Committee minutes 23rd July 2024

Wimbledon Windmilers Management Committee Minutes

Date:  Tuesday 23rd July 2024

Start time: 19.34

Finish time: 21:20

Venue: The Library, Dog & Fox, 24 High St, London SW19 5EA

Attendees

  1. Claire Morgan (CM) President & Membership Rep
  2. John Gorst (JG) Chair
  3. Anne Davies (AD) Secretary
  4. Dieter Schlegel (DS) Treasurer
  5. Richard Cohen (RC) Welfare Officer & Men’s Team Captain
  6. Simon Wright (SR) Men’s Team Captain
  7. Ella Waddingham (EW) Women’s Team Captain
  8. Bernadette Maher (BM) Women’s Team Captain
  9. Sally Bovill (SB) Membership Rep
  10. Peter McCloskey (PM) Coaching Rep
  11. Isabel Gwyther (IG) Multisport Rep
  12. Kate Carter (KC) Comms Rep
  13. Hannah Carr (HC) Social Rep

Apologies

  • Shirley Twist (ST) Welfare Officer
  • Diane Carter (DC) Coaching Rep
  • Sally Windle (SW) Events Rep
  • Duncan Newbury (DN) Events Rep
  • Caroline Ferrari (CFe) General Member
  • Mia Lockner (ML) Comms Rep
  • Jack Derges (JD) General Member
  • Andy Tan (AT) Multisport Rep
  • Lindsay Doy (LD) Multisport Rep
  1. Minutes
    1. The minutes of last meeting were approved: Yes 9, No 0, Abstain 3
  2. Action Log
    1. ACTION: RC to ask Surrey League to start a process to update their race equalisation policy in line with UK Athletics and World Athletics. Also to survey club members for their views on race equalisation for men and women.
  3. Welfare, Health & Safety – no issues reported
  4. Membership
    1. CM reviewed a summary of membership statistics, noting that there are currently 526 paid-up members, compared with 572 at the end of 2023. The renewal patterns are similar to last year. England Athletics registration numbers have dropped and the Team Captains will remind team participants of the need to register.
    1. A short discussion raised a question about whether active club members are generally younger than the overall club demographic, and whether there is a club objective to increase the club’s diversity to reflect our wider community.
    1. ACTION: RC to gather input to document the range of membership journeys/pathways, with a view to defining a membership objective such as (a) Do we want club activities to be more inclusive for existing club members and/or (b) Do we want to recruit actively for greater diversity in new members?
    1. JG suggested that club surveys can be short and frequent, to explore different matters of importance to club members. A club survey need not be restricted to an annual fully-comprehensive survey.
  5. Finance
    1. Spending versus budget: DS reviewed a summary in each budget category. Some categories, such as coach training are underspent
    1. The self-funding budgets for swimming and club kit are managed by the Multisport Representatives and Kit Representative respectively, keeping the committee informed of any issues, the objective being to remain cost neutral over the year
    1. ACTION: DS to meet with Multisport Rep IG to reconcile swimming payments to date and with Kit Rep CF to reconcile kit transactions to date, plus an annual kit stock valuation with CF towards the end of the year
    1. ACTION: JG to prepare for this year’s first aid courses and provide the relevant information to Comms
    1. Mid-year budget changes:
      1. HC requested clarification on how the budget is adjusted if additional expenditure is agreed during the year. DS explained this in the context of the overall planned over-or underspend for the year. We currently have a planned overspend of £6,493 and, in addition, have agreed to add £400 for a swim coach trial, £80 per year for the new committee meeting venue, plus a potential £300 for kit prototypes in the event that we do not purchase from Scimitar. Proposals for additional increased budgets for prizes, coach T-shirts etc can be considered in the context of the overall club spend, particularly if they can be offset by underspending in another budget category.
      1. JG observed that we plan an annual budget to maintain control of the club’s finances and we therefore aim to keep to the agreed budget as closely as possible. Although an individual project increase of £200 may seem affordable, if there are multiple overspending projects throughout the year this depletes club reserves in an uncontrolled way.
    1. Membership income is as expected for this stage through the year            
    1. Coach T-shirt: PM presented revised costings for a coach T-shirt, proposing an increase from £750 for 30 T-shirts to £983 (including VAT) for 39 T-shirts, to include Multisport coaches in addition to those already agreed for running coaches. JG preferred to proceed with the original budget, providing a subsidised T-Shirt rather than a fully-funded T-shirt. HC commented that we may also want an ongoing budget for new coaches.
    1. VOTE: Do you agree to increase the Coach T-shirt budget from £750 to £1,000, to include T-shirts for the existing running and multisport coaches, noting that this budget does not account for new coaches? Yes x 13, No x 0, Abstain x 0
    1. Kit logistics: JG proposed that the committee considers using a 3rd party online club kit shop such as New Balance or PB Teamwear. A portfolio of items could be made available for individual online purchase by members, thereby reducing committee time and effort. Coach T-shirts could be ordered as needed by coaches and expensed to the club according to the available budget. This can be a future discussion.
    1. HC noted that the approved leisurewear and summer t-shirt will be promoted in the Waffle.
    1. ACTION: HC to use an online form to assess member demand for the following named list of non-race training kit and leisurewear items, plus an open question for other kit items that members would like:
      1. Jumper (deep red or grey)
      1. Hoody
      1. Joggers
      1. Summer vest
      1. Long-sleeved top (Windmiler red or white)
      1. Club cap
      1. Club visor
      1. Any other club-branded kit items?
  6. Race events       
    1. Forthcoming events
      1. Upcoming events: 3MH 30 Jul, 3MH 27 Aug, Club Champs 6 Oct
      1. Other club events: Beer Mile 19 Jul, MABAC Wimbledon 6 Aug
      1. Surrey road relays date/location has changed to 5 Oct, the day before the Club Championships. The Events Reps and Team Captains recommend that we leave the Club Championships as planned for 6th October
    1. Prize budget discussion deferred to September meeting
    1. Grand Prix feedback for next year – choice of events, scoring system – discussion deferred to September meeting
  7. Policies & risk assessments
    1. EA’s club standards: AD explained the increasing importance of England Athletics’ 7 club standards. Apart from their inherent importance for the good governance of our club they influence, for example, whether we are eligible for awards. Also, from 2025 the Safeguarding standard becomes mandatory for clubs who wish to remain affiliated with EA. Normally our score would be 7/7 because our policies are kept current, however our score drops if DBS or safeguarding qualifications lapse.
    1. The new Charitable giving policy was approved Yes x 13, No x 0, Abstain x 0
    1. The updated Inclusion policy was approved Yes x 13, No x 0, Abstain x 0
    1. The updated Grievance & disciplinary policy was approved Yes x 13, No x 0, Abstain x 0
  8. Social events: HC has organised a photo-shoot and a ‘Brewery Bundle social run for 27th July, and other similar events will follow over the summer. Plans for the awards dinner venue will start towards the end of the summer              
  9. Coaching
    1. Wednesday track attendance is averaging at around 10 over the six sessions since the new session started in May
    1. VOTE: Do you agree to evaluate Wednesday track attendance at the 25th November committee meeting, with a view to deciding whether to continue? Yes x 13, No x 0 Abstain x 0
  10. Multisport
    1. IG reported that the Monday external swim coach has been received well. Six of the agreed ten trial coached swims have taken place
    1. ACTION: AT to propose next steps for swim coaching by external coaches

Next meeting: Monday 2nd September 2024, 19:30 online

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