This is the same message as last year and I do not apologise for repeating it!
The Club continues to progress positively and develop in line with our ongoing vision for the future. I must again reiterate to Members that the work done by our wonderful volunteers across all our sections, and the professionalism shown in finance, bar management, business planning, grant aid, estate management and commercial activities is saving the club tens of thousands in unavoidable costs. Without this contribution the club would be simply treading water.
Their contribution alone means the club can continue with its development options which are currently being pulled together in a comprehensive business plan which will be available to Members by the end of 2018. As part of that work Alan and I (with the professional support of Michael Robinson) are putting together options for increasing the clubs footprint and this information will be available in the next few weeks.
This year the club has benefited with a £24k interest free loan repayable over 10 years to install replacement sand based courts. This again highlights the work done by volunteers within the club. Well done Alan and Gill and their team. The major Cricket project spending £92k of grant aid from Sport England and the ECB is more or less complete subject to two years of agreed maintenance work. Thank you to John Howard for the brilliant work across the administration of this project.
Significant changes are happening within the Football section that will result in a section fit for purpose and hopefully one that grows with better facilities including increased car parking on Grimshaws.
This brings me sensibly back to the role of volunteers in the club. We need additional support across the whole club. Can you help?
Finally, I would like to add my thanks to the massive contribution being made by our Sponsors which of course is highlighted in the Annual Accounts. Their support is quite brilliant.
Brian Lorenzini – January 2018