NORTHBROOK ATHLETIC CLUB COMMITTEE MEETINGS

held by video conference on 7 January 2025

Present:

T. Moynihan (President)
R. Adams (Chairman)
M. Baker (Secretary) – joined late
A. Mackness (Treasurer)
T. Hughes (Membership Secretary)
D. Robbins (Social Secretary- acting)
S. Davies (Men’s Captain)
S. Eason (Women’s Captain)
R. Richardson (Coaching Co-ordinator)

Apologies – None
Review of December 2024 minutes

  • Bob provided a brief summary of the December meeting, focusing on the AGM scheduled for January 22nd. He mentioned the need to finalize the venue for the awards evening in March and highlighted the importance of discussing finances, membership, training, cross country, and club standards and policies.
  • London Marathon Draw: Bob mentioned that the London Marathon draw had taken place, with Michelle Edwards and Tony Bowe being the successful applicants.

AGM Nominations

  • Officer Nominations: Bob confirmed that most current officers are willing to stand again, he is trying to contact Vinnie re Handicap
  • 10K Subcommittee: Terry confirmed that a team for the 10K subcommittee has been lined up, including Terry, Tony, Simon Aldridge, Joe Evans, Cliff Evans, Malt Copeland, Katherine Armstrong, Steve Turvy, and Vinny French.
  • Social Media Officer: Tim proposed the need for a social media officer, and Bob asked if this required a formal proposal to amend the rules. Tim confirmed that it did.
  • Women’s Captain: Daisy mentioned that her mother, Jo Evans, is considering putting her name forward for the women’s captain position.

Social Media Officer Proposal – discussed the need for a formal proposal to amend the rules for a social media officer. Daisy confirmed that Rees is interested in the position.

  • Proposal Draft: Tim confirmed that he had drafted a proposal for the social media officer position and needed to finalize it during the meeting.

AGM Voting Method – Tim and Bob discussed the feasibility of filming the AGM for online participation and the voting method. They considered using a laptop, webcam, and microphone, and combining in-person and online voting.

  • Filming Setup: Tim acknowledged that he had not had the chance progress setup details but believed it would be straightforward.
  • Voting Process: discussed the voting process, considering the use of the voting system from previous years. They proposed having one person add up votes from the screen and another from the room, ensuring a fair and inclusive voting method.
  • Access Information: Bob emphasized the importance of sending a link to members to inform them how to access the meeting if they are not attending in person. Tim agreed to update the e-mail with the necessary information.

AGM Proposals – Spencer mentioned that a third proposal was submitted but not showing on the AGM page. Tim suggested resubmitting the proposal if it is not on the website as there had been some issues with the website which were now resolved.
Awards Evening Date – Daisy and the team discussed various dates for the awards evening, considering availability and other events.

  • Final Decision: After considering various factors, the team agreed on the 22nd of March as the date for the awards evening. This date accommodated most members’ schedules and allowed sufficient time for preparations.

Awards Evening Venue – Daisy confirmed that the awards evening will be held at the Jag. She plans to use videos and photos from Reese and display runner of the month nominations.
Finances

  • Financial Overview: Tony presented the club’s financial overview, noting a surplus of £810 for the year. He highlighted the main income sources, including the 10K race, membership subscriptions, club kit sales, and social events.
  • Expenditures: Tony detailed the club’s expenditures, including costs for the 10K race, club kit, affiliation fees, social events, race entries, trophies, and training courses. He mentioned that the 10K race had higher expenses due to enhanced finisher goodies.
  • Subscription Fees: Tony recommended keeping the subscription fees the same for the forthcoming year, citing sufficient funds in the bank and stable EA affiliation fees.

Training and Safety

  • Communication Challenges: Robert highlighted the challenges in communicating training sessions, noting that members were using multiple platforms, including Google Sheets and social media, leading to confusion and inefficiency.
  • Platform Enhancement: Robert plans to discuss with Steve King and Paul Curtis to enhance the functionality of Connect My Club, aiming to streamline communication and make it a one-stop shop for all club-related information.
  • Member Engagement: Robert emphasized the need to increase member engagement on Connect My Club, suggesting that the platform’s effectiveness depends on its widespread use by members.

connectMyClub

  • Platform Benefits: The team discussed the benefits of using Connect My Club, including targeted e-mails, streamlined communication, and reduced reliance on social media platforms like Facebook. Reduced the burden and reliance on Roger L to support club infrastructure (emails etc) which was a key reason for adopting the platform.
  • Challenges: Challenges included low member engagement, the need for dual posting on multiple platforms, and the platform’s current limitations in functionality.
  • Member Feedback: The team considered conducting a survey or vote at the AGM to gather feedback from members on the use of Connect My Club and to determine its future role in club communication.

Health & Safety policy – Discussed, Sally to make amendments to example procedures being undertaken aligned to the policy.
Inclusion & Diversity policy – Terry suggesting practical steps and realistic commitments. They agreed to make necessary tweaks and include links to relevant risk assessments.
First Aid Courses – Terry presented the EA1 online first aid course and its limitations. The team considered getting a first aid trainer for a more practical, in-person course.
Club President Nomination – Bob confirmed that Robert is willing to take on the role of club president. The committee agreed to nominate him for the position at the AGM.
Runners of the Month – The team discussed and selected Natasha White and Mark Jennings as the runners of the month for their outstanding performances.
Cross-Country Event – Terry discussed the upcoming cross country event at Coombe, emphasising the need for volunteers to support and marshal the event.
Follow-up tasks

  • Social Media Officer Proposal: Draft a formal proposal to amend the rules for having a social media officer and submit it. (Tim.)
  • Social Media Officer Confirmation: Confirm with Daisy if Rees is lined up for the social media officer position. (Bob)
  • AGM Voting System: Contact Stuart to set up the voting system for the AGM. (Bob)
  • AGM Proposals: Speak to Roger to ensure all submitted proposals are received and listed on the website. (Bob)
  • AGM Participation: Send a link to members on how to access the AGM online. (Tim.)
  • Awards Evening Date: Confirm the date for the awards evening as 22nd March and communicate it to all members. (Daisy)
  • Awards Evening Venue: Confirm the venue for the awards evening at the Jag. (Daisy)
  • Runners of the Month Nominations: Collect and display the reasons for runner of the month nominations at the awards evening. (Daisy)
  • Health & Safety policy: to make amendments to example procedures being undertaken aligned to the policy (Sally)
  • Inclusion and Diversity Policy: make more practical (Sally)
  • First Aid Training: Contact the Scouts to inquire about first aid training courses they offer. (Terry)
  • connectMyClub: Review with Paul Curtis & Steve King to explore functionality.