Minutes of members' meeting - Thursday 24th October

1, Apologies for absence

Katrina Taylor

 

2. Matters arising from last meeting

James Cave has kindly been helping with the match updates at home games. Haydn Preece stated that the club may be in a position to make a major announcement regarding development off the pitch in the next couple of months.

 

3. Treasurers report

The Trust’s balance currently stands at £24,698. This is after the purchase of the £465 Yellow Bird costume, the £150 sponsorship of Danny Hurst, updated signage (£235) and player of the month trophies (£40). £15,000 has been put into a 6 month term deposit which will yield £131 in interest.

 

4. Membership

Membership is still hovering at around the 215 mark with some new members having been signed up on recent coach trips. Dave Mullan of Merseyrail suggested approaching corporate sponsors after matches with a view to signing them up as members.

 

5. Support from Trust for the club

Haydn reiterated the importance of community coaching with the chief aims being to encourage healthy activity in youngsters and to raise awareness of the club. Paul Rutherford and Steven Tames will be providing coaching at local primary schools and at Southport College at a total cost of £4860. Trust members present were willing to support the club with this but as the outlay would be over £500 a resolution must be put to all members. This will happen shortly.

 

6. Race Night

The Trust would like to put on record a big thanks to Dave Mullan and all at Merseyrail for sponsoring the upcoming Race Night. Also to John Wood and Mecca Bingo for donating prizes. An invitation has gone out via Cambridge United’s supporters trust to any of their fans who wish to attend.

 

7. Disappointing attendances at home matches

A discussion took place about the reasons for low attendances at home matches and ideas for how these could be improved. The possibility of utilising the space between the Jack Carr Stand and the Popular Side for entertainment purposes was raised. It was also suggested that Trust members should try and bring a friend to matches. Members would be asked for their views and ideas in the next newsletter.

 

8. Lotteries

Phil Carder has been unable to reach Southport Rugby Club or S&B Cricket Club to discuss the possibility of a joint lottery. Haydn indicated that the club would only support a lottery that was run independently.

 

9. Coach Travel

 The coaches are currently running at a net loss of £253 due to subsidising the special offer to Tamworth. Cambridge has been ruled out as a destination for a weekend away due to the cost of hotels in the area. Gateshead/Newcastle will now be looked into as possibility although this falls on Easter weekend.

 

10. Website

The re-designed website is almost ready for launch and will link into the Port Online site.

 

11. Half-time entertainment

The impending installation of an electronic scoreboard may provide opportunities for some form of half-time entertainment. Members were asked to come forward if they have any ideas.

 

12. Other fundraising & social events

A date is to be set for a Nostalgia Night with Mike Braham and Geoff Wilde, most likely to be in the New Year. A Question of Sport will take place towards the end of the season.

 

13. Any other business

There has been some sabotaging of the player of the month voting by certain players. This has now been dealt with. ‘The Onion Bag’ has kindly agreed to donate to the Trust the profits of the sales of his/her brochures containing the popular articles.

 

14. Next Meetings

Board – Thursday 21st November

RSS Feed