Minutes of the Working Group Meeting, 18 July 2000
The Meeting was held at the Liberal Club, Birchills.
Present: Bob Bates; Richard Hall; Paul Jones; David Roe; Phil Sturgess; Adam Winnall; and Jeff Winnall.
Apologies: Chris Miller and Ray Rowley.
The council has given the WST its full support. This was seen as being a huge bonus for the Trust in terms of broadening its appeal and demonstrating its worth to the community. We will need to investigate ways in which the WST can work with the Leisure Services Department and CEO of the Council.
Membership currently stands close to our pre-season aim of 50 members (BB had some cheques for the acting Treasurer). The working group agreed that targets for the AGM should be 100 members and for the end of the season 250.
The 'Mutualism' meeting for supporters' groups, held in Oldbury on 15 July 2000 had been useful in showing how far the WST had come. AW, PJ and BB noted that it provided an opportunity for financial arrangements to be outlined and for sharing experiences and contact details. The 'Starter Packs' were also made available. Future seminars on financial and strategic management should be valuable. However, the failure of Mike Foster MP to attend was a great disappointment. If initiatives like Supporters Direct are to succeed the Government must back them. The WST must tie into the national launch.
The start of the season would be a crucial time for gaining new members. It was decided that the working party would have 10,000 leaflets printed and that they would seek financial support from Supporters' Direct or from a new web site that Chris Miller was facilitating. Leafletting would take place at Rotherham and at the home game against Oldham. BB agreed to co-ordinate this and work with the others in order to promote the WST at the friendly versus Watford.
PS will approach the club to ask whether we can leaflet inside Bescot Stadium and DR noted that we need a letterhead and logo producing before we approach businesses, leisure centres etc. for support.
RH noted the importance of sponsorship for letterheads, printing etc.. PJ stated that corporate membership should include a 'Roll of Honour' on the web site and in publicity materials. This will be followed through. Fundraising events are also a must.
The WST is now in the final stages of registering with Companies House and will be issuing membership cards and share certificates soon.
RH thought that it was important that this should be in a central location. PS stated that the Crossing at St Pauls Church had been used before for football-related events. RH agreed to approach the Church as well as the Council about the use of the Town Hall. The meeting had to be publicised 21 days in advance and this would mean that it will take place in late September. Hopefully, the first quarterly newsletter will be produced by then as well.
It was important that the WST liaised with the WFSC. It was agreed that the WST should ask Steve Shaw to talk to the committee.
These had been attended to by RH. The working group noted that the ISSA would need to take out a corporate membership, or that individual ISSA members would need to join the WST, in order to propose amendments at the AGM. RH was detailed to liaise with the ISSA over these amendments.
None.