Latest Updates on Events:
- Obviously the Eve of Final Rally did not take place 0n 22 May
- Development weekend (July 2020) has been cancelled
- National RA AGM will take place on 4 July 2020 (Zoom meeting
The email from the RA is detailed below:
I trust you are all keeping well during this unprecedented period of national lockdown.
At this time of the year, we are usually reflecting on the end of the current season and already preparing for the next one – but these are far from normal times.
Since March, we have sadly lost a number of RA Members to Covid-19, and we are aware of some others who are continuing to battle against this terrible disease. During this extraordinary period, The RA has been supporting those of you who are in need, and will continue to do so.
On Friday 22nd May 2020 we were due to hold our annual Eve of Final Rally, but for obvious reasons this has now been postponed and is highly unlikely to be held in its current format this year. If and when the 2020 FA Cup Final is played, we will work with our stakeholders to arrange a suitable presentation to the Match Officials involved. We anticipate that the Rally will return to its normal format and venue in 2021.
Our flagship event, the annual Development Weekend, was due to be held over the weekend of Saturday 4th & Sunday 5th July 2020. Because of continuing regulations affecting the venue at DeVere Staverton, the event has now been unavoidably postponed until 2021, details of which will be provided next season. For those of you who have already paid to attend this year, our Events Team will be arranging all necessary refunds in due-course. They can be contacted via events@the-ra.org , but we would ask you to please be patient whilst these repayments are activated.
The RA’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) will still take place as planned on Saturday 4th July 2020 at 3:00pm, but it will be held via the virtual platform of “Zoom”. We will be sending out AGM papers, plus how to get involved, in the next few weeks.
I can confirm that postponement of the Eve of Final Rally and the Development Weekend comes without any financial impacts to the RA in any way. In particular, I would like to take the opportunity to thank Reg Pullen and his Treasury Team for their diligence in overseeing the various contracts and negotiations involved, which for these 2020 events all began back in 2019.
During recent months, a number of LRAs have begun holding “virtual” Branch Meetings, which have been highly successful – please keep up the good work in showing what the RA can provide even in a period of football lockdown.
One final but important request! Can all LRAs (and CRAs if appropriate) please ensure that Head Office has the correct current details for your principal Officers, such as Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer, ahead of important announcements going out shortly regarding reduced subscription rates for NRA membership in 2020-2021 season.
And to all those RA members who are doing great things within the NHS, working in Care Homes, or providing other essential services:
On behalf of the Association and the Nation: THANK YOU
With kind regards
Paul Field, Chairman
The Referees’ Association
Web: www.the-ra.org
www.facebook.com/RefereesAssociation
twitter – @refsassociation
