Volunteers Bring Birmingham & Solihull Back from the Brink
Lou Lupoli, Chair, and Louise Ford, Vice President, have seen their club Birmingham & Solihull RFC, also known as The Bees, on a rollercoaster of highs and lows over the past 20 years.
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From the high of beating Wasps in the quarter final of the Cup in 2004 to the low of liquidation in 2009 as the club struggled to become sustainable in the semi-professional model and took the necessary but unpopular decision to revert to amateur status in 2019.
By the time of this decision, the club had managed to secure beneficial interest in Portway, the former ground of Birmingham RFC, having lost its principal ground – that of the former Solihull RC – in the liquidation of 2009.
So, while the decision to become amateurs was not universally welcomed, a new debt-free company had been established, controlled by the members and work began to bring together a playing squad that could compete at the foot of the RFU pyramid.
With the age grade section continuing to thrive and support from the North Midlands Rugby Union, the club determined to form a team of transitioned Colts, former players and interested locals and used Pitch Up & Play events and social media to haul the club out of oblivion. As Lou Lupoli says “We decided to enter the merit league, we rebuilt the old club spirit and the bar after matches was vibrant once again. The Bees felt like a proper club and the buzz was back.”
That was when the pandemic put a stop to their progress for a year.
Like many clubs, they faced the challenge of getting people back to the club. Would the young players return after enjoying competing pursuits in a digital age? Would volunteers want to help in the club’s new journey?
“We took an RFU loan and invested in our social spaces to make them more appealing to a modern membership and bring in revenue. Our volunteers also came back and wanted to support us and re-engage with the club as we made it clear they were vital to survival. Indeed, we have more active and enthusiastic volunteers around the club now than at any time in the last 20 years and the clubhouse at Portway has never looked so good.
“Our Colts matured to become the spine of the senior team, making up 15 of the starting squad. We have a pathway for our youngsters and a plan for the future. That thriving age grade section that weathered all the storms is vital to our success.
The early signs are very positive indeed. The first team won its Level 10 division and the cup final in 2021/22 and have followed that by winning the Level 9 division in 2022/23.
“It’s onwards and upwards now, but it took going to the brink, bringing back our fantastic volunteers and knowing that our place is very much as a community club to save Birmingham & Solihull.”
