Apologies
Howard, Andy, Katrina
1. Minutes of last meeting and matters arising.
Rob English has been co-opted onto the Trust board and will put his name forward for election at the AGM.
2. Treasurer’s report
Colin reported that the Trust’s total balance stands at £24,575.84 including net funds available of £24,320.84.
The football club has provided the Trust with invoices for initial work relating to the new floodlights. The Trust has in turn paid £7,174 to the club, representing 25% of the initial costs in line with the agreement in place. This breaks down as £3,299 to Surfacelux, the providers of the floodlights, and £3,875 in respect of the ground works.
With the remainder of the Trust’s share likely to be paid shortly, notice has been given for the funds in the term deposit and this will be transferred into the Trust’s current account on October 5.
£255 has been raised for MacMillan Cancer Support for the paintings auctioned at the recent 2005 reunion.
3. Memberships
Current memberships stand at 235 with a number of renewals due in August.
4. Review of Trust events since last meeting
The quiz night took place after the match against Dover Athletic and special thanks went to Noel, Howard and Martin for their work organising the event. The Trust was pleased with the turnout, the feedback received has been positive and the event raised £45, which was pleasing as the main aim was to get people involved rather than being a designated fundraiser.
5. Future Trust events
a. Race Night
The race night will take place following the match with Torquay United on October 10. Given that the start time of the quiz worked well, the race night will begin at the earlier time of 5.30pm.
Contact will be made with Paul Carden to invite the players and individual board members have agreed to sell sponsorships. These will then be collated by Martin. Sponsorship of the event is still available for £50, plus two races at £25 each and horses and jockeys for £3 and £2.
Tony Adams has been booked to host the event and thanks go to Rob and Julia Urwin for their help with the arrangements.
b. Others
The Mark Heaton Tribute Night will be held on November 14 with a karaoke and disco. Noel and Howard will liaise in relation to this event and contact has already been made with Mark’s family.
The Christmas party on December 19 will be targeted at families and junior supporters. Further details will be confirmed nearer the time.
6. Trust AGM
The original date of September 30 has been vacated because of a clash with the Lancashire Cup match against Fleetwood Town. It will now take place on October 7 and Martin will send out the calling notices to members.
7. Relations with the club
The Trust is pleased that progress is now being made with the final stages of the floodlights project and it is expected that the new lights will be in operation shortly.
Members will be asked at the AGM about their thoughts on future projects with the club and the general feeling is that the Trust will look to pursue smaller projects than the floodlights in future. Possible options at this stage include improving disabled facilities and a bar for supporters at the Jack Carr end of the ground.
The board will also consider further the long-term strategy of the Trust, including possibly revisiting the strategic plan document submitted to the club in 2010.
8. Coach travel
The coaches to the matches at Forest Green Rovers and Halifax Town will run. Although the fares received have not reached the break-even point at the time of the meeting, it is hoped that confirmation of the coach running will encourage further bookings, as has been the case in recent trips.
A Trust member has donated £100 towards the Forest Green coach and although a small loss has been made on travel to date, the board is keen for as many of the early season coaches to run in order to show the reliability of the service following the review in the summer.
The fare for the coach to Woking on October 3 will be £29 members, £22 under 16s and £34 non-members, and Kidderminster Harriers on October 17 will be £18 members, £13 under 16s and £23 non-members.
Fans will be consulted in the coming weeks about possible destinations for the weekend trip. Possibilities at this stage involve Dover Athletic, Lincoln City, Grimsby Town, Torquay United, Boreham Wood and Aldershot Town, though a major problem is that a number of the matches, including Torquay, clash with FA Trophy rounds so the matches could be postponed.
9. Communications
The board will look to buy a mobile phone so the same contact number can be used for different Trust activities after the recent changes to the board. The Trust will also set up a designated username on Port Chat in order to use the forum to promote activities and events.
10. Any other business
The club’s matchday hospitality receives good feedback and it was suggested that the Trust could sponsor a match in order to allow members a chance to use the hospitality, perhaps as a prize in a competition.
Enquiries will be made about possibly publishing a Trust calendar as a fundraiser. Jacob Smith, the nephew of Phil Carder, will run the Great North Run on September 13 in memory of Phil. A plaque for the Trust office to remember Phil will be ordered after the wording was chosen.
11. Next meeting
October 7 (AGM).
