Directors Meeting Minutes 25th October 2024
The Trust introduced their new members of the Board – Ruby Loynd, Harry Holt, Jake Dowd (apologies) and Emma Loynd (volunteer looking after coach travel). The Club was represented by Simon Gauge and George Delves, with apologies received from Tony Pockney and Richard Knight
Simon Gauge opened the meeting by providing an update on future changes to the format of AGM’s. This will comprise a corporate/business agenda only to meet the essential requirements of an AGM, rather than in the past, incorporating a fans forum element, available to shareholders only. A Fans Forum will take place, at a date following the AGM, attendance to which will be open to a wider audience than shareholders only.
It is planned to move towards creating an Advisory Board, operated in different ways by Leicester City, Stockport County, Wrexham, and others, to provide a much-improved fans involvement in decision making by creating the ability for individuals representing the various day-to-day activities within the Club to directly input what they believe can assist in growing the fan base through improved fan engagement and inclusion. The project will be led by Jamie Willoughby, representing the full support of the Ogden Family and the Club, and operating completely separately from the Club Board, to consider increased fans involvement in decision making, and, by so doing, provide the opportunity to expand the size of the current fanbase. The overriding intention is to create a more inclusive situation by providing the ability to take into account the views of those representing the various aspects of the community such as youth, female, diversity, inclusion, and others, to debate and agree what is required to provide the needs of each, resulting in the substantial growth in the fanbase we all seek to achieve, and essential to the future sustainability of the Club. The next step in forming the Advisory Board will be for fuller details of all the relevant elements involved to be established, followed by the inclusion of volunteers willing to represent each. Further details to follow.
Andy’s Mans Club
We have been approached by the above, a men’s suicide prevention charity to allow it to set up a table in the Dale Bar/Ratcliffe Suite to encourage anyone troubled to meet with others sharing the same feelings at regular meetings, in a non-judgement way and benefit from knowing #ItsOKToTalk. The Trust requested that we can do this with the support of the Club and Simon agreed that the Community Trust would be the most suitable means to express support, included with all the other aspects of service to the community.
PSA Testing
This was carried out at the stadium previously on matchdays through the Barry Kilby Prostate Cancer Appeal, resulting in levels of results requiring follow up action. The Trust are investigating the funding associated with testing and, costs permitting, intend to plan a suitable date for testing to take place. The facility used previously was the Study Centre and this should be available for future use.
Te Trust will continue to offer additional aspects of welfare, and is aware that the two highlighted above are male gender based, and there needs to be projects concerning female welfare to receive attention and develop. All these activities reflect the desire of the Trust and Club to extend the facilities to the wider community and not restricted to only those involved/interested in football.
Fans Focus Groups
Feedback from those attending the most recent one held in the 1907 Lounge, incorporating face-to-face and YouTube was that it was the most suitable option to utilise in the future. The fact that the meeting was recorded also meant that those unable to attend/watch live on the evening were also included.
Questions submitted
- A question was submitted regarding the granting of the Golden Share to the Supporters Trust by the Ogden Family, and the reason for the delay in it being confirmed. Simon Gauge confirmed that the only reason for the delay is the need for it to be incorporated into the long overdue revision of the Articles of Association of the Club being undertaken at present. This should be completed in the next couple of weeks, and then circulated to shareholders to consider and be included in the agenda for this year’s AGM, the date for which will be announced soon.
- Several members questioned whether the sale of tickets for the FA Cup home draw against Bromley would allow a “priority period” for season card holders to purchase, before open sale. However, this was confirmed earlier in the day of the meeting, with the web site announcing the “priority period”, with the Trust receiving assurance that this facility to prioritise season card holders would continue to apply for all future cup ties, irrespective of opponent faced, whether home or away.
- Compliments were made regarding the improvement in the standard of the kiosk catering. However, comments were made about the speed of delivery due to producing the food, and availability of the range of food at the Smith Metals and Main Stand outlets, and this will be followed up with the caterers.
- Harry Holt asked if the Trust can utilise the scoreboard to promote coach travel, and it was agreed that this was possible by contacting Greg (Media) with details for the information to be processed in time for the relevant matchday. We can also use the Club website to provide the link to our web site to reach a wider audience. The Trust also plan to utilise the many local community online facilities available to promote activities undertaken which will assist in raising the Club’s profile.