Saint Mary’s Old Boys RFC
Committee Meeting Minutes
Thursday 20th August 2009
Present: John Redmond; Steve Miller; Andy McWhinnie; Alen O’Keeffe; Helen Nicholson; Ken Squire; Ian Rawlings; Gay Brewer; Adrian Siddorn; Kipper Holbrook
Apologies: Judith Hernandez; Bob Irvine, Sophie Holbrook
Minutes of previous meeting agreed
Communications/Correspondence:
Combination Cup – We have drawn Keynsham on Tuesday the 29th September to be played at the Portway Centre, with a 7.30pm kick off. All matches in this round will be played at the Portway Centre on consecutive Tuesday evenings. Matches must be played on the given date.
Pre-Season Friendlies – Kenilworth home Saturday 22nd August 2.30pm KO and
Old Reds home Thursday 27th August 7.30pm KO
Referee for both matches is Dave Parsons.
Director of Rugby – GB requested this item to be added to the agenda.
IR – Coaching is going well; three coaches fine, but it is essential to have someone to act as Director of Rugby.
This was discussed at length; two names of possible persons to fill this role are ***** and ******, GB and IR felt the decision should come from the players and that they should be spoken to with this in mind and hopefully someone to be offered this role as soon as possible and ideally before the start of the season.
An SMS system will be set up by SM ASAP, IR to forward contact details to SM
Action SM & IR
This will at least be one way of contacting players to inform them of their selection etc.
Final decision not arrived at; all members to consider the implications and to come to a suitable and agreeable decision ASAP. JR is sorting an info sheet for players about means of communication. He has already had discussion with Shane about this. We have already looked at cost implications and it appears that the same SMS messaging system for Minis and Juniors could easily be put in place. Action JR/GB
Skills Active Course – This is going ahead, its first day course is on “developing and sustaining the workforce”. JR will usually attend and KH will fill in for one.
Matters Arising:
Incorporation – AS JR GB KS will attend a first meeting, the date to be confirmed by AS
Action GB
Socious – Cancelled due to insufficient numbers
Paving – Work has already started and a digger will soon be hired to dig out roots. Action AS & KH
Tackle Bags –These have arrived and are in use
Combination Dinner – 1st team captain, James Gallagher, has been invited and will be joining us. AS will ask Steve King if he would like to be included, as he is a good friend to the Club Action AS
Land Purchase – This is ongoing with Simon Gait
Kit Cupboard – There are no volunteers to open the kit cupboard on Saturdays; the only key holder is Pete Bishop.
Playing Shirts – The shirts will arrive in the third week of September, should be 15th September. Sponsorship of £*** has come from Steve King; Panacea will be on the right sleeve (and their sponsorship will equate to ****** value for International tickets purchased); Brookers shirt sponsorship will come out of their overall package; Besley Hill will be on the left sleeve, they will be sponsoring towards the U17s end of season tour. IR met with Tesco who may take up a package to include use of the Club for social occasions; JP Woods and Cameron Lee are keen to put together a package;
Concrete Cone – May be delivered tomorrow, cost £** plus VAT.
Press Officer – Match reports up to 150 words to be sent to John White Action KS
Team news will be sent in midweek to John White Action IR
Padlocks for Metal Boxes – AW wants contents to be available for use to all players, so no locks required. Coaches need to come back to us if they still insist they are needed.
Rugby Posts – posts to be erected on the soccer pitch, the old posts have rotted so AW is looking to acquire new ones Action AW
Rugby on the Beach – KH attended the event at Weymouth. He was the only Coach Coordinator and Pathfinder rep present.
Fund Raising Site – The fund raising site on our Club website is working well.
Twickenham – The need to “fence off” the Twickenham pitch discussed and posts with rope were decided on Action SM
Sand Slitting – Invoice for this to be submitted
Dressing Rooms – The dressing rooms have been upgraded, the toilet area has been half tiled, skirting boards have been removed and all coat hooks have been replaced, the dressing rooms are looking good.
Calendar Money – No money received; HN has been paid some (approx £** ) she will give KS a cheque on Saturday. Two representatives from the Ladies section were meant to attend the meeting at 8.30, no one did.
Club Development Plan – GB emailed Sean O’Reilly for a copy, no reply as yet. AS will email JR a previous plan to update. JR has since spoke to S O’R and he is getting a copy form him also Action AS
AW Contract – This is ongoing. JR received the proforma one from SH and is amending it. JR and AW will discuss and reach an agreement
Committee Meetings – JR suggested that perhaps individuals would prefer to attend the meetings simply to give their report and then leave the meeting. This would result in a shorter meeting which may be advantageous; Committee members will consider this option and report back. Action All
Chairman’s Report:
Cash Sheets – KS has paid staff tax and NI
Fence around Oil Tank – The fence is falling down and rotting, AW will repair/replace at an approximate cost of £**
Club Ties – No Money has been received from Club ties given out at the Cup Final. Issue closed with warning about being more careful with items of this nature in the future.
Container – Container has been removed unfortunately so has the racking which had not been removed. SM will try and retrieve.
Brookers – Brookers have been informed of all fixtures including the pre-season friendlies; their mailbox is full and the message has been returned JR will try again.
Combination Handbook – both JR and GB have updated the Combination handbook information; JR has passed onto Steve Cooper and Simon Gait details of the Vets Tournament.
Ladies Training – Monday night training is well attended, however this may well change when the season starts and matches are played on Sundays. Theo has been informed of a coaching course which he has agreed to attend.
Physiotherapists – A meeting has occurred and discussions about cover etc for the coming season. A rota has been sorted. There are 2 Saturday matches with no physiotherapist cover and no first aid cover either. JR has met and interviewed a volunteer Sports Therapist who wants to shadow the Physios. This has been agreed.
Ultrasound Machine - needs to repaired or replaced, JR will enquire repair costs, GB will enquire if Hardings (Scientific Instrument repairers) will repair this piece of equipment and the probable cost Action JR & GB
Overseas Players – Franco wants to return to SMOB but requires a number of conditions which we can’t meet, so unlikely to return to SMOB and England.
South Africa – JR contacted Vice Consul in South Africa he will let possible players know we are looking to recruit.
Zimbabwean – Still wishing to join us, changes in Zimbabwe may permit this, will wait to see what happens.
SMS – As discussed under heading Director of Rugby, SM will set up SMS system to alert senior players of selection etc. Action SM
Match Day Programmes – Kelly has designed a programme, the Programmes will all be printed in one session, and central inserts will be added on match days. Liam O’Keeffe has volunteered to get player profiles. Articles from different sections of the Club will be required. Advertisers will be able to pay for quarter page adverts (£**) half page Adverts (£**) of full page adverts (£**) these adverts will run for the whole season.
Programme Selling Rota – Committee members will be asked to sell match day programmes as no one else has volunteered. A rota will be set up Action GB
Junior Report:
AMcW – All age groups have been entered for the Combination Cup Competition.
Mini Report:
JR – All age groups except the U7s want to enter the Gloucester Cup Competition. JH suggests SMOB is used as a venue for this. JH will be asked to contact Mike Heath regarding the framework and what Gloucester would expect from this. The Committee will back JH and have noted comments from AW.
Girls’ Report:
HN requires a cheque for Dave’s coaching course in October
Treasurer’s Report:
Income low and bank balance decreasing, however bank balance is still in credit by a healthy margin
Colts’ Report:
Match against Newport Colts this Sunday with a 2.30 home KO. Colts have a full fixture list, playing in the Bristol Colts league and the Gloucester Colts league as well as the National Cup Competition.
Seniors’ Report;
IR nothing other than already discussed.
A.O.B:
SM – none
AMcW – none
AS – Steve King will be invited to the Combination dinner Action AS
We have lost one sponsor this season; ***** will only be able to cover the cost of International tickets; **** and *** will continue to sponsor us. Members can apply to buy International tickets, however sponsors are more reliable, they pay when tickets are ordered whereas members often order tickets then cancel at the last minute without having paid for them.
Brookers will be informed of teams to be fed
Action SM
Committee meeting minutes will be sent to the Club Captain James Gallagher
Action GB
CRB checks will be a different format next season
HN – none
KS – none
KH – none
IR – none
GB - none
Meeting Closed at 21.48hrs
Date of next meeting
Thursday 17th September 2009