MINUTES OF ELY RUNNERS ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING,
PARADISE CENTRE, ELY, MONDAY 6th FEBRUARY 2012
Present (14) Stephen Howard, Stephen Tovey, Peter Harris, John Turner, Charlie Barker, Julie Foreman, Darren Murfitt, Alan Rutterford, John Glover, Tony Hall, Lionel Smith, Matt Holmes, Peter Gipp, Nick Dowdy
Apologies (10) Kevin Fox, Daniel Regan, Emily Knight, Craig Holgate, John Crisp, Alfredo Verna, Rob Campbell, Anita Lewis, Heidi Uff, Lesley Wright
1. SH opened the meeting at 7:35 pm. He thanked those present for attending and reminded everyone that the principle aim of the club was to allow members to ‘enjoy running’.
2. Steve Tovey said these had been circulated and were on the club website. There were no matters arising.
3. PH presented a comprehensive report on the state of the clubs finances. Total Income was down slightly in 2011 (£8731.99) compared to 2010 (£8977.44); this was mainly due to a reduction in Track Fund Income (interest only in 2011) compared to 2010. Net profits on the club’s open events increased slightly (£6729.78 versus £6543.06 in 2010) mainly due to increased entry fees and increased entry numbers at Grunty Fen/NYE10k. Total expenditure increased from £4064.08 (2010) to £5399.27 (2011), mainly due to increases in expenditure at internal club events, the purchase of extra club trophies and skychaser flags.
The net surplus of income over expenditure was £3332.72 (down from £4913.36 in 2010). PH stressed that although we are, in the short term, in a very strong position financially, the medium to long term is less strong. PH said that although income had been fairly constant over the past 5 years, expenditure had been rising by about £500 per annum and this year had risen by almost £1500. PH said despite the various explanations for this (one off expenditure/increased membership), it is a worrying trend. PH placed particular emphasis on expenditure being about 4-times higher than money taken from membership fees, hence PH’s proposal later in the evening to start increasing membership subs to a more long term sustainable level. PH said there is also a question mark on how long we can maintain our event income levels.
4. Grunty Fen saw an increase in operational profit from £2560.74 in 2010 to £3055.55 in 2011. This was mainly due to an increase in the number of entries and an increased entry fee. The increase was achieved despite the implementation of chip timing and additional expenses due to increased traffic management commitments (split equally between GF & the NYE10k). PH had included a provision for a £500 donation to charity from GF profits – the recipients yet to be decided (but see AOB).
5. The NYE 10k saw a slight decrease in profit from £3282.32 in 2010 to 2974.23 in 2011. The increased revenue from an increased entry fee was offset by traffic management expenses and the provision of T-shirts for all finishers (in addition to the usual beer).
6. The club’s net current assets as at 31/12/2011 are £43,004.40, with £21,718.09 in general funds and £21,286.31 retained in the club’s track fund.
7. SH thanked PH for his detailed presentation of the accounts and dedicated work as Treasurer. The accounts were accepted (pSH/sJT).
8. ST commented that it had been a year of transition after John Turner stepped down from his previous roles of Club Secretary and Race Director of open events. ST said membership currently stood at 165 with 34 juniors in a thriving junior section with 30% of members being female. ST mentioned that 20-30 (record 50) members were attending training on Tuesday/Thursday nights. ST thanked SH for his hard work and success as race director of the club’s open events in 2011 and also thanked Julie Foreman, John Glover and Darren Murfitt for the hard work they continue to put into helping to organise open events. ST thanked Alan Rutterford and Simon Jackson for managing RNR/Hereward relay teams. ST thanked Heidi Uff, Lionel Smith and Matt Holmes who joined the committee during 2011 – in particular Heidi’s continued organisation of the Cambridge Parkrun and Matt’s efforts with club events in 2011 and with the new style Newsletter. ST also handed round a pair of running shorts in the proposed new style for the club.
9. Sadly Heidi Uff, team captain for 2011, was unable to attend the AGM and Lionel Smith only took over as men’s team captain late in 2011.
10. Alan Rutterford presented his 1 page report, the text of which is below:
Coaches Report
“At present we have Alan Rutterford, Max d’Ayala, Lesley Wright and Mick Butler as active coaches that are out most weeks with the juniors. As the junior section expands the number of coaches required is going to increase. The club also has non active coaches in Adam Etches, John Crisp and Melanie Fisher who don’t get to coaching sessions, and are therefore unable to help out. During the last 6 months of 2011 we introduced Charlie Barker as the club’s Welfare Officer. Charlie comes along to the junior sessions every 5/6th week and introduces himself to juniors and their parents. Charlie went on a safeguarding and child protection course at Stanground in November hosted by Living Sport. Charlie has, or is in the process of getting his UKA CRB check done.
As the junior section gets larger we are going to need more coaches, and UKA and GCAN are hoping to fund more coaches this year as part of their national plan. I have asked Sharon Leonard if she would be interested in joining the coaching team. Sharon is already a club member and helps out at the junior training sessions most weeks and will hopefully be with us for awhile as her son, Lewis, is only 10. Sharon is interested and will need to attend a coaching course, First Aid course and apply for a CRB check. Last October I attended a Safeguarding and Child protection course at Pidley, hosted by Living Sport. There are a couple of the other coaches (Max, Lesley & Mick) that need to attend these refresher courses this year at £35 each. The club desperately needs First Aid courses as we are well overdue for a refresher course. Therefore I will need to book courses through Living Sport which are at Pidley and Cambridge in March and April. These courses are held over 2 evenings and cost £50 each. We need at least 6 so far. Many thanks also to the parent helpers who also help the coaches with the juniors. They are; Sharon Leonard, Brent Crossman, Jon Pennington, Samantha Collins-Shirley, Sally McGowen, Caroline Sturman, Stephanie Staaf and David Wright. Many thanks for your help”.
Alan Rutterford
Ely Runners & ECAC Coach
BARR Scrutineer
SH asked how many coaches are required per session – AR suggested 3-4 coaches with 2 helpers.
ST suggested he send an e-mail to the membership to appeal for members interested in getting involved in coaching.
AR added that the junior section was thriving and explained that notices of training routes etc. and taster sessions were displayed on the club noticeboard. The implementation of a junior webpage was in the hands of ST and Max d’Ayala.
11. The club’s Officers (Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer) and nine Committee Members were proposed, seconded and elected as follows:
12. This group comprises members with specific responsibilities for open and club events. The following were proposed and elected:
13. PH proposed (sST) and it was agreed that:
14. It was proposed (ST, sSH) and agreed to renew affiliation to the following:
15. It was agreed (pST; sJT) that the Committee and Events Working Group should organise the following events:
16. It was agreed (pST; sDM) that the Committee could enter club teams for:
17. The £20,000 set aside for the Track Fund at the 2010 AGM and additional income for this project (current fund standing at £21,286.31) to remain allocated subject to review and re-approval at the next AGM or, if necessary, at an EGM (pJT/sSH).
18. Relating to the above, JT commented that the new bypass was now highly unlikely to use Amherst Field meaning King’s School are more likely to support and release land for an all-weather track facility. The “Track for Ely” organisation had consultants lined up – but this was still dependent upon an absolute route for the bypass being decided. There is also the possibility of support from Sainsbury. JT was authorised to continue to represent ER with “Track for Ely” and report back to the committee on a regular basis (pST, sSH).
19 It was agreed (pST; sJT) to change the wording of the club’s constitution to reflect current policies on Junior Training from:
Current Wording: "Children under the age of 16 attending training, races or any club activity must be accompanied by their parent or guardian who shall be entirely responsible for them.
For young people age 16 or 17, a parent or guardian is to be entirely responsible for their attendance at all club activities".
New wording:"The club recommends that Children under the age of 16 attending training, races or any club activity are accompanied by their parent or guardian who shall then be entirely responsible for them. In the absence of a parent/guardian children under the age of 16 may only attend training, races or any club activity in the presence of a CRB-cleared coach and then only with the permission of the child's parent or guardian and on the understanding that the parent or guardian is to be entirely responsible for their attendance at all club activities. For young people age 16 or 17, a parent or guardian is to be entirely responsible for their attendance at
all club activities".
20. It was agreed that the club adopt EA/ARC age/length guidelines for private club races (pSH; s ST)
21. Following extensive review and discussion of 2011 performances, the Committee agreed (with recommendations from Alan Rutterford and Lesley Wright for the Junior trophies) that the following members be awarded the Club’s Annual Trophies.
22. Chairman Stephen Howard reminded members that 'Special Achievement' trophies are in appreciation of exceptional efforts for the club spanning many years and not in respect to a single year. Thus the lack of awards this year is due to a combination of a high number of special achievements having been rewarded in prior years, and of dedicated newer helpers having been in their posts for a relatively short time.
23. Club coach Alan Rutterford presented Julie Foreman with a bouquet of flowers to show the club’s gratitude for her continued hard work in processing entries for the club’s open events – including processing 700 entries in 4 days for the NYE10k.
24. It was agreed to continue with the club membership (due 1st October) of the Paradise Centre for members to change and shower free of charge after training or races (pST/sCB).
25. Proposals (ST/sJF) were approved for the club’s Officers or Committee (subject to the Treasurer’s advice on the threshold reserve of funds) to authorise reasonable expenditure, to the benefit of the club and its members, including the following:
26. Race Director Stephen Howard explained the long-standing arrangements with Sporting Print for Grunty Fen T-Shirts. After a short discussion on the difficulties of getting last year’s winning T-shirt design physically onto a T-shirt it was decided that this year the juniors should undertake a Grunty Fen poster design competition – to be organised by AR/LW.
27. Donations to charity. PH set aside £500 from GF profits to be donated to charity. The club’s officers had already agreed to donate some of the money to Cambridge Parkrun in order to support the event that has been well attended be ER and organised by Heidi & John Uff. Tony Hall suggested a donation to a local prostate charity or other men’s charity as he felt such charities were often overlooked.
28. JT said he had been asked by Terry Braverman (Saffron Striders) for the club to support his campaign for free race entries for over 60’s – after a brief discussion it was agreed the committee/EWG would discuss the matter at their next meeting.
29. After seeing the sample shorts ST provided, JT suggested there might need to be an alternative style more suited to racing.
Club Chairman Stephen Howard closed the meeting at ~9:35 PM
ST 06.03.2012