As some of you would have seen, last week we were featured in the Watford Observer and then interviewed on BBC Three Counties Radio. This was down to the grounds still being adversely affected by the rain and standing water. Whilst it is clear that 2024 has been terrible for wet weather, the blocked drains - where the stream leaves the club and goes onto Council ground - is a heavy contributing factor.

Our media campaign continues and ion the last week, the council have relented and agreed to speed up the necessary work to try and alleviate the problem. In the meantime, there is a lot of water on the grounds still.

The Sports Club and Cricket Club continue to seek external help. We have had specialist drainage firms review the issues and have quotes in the region of £100,000 to undertake necessary works on creating drainage channels and underground water dispersal. This is clearly not money we have in the Bank, nor ever will have, so we are talking to various agencies such as the Council, the Football Association and the ECB. If any member of the club has an alternative idea as to how we can raise those kind of sums, we would be delighted to have you help us. All help appreciated.

Thanks to the efforts of everyone, but especially Harvey and Stefan, since the season closed, the grass at the club is in good order and whilst the puddling and standing water remains, we are not in as bad a shape as we were last year but we do need to get the water off the fields and flowing down the drains. This week we are putting down more topsoil to try and raise those areas that are most low-lying. But everything we do costs time, and money.

We fight on.