Bees on brink of bright future if groundshare move gets go-ahead

Jul 24 2009 by Brian Dick, Birmingham Mail

AS they stand on the brink of a potentially bright future, Bees community department are looking back at a positive past as they celebrate their first year of existence.

Under the guidance of manager and second row Alex Davidson, the scheme has grown exponentially in its first 12 months and will play a key part in the future of the whole club.

Particularly if they are given permission to hand their existing Sharmans Cross Road site over to residential developers, a move that would provide B&S with the cash to go ahead with their groundshare arrangement with Solihull Moors Football Club.

That decision will be made at a planning meeting of Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council on August 5 and if it goes their way Davidson and his coaching staff, all current Bees players, will have the opportunity to take their community work to a new level.

“Moving to Damson Parkway would help massively in what we are trying to achieve,” Davidson said.

“It would be great to have a proper base where we could be proud of bringing schools back for rugby festivals and special coaching sessions.

“The site is in the perfect position between Solihull and Chelmsley Wood where we do so much of our most valuable work.

“It would also enable us to have someone to apply for all the multitude of grants that are out there so that we can improve our provision.”

All of which is a long way from the club’s past efforts at engaging with those around them.

That changed a year ago, however, when player-coach Russell Earnshaw identified Davidson as a man with the vision to do things properly.

New players were brought to the club and had a minimum of eight-hours community work written into their contracts.

As a result they have been able to provide 1,000 hours of involvement across the borough and have branched out from the traditional tag rugby programme that most clubs offer.

“In our discussions with the council education department we discovered we could help with reading projects across the area,’’ said Davidson.

“Some of the boys have been going into schools in Chelmsley Wood and as a reward for some of the more challenging kids reading to them, they give rugby sessions.

“We have also done appearances handing out certificates with the PCT’s Healthy Schools initiative, it’s all about getting the boys out there into the community.”

And having increased their profile in Solihull, Bees have also stretched across the border into Birmingham where they have become the sole rugby provider for 31 schools under the umbrella of the Calthorpe Partnership.

“The players have really bought into it,” Davidson said.

“The younger ones recognise they need to up-skill and think about life after rugby.

“And all this community work is vital to the club.

“We have never had a self-sustaining model which is why we have encountered financial problems.

“All our hopes hang with what we do when we are not playing on a Saturday.”

And in a council committee room too. If you would like to inquire about sponsorship opportunities or the club’s coaching call 0121 705 0409.