March 2025

Present:

Jane Roberts, Kevin Sands, Lesley Cornish, Solveig Haywood, Chris Deverell.

1) Apologies

Sam Roberts (President)(SR), Geoff Appleton (Treasurer)(GA), Margaret Appleton (Outings)(MA), Jilly Lane, (Marketing/Website)(JL), Andy Barwell (AB)

2) Minutes of the last meeting

Accepted and signed by Kevin on Jane’s behalf.

3) Matters Arising

Jilly has put a questionnaire together and read out a list of 12 suggested questions which was agreed. A number of questionnaires will now be printed out to be handed out at future away matches.

Jane and Andy have had their meeting.

We are looking the cost of hiring the ‘Bunyan Boat’ for a trip. Linda will come back to Margaret with prices. The trip could be the end of May or early June.

Congratulations to Jilly, Chris and Mel on the new website which has just gone live. This will be advertised to members by the end of next week.

4) Treasurers Report

In Geoff’s absence no report was presented. However, as there had been a break in rugby since the last meeting it was assumed that very little had changed.

5) Membership & Outing Report

Outings

As of the meeting there are 40 booked on the coach to Hartpury leaving at 10.00am with this expected to be increased at the Army game.

6) Committee Succession

Kevin set out the current position with regard to Officers on the Committee. As it stands we currently have no Vice-Chair. The situation will become critical as Jane has not hidden the fact that she will not be standing for re-election at the AGM in July. This will then leave us with no Chair or Vice-Chair unless someone is willing to step up. This situation needs to be seriously discussed at the next meeting and decisions made.

Solvieg is going to ask Linda if she would consider coming onto Committee.

7) Marketing/Website

Nothing further to add to comment in Matters Arising.

8) AOB

a) Andy has advised that Eagle Travel have expressed a wish to provide some form of sponsorship. Discussions are ongoing about the best way forward. JR to ask AB to clarify with Eagle what they have in mind.

b) Sam has asked if the Followers would be willing to show support for the Bedford Tigers Rugby League Team. The initial suggestion is to put match details and fixtures on our website and Facebook pages.

c) Kevin has received a card from Margaret Gillet thanking the Committee for their very generous award a Life Membership. She feel very Honoured.

d) Suggested that the word ‘members’ should be changed to ‘supporters’ in item d) of AOB in last month’s minutes. This will be done.

e) Ryan is happy to publish our Jackpot winning ticket numbers to the Club’s SM.

f) The old web page license is coming up for renewal in May. The question is ‘do we renew it’. It was agreed we would monitor how well the new website performs with the old site being a fall back if necessary. We should make a decision at the April meeting.

9) The next meeting will be on Thursday 10th April 2025 at 6.30pm in the SDC Suite.

There being no further business the meeting was closed at 7.21pm.