Supporters Trust

[Ted]

Anyone know what the latest news is. It all seems to have gone quiet.

[Burnham Lad]

I agree, Ted, what is happening?

 

What has happened about the inaugural meeting? How many people have joined? What is the Trust planning for the future?

 

There was a bit in the Banstead programme to say the membership forms are available, and asking people to join and set up monthly donations, but I think a lot of people will want to know what use is planned for the money, first? For example what is the relationship between FRUS Ltd and the Trust, in both business and relationship terms?

 

Let's hear a bit more about it - we don't want the trust to be accused of the same deathly silence of which the Club is usually guilty! That is guaranteed to lose support.

[Guest]

well said gentlemen i think a little note here and on official site weekly would do

 

[GarySTFC]

I was waiting for Sliski to post something about this but then remembered that he is away on holiday at the moment so won't be looking at the forum! D'oh...

 

Basically, the launch party date and venue is being established to which all those who have registered as Trust members will be written to and invited to. The date for this will be toward the end of November/early December time depending on venue availability.

 

Membership forms to become a member of the Trust are available at home games from the shed next to the turnstiles courtesey of Mark Hunter. There will be a section on the website establish where people can download the forms, print and return them to sign up.

 

Personally, I don't really want to comment on the financial side of things as I'm not certain how it will be setup and how it is decided that the money is used. I think that the outlay is decided upon by the Board of the Trust as to whether or not to spend the money or not. (Take all this with a pinch of salt as it may all be incorrect). There will be some local business people elected onto the board to help with the running of the trust so people like Bernard Devine and Geoff Mingay (CF Lakes) will most likely be approached to see if they would like to help out.

 

Letters will go all to all those whove signed up and any season ticket members who've not already signed up to elect a board for the trust. People wishing to stand to be elected onto the board should let Chris Sliski know. As it stands, I think the current Supporters Association committee will all be standing, along with anyone else who expresses an interest such as Ian Lathey.

 

I'm sure many of the points above get the rough idea across, although the best two people to speak to are Mike Lightfoot and Chris Sliski on matchdays, possibly along with Alan Harding. Those three have read up on the information well, certainly much better than I have!

[Ted]

Thanks

[Burnham Lad]

Chris Sliski said in a reply to Nathan under another post:

 

"Hi Nathen....the money is held and the share holders are the holders of this money...and on their say so we will do what ever is asked of us !

 

Form a new team ? move back to wexham park etc etc etc... these just maybe some of the answers if Martin Deaner does not actually do anything !"

 

Chris, we have asked some questions about the Trust in this Thread and Gary has given some answers, but suggests that you may be able to add to what he said. There does not seem to be any formal way that the Trust is able to communicate with members and the fact that people are asking questions says that the Trust needs to do more to communicate - otherwise it will be no better than the club director(s).

 

At present the Trust just seems to be a device for completing forms and collecting money- to do what? How will the decisions be taken? Who is developing the strategy for the Trust and the Club? What is the relationship between them?

 

I have tried to find out if anything has happened with the feasibility study for Kennedy Park, but as usual all is silent. The council have already decided what is happening at the site near Herschel school - incidentally did ALL the councillors know about that when it was first raised in this Forum? If so, why was it being pushed, when it was a non-starter?

 

So, please can we have some answers? John Tebbit wrote in the programme about the 29th anniversary of Wexham Park and that the ground is still being cut and maintained. There are a lot of people who are starting to give up on anything happening - and after five years of constantly downhill, who can blame them? We really need to see something positive happening, not just the usual silence from the management of the club. There are always people saying anouncements are about to be made.... but we have heard that so often now, it is a joke, and people have absolutely no trust anymore that anything is happening at all. Don't let that happen with the Trust. One only has to look in the NLP to see stories about what the other Trusts are doing to take positive action - all we are doing is filling in forms!

 

[GarySTFC]

Hello again you old boat rocker! <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

 

Officially, the trust has not been launched yet and I believe a venue is being investigated for this to be held. Unfortunately, with it being the run up to Christmas, even finding a suitable venue is proving quite difficult to host the sort of function we are looking for, so this may defer the launch until after Christmas. I am fairly sure that once a date and venue have been established, all those who have filled out a form to register with the trust will be contact either via email or by post informing them of the details.

 

On top of this, there will be people standing to be elected to the board of Directors of the Trust. At present, this would be the Supporters Assosciation committee which is Mike Lightfoot (Chairman), Chris Sliski (Hon. Gen. Secretary), Alan Harding, John Tebbit, Colin Evans, Paul Lillywhite, Mark Hunter, Audrey (Apologies Audrey I've forgotten your surname! Audrey is the lady responsible for the first aid within the ground on matchdays) and myself. Apologies if I've missed anyone off that list I think there's eleven in total and I've managed nine.

 

Once that board is elected, then decisions can be made about the money through members requests which will then be decided upon by the board for the outlay. At the moment, yes, the trust is gathering money which I believe will not be used until the above has all been resolved.

 

I'm not sure how many people have signed up for regular donations, but I hope this will follow once the above has been established. Another disappointing thing is the lack of members. I think it's only about the same figure as what the STSA had signed up last year? Hopefully, this will also rise once the above points have been sorted out.

 

The news of other trusts going into the local press is also what we will be aiming for, once we're established. I certainly hope that I will be in a position to be elected onto the board of the trust, and with that, will have direct access to updating a section on the website which is in the process of being formed as we speak. We will have an established list of contacts for press announcements from the trust, so I can't imagine it will be much different in many respects from what you are reading about in the NLP with other clubs trusts. It all comes back to the opening points of getting things arranged with the launch and the board.

 

There is another STSA committee meeting shortly, so some more information should become available from that. As and when that meeting takes place (currently scheduled for next week, although I hope it moves as it clashes with the Reserves clash against Woking or Farnborough) either myself or Chris will have some more detailed information to pass on.

 

Again, don't take all the above to be the gospel truth, some of it may not be correct, but the gist of it is certainly right I believe.

[Burnham Lad]

Boat rocker? Moi?

 

Just picking up some of the comments heard at the match on Sunday - if those of you "in power" don't get told these things, then you can't respond.

 

Your reply gives more information than we had, Gary, so thanks.

 

There was one little interaction on Sunday, - Roy said that he hoped there would be something positive to announce soon. He was immediately greeted with a chorus along the lines of "Oh Yeah? Thats what we have been told for the last five years, so why believe it now?"

 

There really is a credibility problem and that may be why the Trust membership is not growing as you would like, together with the fact that people see other Trusts doing exciting things to get their clubs running again - people only join things when they are given a reason to - and at the moment, nothing seems to be happening. Feasibility study, Kennedy Park (- it is surprising how many committed Slough fans think that is pie in the sky), return to Wexham, top six place, finding our what is happening..... need I go on?

 

Not that I would rock any boats, mind..... <img src="/images/graemlins/whistling.gif" alt="" />

[Guest]

All good points raised !!! might I say....

 

The trust was formed just to be in place to be ready if it all goes tits up ! with Slough Town FC under its present owner, our association in its make up was not in a position to do anything in its constitution if we were going to try and take up the reigns.

 

With all the behind the scene's hard work by our committee we have taken the first step to get our selves ready.

 

We must get the legal stuff sorted out and then we can offically launch ourselves....

 

We are currently looking for an auditor and changing all our bank details over to the new set up....

 

We will not be ready to launch until after christmas as Gary has stated but we feel we can not rush these things and only hope we will get it right.

 

 

Cheers Chris

[budman13]

So give me one good reason to join the trust now.

[GarySTFC]

You'll be supporting the club rather than Mr Deaner.

[budman13]

That is such a great way to sell the trust to people.

 

The only way i'm supporting Mr Deaner is by paying to get in. Are you telling me not to bother?

 

If I was given more information rather than just a request for money I might join.

 

[GarySTFC]

It was only a joke budman, sorry!

 

I would sign up to the trust now which you can do for £10 without setting up a regular donation. This initial donation will entitle you to regular mailings about club news (fixture re-arrangements mainly), trust news and other updates.

 

I'm sure Chris S will be able to supply the more in depth ins & outs on the soon to be established STST webpage.

[budman13]

I understand what you're saying Gary but I would still rather there was more information available before I join. Maybe Chris Sliski can help me out there.

[GarySTFC]

Budman, have a word with Chris before the game on Saturday when we're at home to Staines.

 

I think there is a need to arrange some kind of meeting so people can air their points, but when things like this have been arranged in the past, they have been poorly attended. We'll see.

[budman13]

I can't make it saturday due to other commitments. The sun in Spain mainly. I'll try him next week.