Happy, Healthy and Prosperous New Year to all Clubmates,
Hope everyone is wintering well and look forward to seeing many of you at senior and junior winter nets, which are well under way now!
It really is not an understatement to say the club enters 2018 in a financially precarious position, as without the HMRC cloud still hanging over us, (on which Geoff will expand later this week), your Club requires in excess of £45,000 just to break even. On the surface one would think we were doing OK as the number of people playing in 2017 increased, however our membership and match fee revenues decreased for a whole variety of reasons which shall be explained at the Club’s AGM this Friday.
Without the £25,000+ received in donations and sponsorship in 2017, the Club would have been in serious trouble. Urgent action is needed if we are to retain our wonderful playing conditions and the many long lasting friendships we all enjoy. Top of that list is to ensure membership and match fee receipts exceed £20,000 in 2018, which should be achievable if we stem revenue leakage in this area.
In an attempt to reverse our 2017 membership and match fee decline, your committee will be proposing a new approach for 2018 at the Club AGM this Friday. We propose to introduce a month standing order to cover both annual membership and match day fees. We are suggesting that for ten months in 2018, all senior members pay £32.50 a month by standing order, with colts and juniors each paying £20 a month. In effect, this is the cost of just two senior, 2.5 colt and 4 junior match fees a month, which includes the cost of all Club-run outdoor coaching between April and September.
Standing orders would need to be set up to commence March 1st, 2018 and run through to December 2018 with details being sent to everyone next week, provided the proposal is adopted at this Friday’s AGM. The plan would then be to reduce this to £28 a month for 12 months for all senior members in 2019 and £17.50 a month for colts and juniors. This proposal helps to spread the cost of paying for Shenley Village and more importantly, removes the need for all members to ensure they have £15, £8 and £5 respectively on match day!
The committee fully understands every member is different and I am happy to discuss individual arrangements where necessary on 07968 349933.
Best wishes,
George White
Membership Secretary