The following - regretful - tribute is provided on behalf LSRFUR Management Committee
We are very sorry to have to report that John Raywood, a long standing and much loved and respected member of the South West Region and wider LSRFUR community, sadly passed away last week.
John was a Life Vice President of LSRFUR, had been Regional Manager (South East Region) and was also a Past President of Surrey Rugby. In October 1995, his "Review Working Group Report", an initiative inspired by J A Trigg (President 1995-98), recommended that while the Society should remain one united Referee Society, it should be structured on the basis of four, semi-autonomous regions. The “Raywood Review”, with minor amendments, forms the basis of the present day structure of the Society – possibly his greatest legacy.
The following information is provided by John's family:
JOhn’s funeral will be at Randalls Park Crematorium, Randalls Road, Leatherhead KT22 0AG on Tuesday 7 December commencing at 11.00am. The service will be completed by 11.45am. Immediately afterwards, we will make our way to The Bell (Fetcham), Bell Lane, Fetcham, Leatherhead KT22 9ND (a 10 minute drive). The family will be wearing dark colours.
John would love to see his former rugby fraternity well-represented and everyone he spent time with will be very welcome. It would be very helpful to have an idea of numbers because the last thing we would want is a bunch of hungry ex-rugby players, or, worse, referees!
For those who have very kindly enquired, we request that, in lieu of any floral tribute, guests consider making a donation to the following charities; both do incredible work which we are keen to support as best we can:
Alzheimer’s Society: For obvious reasons, supporting their work is very much in our minds: https://johnraywood.muchloved.com/
Perennial: The UK’s only charity dedicated to helping everyone who works in horticulture, and their families, when times get tough: https://shop.perennial.org.uk/products/donation
The thoughts of all at LSRFUR are with his family and friends. Members wishing to attend the funeral are asked to notify John Durkin in order to coordinate numbers with the family.