Hi
Dad’s / Martin’s Funeral/Celebration of his life, will take place at 11:00 am on Friday 31st May 2013 at St Augustine’s Church, Boscombe Crescent, Downend. Everyone is welcome to attend the wake which will be held at Mangotsfield Football Club.
If you wish to bring flowers, they will be placed on the grave of Alan and Joan Mansfield in Mangotsfield Cemetery. However, if you prefer to make a donation please contact Roy Preddy. Any donations received will be split equally between the Meningitis Trust and the Race for Life/Cancer Research.
Family announcements will be appearing in the Evening Post on Friday 24th May. Anyone wishing to place an announcement on this day will need to contact the Evening Post as soon as possible.
We would like to take this opportunity to express our heartfelt thanks to everyone for the love and support we have received. Your support has provided us with the strength and courage to carry on at this dark time.
We know so many of you have such heavy hearts which are full of sadness, you must remember all the fun times we’ve all had, and how our Mart would want us to be happy and smile and above all be kind to each other.
Let’s make Friday 31st May a Captain Fantastic day to remember.
Love Jack, Joy and family xxxxx

Martin Mansfield, Badger, played for the club in the late '80's and early 90's and was a regular visitor to the club since for various functions especially Vets Dinners and tours!
Badger was the man who got me playing rugby again and insisted it was for St Mary's. We were kindred spirits, both born to tour! When St Mary's played at the combination ground we were part of the group of players that liked to go 'clubbing', visiting the two other clubs, St Brendans and Old Cothamians, that, at that time, shared the site. It was at Cotts we met another spirit, Keith Parfrey - Parf, and the triumvirate was born. The three of us were inseperable and not only played together at Mary's but socialised throughout the week. Never one to believe in training, preferring the social to the physical, Badger's last proper game for the club was a 'friendly' against Kingswood on a boiling hot day sometime in the 90's. The only way he could think of to get out of playing was to start a mass brawl on the pitch and get sent off to the blessed cool of the changing rooms - the plan never worked, the ref decided the wagging finger was enough so Badger just walked off anyway! As far as I remember the legendary purple 'Y' fronts were only on show once more after that in a tour game at Vigo, Maidstone.

Badger was best man at mine and Clair's wedding, Parf was an usher and the three of us remained close friends going ut on the lash together most weekends until Parf married Alison and moved to Tewkesbury. Parf's stag do was a game at his local village side but the purple pants never made an appearance, Badger preferred to plan the post match entertainment.
Martin continued to tour with us and also came with me on tour with Southmead RFC a number of times where his Spanish version of Delilah always brought the house down. Me and him stayed close and used to like to tour the pubs together in Mangotsfield Downend and Staple hill where he was a legendary figure. A big grey haired bear of a man, if ever you were anywhere near him you could always hear his booming laugh.

Martin had been unwell for a couple of years but was admitted to hospital last summer. He was never the same since and had to stop drinking alcohol. He continued to visit his favourite places though and still had the crack with his many of his large circle of friends. Martin was admitted to Frenchay Hospital at the beginning of May. He passed away surrounded by family and friends on Monday 13th of May.
Our thoughts are with his family, son Jack and sister Joy.