for now our thanks to Keith Bell, Dave Balmer and Gloucester RFC, Drybrook RFC, Andy Deacon, Don Parsons (FOD RDO), Berry Hill Parish Council and the Forest of Deans Lions Club for everything you have offered and done so far in helping us minimalise the impacts to our Rugby Club. We are all extremely grateful.

Lee Osborne

Secretary Berry Hill RFC