Sub Committee Meeting 14.12.20

Meeting Minutes

Location: Zoom Meeting Online
Date: 14th December 2020
Time: 8.30pm

Chaired by: Justin Sheppard
Attendees: Paul Alexander, Susan Jackson, Gordon Nicholl, Rachel Smith, Victoria Colby

In was agreed in advance that there was a need for this meeting as we hadn’t met properly as a group since the appointment of new roles within the sub committee. The aim of the meeting was to get a general discussion about club matters with a particular focus on;

  • fundraising
  • community outreach
  • club welfare

Introduction

The meeting was opened by Justin.
Justin stated how the formation of a club sub committee had been a great addition to the club. It was a very positive step to have this first meeting and that these meetings should now take place on a regular basis. As well as the sub committee being a positive thing it was important to improve upon it and all feedback was very much welcomed. This meeting focus will be to identify our current strengths, weaknesses and needs then in turn devise a clear and concise action plan.

Fundraising Issues

  1. Fundraising events are currently suffering from the Covid-19 situation (quiz in particular was unlucky with the restrictions being eased on the same weekend so many members had social occasions planned)
  2. There is a clear lack of support for our events when you consider the size of the club
  3. Possible lack of engagement with members about events. Notably concern abut coaches buy-in to promoting events.
  4. Concern that too many small fundraising mean too much info going to parents in a short space of time. Also the workload may not be worth the small gains in revenue.
  5. More volunteers needed to assist with fundraising.

Fundraising Actions

  1. Engage with our members, in particular parents, senior players and coaches, to gain feedback about fundraising events. In the current circumstances this will be achieved through a survey eg. google form.
  2. improve our community links so events will be broadcast to a wider audience eg. links with additional schools, clubs, organisations who in turn will promote our events.
  3. Improve use of social media, possibly invest in social training so that our platforms are gaining maximum exposure. This may be done in-house with someone confident in the area of social media.
  4. Susan mentioned a poster app that she uses for her own business that may be useful for others to have access to when producing social media posts
  5. Focus on 2-3 main fundraisers per year and get them in the calendar early. Smaller low-maintenance fundraisers like Last Man Standing and Online Poker Nights can continue as these have gained good support especially from the seniors.
  6. We will put a volunteer recruitment drive out in the next few days.

Community Outreach Issues

  1. We need to continue to increase our presence in the local community
  2. More volunteers needed to help with community outreach
  3. Community sector of the club needs its own club email address
  4. The club accounts need to be up-to-date to allow access to all possible grants and funding

Community Outreach Actions

  1. Create links with other local sports clubs (Justin has already begun discussion with a few clubs including, Lisburn Cricket Club, Lisnagarvey Hockey Club and Lisburn Swimming Club).
  2. Form a fixed agreement with Lisburn Foodbank to support them all year round, using the football factory as a drop off point
  3. Create a club Mascot. Run a ‘Design a Club Mascot’ Competition
  4. Reach out to community police team (Victoria has already initiated this link)
  5. Care Farm link – enquire about having our players volunteer at the Care Farm
  6. Rachel proposed a possible link with St Paul’s working with adults with dementia.
  7. Improve relations with local businesses by hosting an engagement event rather than just sending out a brochure
  8. Create a club email address of community@hillsboroughboys.info for use by Victoria and any others who join the community outreach team.
  9. Paul and/or Justin will liaise with Sean regards getting club accounts finalised and up-to-date.

AOB

  1. Links with counselling/mental health organisations to help promote mental health awareness. Emerge and TAMHI both mentioned and have worked with the club before.
  2. Santa messages for Club Happy Christmas Video
  3. Branded brochure design already exists from school programmes brochure, so similar can be used for any further brochures to be designed
  4. Since the meeting ended Justin, Gordon and Rachel have agreed that the Child Welfare Team would be better renamed as the Welfare Team as they cover the welfare of the whole club and have a particular focus on mental health awareness for all ages. This team also needs a club email address of welfare@hillsboroughboys.info

Next meeting date was not confirmed.