Ivor’s engine still going full throttle for Widnes
WITH a return to playing action still some way off, press officer Steve Clark continues the theme of looking at some of the key people at Widnes RUFC, with the spotlight this week falling upon long serving Ivor Lewis...
As with all the other unsung heroes, Ivor is the sponsorship chairman of the Wids and works tirelessly to raise vital funds for the club – a role that is even more vital than ever now given the current Covid19 crisis that closed rugby down at a stroke back in March.
He was born in 1942 and played from 1963 right through until 2007.
His last game was for the Vets against the Colts in the December of his presidency, aged 65.
Although a Wade Deacon Old Boy, Ivor started his playing career at St Ambrose Rugby League, coming down to the club one Saturday night to test out the social atmosphere he’d heard so much about.
He got home at 7am, having made the acquaintance of John Roper who was to become a lifelong friend.
After that, it seemed he was the natural choice to become social chairman, a role which he carried out from 1965-1971.
Having played a part in rebuilding the clubhouse in 1967, he made his first appearance for the Vets 40 years before his swan song. He was 25.
That Christmas he met Linda at the club and they married four years later.
While playing regularly for the 2nds and occasionally the 1st XV, he gravitated back to the Vets and, in 1976, was part of the exodus to Rainhill where they played for five seasons.
With typical determination, Ivor played in every match of that club’s existence.
He returned to the Wids in 1982, the season after the debut appearance of the Mad
Wasps tour where he found a niche role as money collector and hotel inspector.
This entailed visiting every hotel under consideration for the tour visit, explaining to management what this would entail.
He also served the committee from 1985-1996. This work, on top of the many other and varied duties, earned him the 1987 Clubman tankard.
At that time, he earned his living as national accounts manager for Pirelli tyres, making himself popular in the changing room with access to the much-prized company calendars!
Following early retirement from work, he was invited to join the club’s sponsorship committee, eventually assuming complete responsibility for this vital job.
He was elected as club president in 2007-2008, and in 2011 he received the Lancashire RFU Volunteer Award.
This was his citation: “Ivor Lewis has been a Widnes RUFC member for nearly 50 years and as well as being a member of a tiny group of players to have played for the club over five decades he has been an active volunteer.
“Serving as social chairman, subscription secretary and sponsorship chairman as well as manning the door on dance nights to gateman on match days.
“In the past two decades as Sponsorship chairman via programme and pitch side advertising to match day sponsorship, kit deals and pitch hire including services provided in lieu of revenue, he has provided the club with something in the region of £200,000.
“He does this without asking for anything in return, and carries out his duties in a professional business-like manner to ensure that all of the club’s sponsors have a positive experience, making then feel valued, the proof being in the numbers who sign up each year.
“Recently he has recouped money for the club by registering them as a CASC member with United Utilities thereby reducing water rates. He is always willing to take on the jobs nobody else wants.
He was also the link between the club and the Community Services Organisation (Community Payback Scheme), and oversaw various grounds and clubhouse maintenance activities which again saved the club money”.
In recognition of his outstanding contribution to the club, Ivor was more recently granted ‘Life Member’ status.
Now 78, Ivor remains as sponsorship secretary and is still strutting his stuff with the same enthusiasm as when he first arrived at the club.
Even in these continuing days of lockdown, he is still there on match days relieving attendees of their entrance fee.
And when he is not doing that, he is there keeping the place clean and tidy by picking up litter, as well as keeping himself fit by running round the perimeter of the playing area. Meanwhile, the club took its first tentative steps towards normality with the reopening of the clubhouse last weekend.
The club has been extensively remodelled and risk assessed in line with government guidelines and advice from their insurers.
These regulations will be kept under constant review and will be changed in line with that advice whenever further changes are made.
Whilst there is little or no action to report regarding a resumption of on-the-field activities, the Lancashire League Committee have decided that when the playing action does return, all First Team games in the ADM Premier League will now kick off at 2.15pm.
The idea of this is to help clear any confusion regarding the change of kick-off times between November and March, but also encourage teams to support and enjoy their opponent’s hospitality.