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2025 January

Date: Friday 10th January 2025

Attendees: Chris Togwell (CT), Karen Vermeer (KV), Ross Brewer (RB), Lester Medcalf (LM), Eddie Vermeer (EV and acting Chair)

Apologies: Phil Rogers (PR), Karen Wells (KW), Mike Ellis-Martin (MEM), Suzie Deighton (SD)

Please note numbers correspond to agenda items

  1. No previous minutes

  2. Noted above

  3. EV provided committee with an update explaining details of personal situation that has prevented EV from completing minutes from last meeting and reduced capacity for both EV and KV to contribute to the club. Committee agreed to move on using known outstanding issues and AOB.

EV highlighted need to encourage more volunteers to support the club, as EV now has less time to continue same level of activities from last season.

ACTION: Breakdown support required into simpler functions to help people understand exactly what help is needed and potential time commitments. EV will publish specific areas needed, for example volunteer recruitment, website development that have been discussed previously. Other functions will be identified and considered.

ACTION: EV will raise issue of volunteers with East Grinstead Sports Council – one idea is to collaborate with other clubs to pool ideas and collaborate on volunteer recruitment, combined website, Facebook groups etc. Seek input/support from Town Council.

ACTION: Team managers to share match dates with parents and seek confirmation of commitment to compete and assist across matches. Club will offer to fund training.

ACTION: MEM to work with coaches to encourage finding ways to ask parents to assist with coaching sessions and increase involvement of parents.

  1. Safeguarding

No safeguarding concerns have been brought to the committee.

EV highlighted need for volunteers that are in contact with athletes should complete England Athletics courses “Preventing bullying in sport” and “Mental well-being in sport and physical activity” and other volunteers encouraged to complete.

ACTION: EV will contact England Athletics again to arrange a discount for bulk purchase.

Accidents & Incidents

No accidents and incidents reported.

Club Standards

No change in club standards.

Finance

RB noted current account stands at approx £28000. With increased costs from indoor training and subsidising London Athletics meeting, the club is still expected to break even this year. Stock of vests purchased with resale value considered an asset and offsets reduction of cash in bank.

ACTION: RB will seek input from Committee and Coaches to help budget for 2025 with anticipated / proposed expenditure and investments. This will then be reviewed and membership fees for 2025 can be set. Due to other commitments, this is expected to complete late February / early March.

Membership

EV now maintains a full log of all enquiries regarding membership across all age groups.

KV noted that membership renewals for 2025 will be simpler as the clubs transition to the England Athletics portal is complete and far simpler to manage and maintain.

Presli was acknowledged as an essential tool for managing the registration of athletes and sharing key data. However, acknowledged that as the application is free and doesn’t appear to be developing further, a more permanent, possibly paid for application, would be more effective.

ACTION: KV /EV / CT will review options and support migration to a replacement application.

ACTION: EV will help LM access Presli on 12/01/25.

  1. Club clothing / Shop

EV will seek help to complete the online shop – most in place, but requires assistance to check as this involves transactions via Stripe.

ACTION: EV / KV to provide stock details to RB.

Club storage / equipment / spectator areas

No action from Imberhorne on this.

ACTION: EV/PR to approach school for update or alternative option.

Leagues

Committee agreed it is not appropriate yet for the club to field teams in the YDL. More consistent numbers of athletes competing regularly is required.

ACTION: Review prior to 2026 season.

Honorary Members

ACTION: KV will look to bring full proposal to committee at a later meeting.

Coaching

Noted that there has been a steady number of athletes training indoors this winter. Committee acknowledged the value of this training. Opportunity of encouraging parents waiting to join in or assist must not be overlooked.

Club Competition night

Following the success of the previous club competition night, it was agreed that another should be held early in the new season to give athletes an opportunity to enjoy a safe competition and encourage more athletes to compete in league matches.

ACTION: EV will speak with MEM to agree a date with coaches where a competition replaces training.

Club survey

No update.

  1. EV will update action log.

  2. To be agreed – location expected to be Glen Vue again.

  3. KV raised the idea of presenting members with recognition of achievement; for example attaining certain levels of success in the club (perhaps linked to Athletics 365), for volunteering, officiating, training, helping etc as a way to help build a club community and encourage existing members and help encourage more. Committee in favour. No current action.

UK Athletics age groups due to change in 2026.

ACTION: EV to review details shared by England Athletics and share.

Committee felt the success of the Academy having a training session at Crawley should be reviewed alongside other age groups and explored further. Committee also suggested a Club Competition evening could be held, offering additional track competition opportunities.

ACTION: EV to speak to MEM to discuss at coaches meeting.

EV explained he had discussed opportunities with Lingfield Runners Club and how each club could support the other whilst retaining identities. Committee were in favour of exploring stronger ties.

ACTION: EV to continue discussions and report back to committee.

EV reiterated the importance for the club to create a Club Development plan to set goals and ambitions for the club. No current action.

EV has spoken with England Athletics and our key contact has offered to visit the club and meet with the committee and coaches to talk about what England Athletics are doing, how they can help the club and hold an open Q&A session. Committee agreed this would be valuable.

ACTION: EV will organise and schedule.