Following the flooding event at the SEAH Stadium last Thursday evening, it has been a hectic time for all at the football club; however, having restored a degree of calm and having ‘turned back the tide’, we’d like to take the opportunity to say some ‘thank yous’.
We would be in a considerably worse position without the assistance we have received from others. Whatever form this was given, be it time, money, a goodwill message, or something as simple as sharing our story and appeals on social media, it has all helped.
No one person’s help is valued more than any other. We understand that people give what they can in whatever way they can; however, we were hugely grateful for the immediate understanding shown by our friends at Wolverhampton Wanderers FC.
The thunderstorm that precipitated the flood happened as their Academy under 21s were about to face Monaco in a Premier League International Cup fixture. Wolves immediately recognised that postponing the match would have financial implications for us in terms of wasted expenditure and lost income. Their offer of support in this respect is greatly appreciated.
Although we cannot mention them all by name, the next group we wish to thank are those volunteers who responded to our calls for assistance and turned up at the ground on Friday morning, clad in wellies and armed with brooms.
Whilst we might have anticipated some of those coming from within our fan base, we were amazed when people who have never set foot inside our stadium or who follow only from a distance turned up to help.
Our staff also showed their willingness to ‘muck in’, and it indeed was mucky at times.
Despite that, a spirit of togetherness shone through in everyone who contributed, including those currently in temporary accommodation at the Whitehouse Hotel, next door to the stadium.
Mark Mitchell from Mitchell’s Catering, our stadium catering partners, provided sustenance for those on site, a gesture that they and we greatly appreciated.
Our superb playing surface drained quickly, demonstrating the value of the investment made into replacing the drainage four years ago, something we could not have done without the help of the Football Foundation. Last Thursday could have been catastrophic for us if this investment had not been made.
Moving water from the pitch perimeter was expedited with the help of Tim from JCAC, the National Civil Defence charity based at RAF Cosford. We have shared their request for volunteers to build further their capacity to assist those in need and would continue to ask you to consider supporting their work.
We have also received offers from local companies such as Hager, based in Hortonwood, who have offered to replace any electrical fittings damaged by the water ingress.
Our GoFundMe appeal has raised around £6000, a truly humbling figure and something we did not expect. We debated whether we should have such an appeal, but having received comments on social media from people wishing to donate, we chose to do so. We had no expectations in this respect.
The target figure of £5000 was arbitrary, mainly because GoFundMe requires you to set a target. However, we had no genuine feeling for how well this would be supported; had we received just £100, we would have accepted it gratefully, so to receive this level of support has been fantastic.
Funds are already being put to good use, restoring the stadium to order. Whilst the club has insurance and couldn’t operate without insurance, as anyone who has ever had to make a claim will know, it can take time. The money donated has given us a head start, particularly since we have had fewer home fixtures and have just invested in refurbishing our Goalzone facility.
As the remedial work continues, the costs will likely increase. We can’t say with any certainty how much the total costs associated with the flood will be, but needless to say, it will all be expenditures that we had not anticipated.
Although there is much work still to do, and even though we are somewhat reliant on the weather, we believe this Saturday’s Isuzu FA Trophy tie with Cleethorpes Town will go ahead. That is undoubtedly the target we have set ourselves.
We will invite those who assisted us on-site last week to attend and watch a game from our hospitality lounge as a way of thanks. In recognition of the help given to our neighbours, who were similarly impacted, we shall also invite emergency service members to attend to acknowledge their role in protecting our whole community.
Our optimism that Saturday’s fixture will go ahead owes much to the efforts of a great many people, and we hope to see you there.
