By Big Dave
February 12 2003

Big Dave has taken the time to outline some possible courses of action to help save Bristol. Please read on as most of these will only take a few minutes at most and every little helps in the campaign to save Bristol. The last few weeks have been worrying for Bristol Shoguns’ fans. The local and national press suggest that the proud 114 year history of the club may be in doubt following Malcolm Pearce’s announcement that he will stand back from his commitments at the end of the season.

There has been speculation about consortia vying to take over Bristol, and while we cannot know all the details, it is clear that while one or more bidders would keep the club in Bristol, others would seek to take it out of the city.

The final decision rests with Malcolm Pearce, and it is all to easy for Shoguns’ fans to feel helpless and that they cannot do anything to secure the traditions and future of the club that they love.

This need not be so, and there is lots that we can do. As supporters we can get in touch with all those who can influence the future of Bristol Shoguns. We can encourage them to do what they can to help keep Bristol in Bristol, and further publicise this issue across the city and region.

Below are a list of people to email or write letters to, and some suggestions of what to say. Remember to say why Bristol Shoguns are important to you – the club’s great history, it’s links with the community and youth rugby, and the achievements of the last few years.

Please don’t leave this to someone else. The more people who email and write the better, and we can all do our bit to secure the future of our club.

· Bristol City Council

Email the Councillor responsible for sport, asking her to do what she can to support those trying to keep Bristol in Bristol, and asking her to publicly state that the Council wants to keep the club in the city. The Council have been making positive noises – it’s time to make them live up to their word!

Councillor Helen Holland, Deputy Leader of the Council helen_holland@bristol-city.gov.uk Bristol City Council The Council House College Green Bristol BS1 5TR

· Your Member of Parliament

Bristol’s MPs have in the past said that top class rugby should stay in Bristol. Ask them to state publicly their support for Bristol staying in Bristol, and ask them to help those trying to do this.

You can find out who your MP is here http://www.locata.co.uk/commons/ It also gives you their postal and email addresses, fax and telephone numbers.

· Local papers

Writing to the local papers is crucial if we are to bring the issue to the attention of everyone in the region. Write to the Evening Post telling them why it is important that Bristol survives and stays in Bristol, and remember to talk the club up – it has a great future!

You can write to the Evening Post at: Letters, Temple Way, Bristol BS99 7HD. Alternatively, you can write a letter online at http://www.thisisbristol.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=102894&command=newModule&sourceNode=68909

· Malcolm Pearce

It’s Malcolm’s decision, so let’s take the opportunity to write to him and thank him for saving our club in 1998, and to remind him how far we have come because of him.

Ask Malcolm to do what he can to secure the future of Bristol in Bristol. Tell him that his contribution of the last few years has been to give Bristol back its rugby club, and that he has laid the foundations for a successful future.

Write to Malcolm at: Unit 4, Eastgate Office Centre, Eastgate Road, Bristol, BS5 6XX.