3:44pm, Fri 20th Mar 2020
As a club we want to be as transparent as possible for fans during this crisis and will be providing regular updates in the coming weeks; we hope this finds you and your loved ones well.
All football will likely be suspended until April 30th and every league is working hard to navigate a way forward. This is the time of the season when budgets are set, season ticket prices are decided and managers begin to plan for the next season. Obviously the current uncertainty makes much of that impossible. However the Board are working hard to look at different eventualities and scenarios as well as liaising with the National League. Our primary focus is the viability and sustainability of our football club. There is also a lot of communication going on between clubs as we look to come through this together. We will respond as the situation post April 30th becomes clearer.
As was mentioned a few days ago the club would also wish to record its thanks to those of you who have indicated that you might be able to help the club financially through these difficult times. We will begin to understand precisely how this situation will affect the club over the next few weeks once there is a clearer picture of the support we might receive from Government and / or other bodies. Once we are in this position we will be in a better position to let fans know how they may help.
All staff and volunteers over 70 or with health issues have been instructed to stay at home; some are working from home. The stadium is, in any case, effectively shut with a skeleton staff keeping things ticking over at a minimum level. Most cleaning is no longer necessary as activities have been cancelled with the exception of the Blood Transfusion service. The pitch is being maintained in readiness for a resumption of football as and when.
The club’s official community work has ended as schools are shutting and the usual work with the aged and vulnerable is inappropriate. Some of the community staff may well be deployed to provide PE activities at any ‘new’ schools for children of key workers. The Academy has also closed until further notice and all staff are working from home. There is however a good deal of informal community engagement as individuals are available to help in the community with shopping, errands etc. The club is here for the whole town so please do contact us if you think we might be able to help in the community and we will do what we can.
On
Cardboard there are offers of specialist support from the Chaplaincy and also CAB and benefit advice with contact details. People may already be volunteering through their community networks or churches to help the vulnerable however if you search ‘Woking Volunteer Plus’ you can also sign up through Woking Borough Council to help out in the community
At the moment we are currently unclear when the stadium planning application will be considered but will update once we hear.
We are very aware that we are all facing challenges and uncertainties in these days – whether to do with health, work or family concerns. We thank you for your support and all at the club would wish you, your friends and families well during this very challenging time. We especially thank all the key workers such as health professionals, supermarket workers, delivery drivers etc for their heroic efforts on our behalf.
- The Board
