Minutes of the Bairns Trust
Meeting
Monday 16th October 2006
at the Falkirk Stadium
Present: W. Anderson, P. Jack, L. McDaid, S. Jackson, B. Guthrie, S. Monfries, S. Wilson, M. Fraser, R. Stirling, M. McIntyre, J. Gardener, J. Dick, G. Foster, M. Paterson, R Wilson, + OTHERS – 20 in Total.
- Welcome/opening remarks
- Apologies – S. Adam, G. Donaldson, A. McFarlane.
- Ross Wilson, Education and Welfare Officer working with young players. Ross gave a very detailed and interesting talk on the football academy and the immense amount of work done with young players.
- Minutes of previous meeting moved as read.
- Matters arising:
Red cards (against racism) printed today, uplift in time for Dundee Utd. game, 3800 printed. A good deal obtained re printing costs, £61, with Falkirk F.C. willing to pay half. Both teams to carry them out and fans to have too. Volunteers needed to help hand them out before game. ArabTrust informed. New Trinidadian Trust member would like to help with this too.
Tom Jamieson Trophy – Tom Elliot been asked again. No date yet, hopefully will be settled soon though from a weather point of view. Goodie bags are all ready.
Ex players – the Former Players Association has started well v St. Mirren. Half time option – to make food available; get a sponsor for this perhaps? Sandwiches, coffee? Murray to give up selling 50/50 tickets to look after the ex players. Committee members in the Amarillo before game to meet the former players. PA to announce which players present at each game?
Andy Lawrie Testimonial – mentioned in the Falkirk Herald and on the radio. Advert in Dundee Utd programme and FFC website. Various table sizes available at the event. Many current and ex players and coaches will be attending. Alex Totten attending after the meal. Cut off point for the hotel coming up so confirmed numbers will have to be available soon, 30th October latest. Good deal on photographer with money paid for photographs on the night going to Andy's testimonial. Further Testimonial Committee meeting required for next week to finalise.
Raffle – Letters for raffle prizes away. Good response. Trust Treasurer to seek SPL possible prizes from Bank of Scotland. Since received. Various prizes of drinks, signed Andy Lawrie top, signed Falkirk tops and many other prizes.
Website – All files given over, password still not working though. Test message sent by current administrator to Treasurer to prove it is working. Message from administrator read out. Suggested perhaps the programme is in conflict with the host? Hopefully it will be sorted out without additional costs involved. Vice Chairman to arrange a demonstration with current administrator.
Programme Fair – disappointing turn out, bad weather on the day, but the SPL meeting was on that day too, so perhaps could have hoped for slightly better.
Supporters Direct National Conference – update from James Proctor coming to all Trusts. Since received.
Membership cards – deal done, discount scheme with 10% discount off meals Sunday – Thursday and 12-6 on Saturday/match days. 50 tickets for Amarillo on matchday will now be on sale during the week.
6. Secretary's Report:
Emails send to as many trusts as possible informing them on the programme fair to be held at Westfield on the same day as the SPL meeting, 24/09/06. Did not get any feedback as to how many would be attending.
Email sent to Mike Barile at Arab Trust re Heather, the girl injured in the crash. Some Trust reps had been invited up to Tannadice for her presentation of new transport. Had to decline the invite but wished Heather and her family all the best and invited them down to Westfield for the Dundee Utd. game on 28th October, if she is well enough to travel.
Reply sent to Blair White of Raith Rovers. He had asked what the Bairns Trust opinion was on SPL2. Replied the Trust backed the clubs opinion and agreed with it. Blair acknowledged with thanks and wished Falkirk F.C. all the best; I returned the favour for Raith.
Have been collecting all the names and contact addresses, phone numbers or email addresses for the former players re F.P.A. Sent them each initially an acknowledgement thanking them for their interest and then back with info re match day arrangements. The full list of names for each game passed on to Murray to inform at F.F.C. After the game, email sent thanking them for attending and to contact me prior to any future home games. I went into the Amarillo at the first game v St. Mirren to meet them and they enjoyed the day.
Wrote to Supporters Direct informing them of new name and address for Secretary for any future correspondence.
All present thanked Secretary for excellent set of previous Minutes.
7. Treasurers report:
Past month update – 19 adult, 3 conc., 2 Junior Bairns joined.
Sharesave – 12 members contributing £165/month.
Contingency Fund cont. £39.00 plus £611.00 to date = £650.00.
Programme Fair – over 200 programmes donated, split into bundles and nearly all snapped up £22.00 on the day £4.00 since
Spot the team £7.00 net.
T shirts – 6 new orders, 40 in total, send one big order.
Aberdeen top - £221.00 raised.
Celtic fans more reluctant to buy tickets, although fans media contacted and advertised in advance - £55.00 raised.
On the social side, the Randy Roxx v Silly Connolly show made a small loss.
£4 stationery costs.
Late Share save application and cheque sent to club but not cashed before year end. Since rejected.
Have had talks with Barrie Scott re audit. Few auditors are willing to deal with charities, low income. New regulations. See what Supporters Direct come back with. Since received.
111 emails sent this month, newsletters #22 and #23 sent, monthly message – is it too long? 4 members email addresses rejecting. To be re-contacted. One member is willing to sell his 400 shares. The trust could perhaps buy them?
A duplicate share certificate was issued to one member, original one destroyed in post.
The criticism of the trust in the One F forum was discussed.
Trying to contact John McCreadie, his up to date contact details have now been passed on. Vice Chairman to mention to Mr McCreadie has an outstanding claim.
Questionnaire back from the boardroom winner from the Aberdeen game, he enjoyed his day. Questionnaire out to the second winner.
Volunteers needed for red card day. Some response received.
National Conference 13/10/06. Richard Caborn, MP and William Gaillard, UEFA Head of Communication guest speakers.
Mrs. Judd – letter of sympathy was sent 23/08/06.
Junior Bairns seem to have hijacked the Trust stall and abusing their use of the table, to get their own and be responsible for manning it. They can still leave their things in the cupboard. Steven Jackson will get it sorted and Stewart Wilson to source new table.
Meeting with Tony Smith - 2/10/06 – re selling tickets for signed top hurt the sales of the 50/50 draw. New possible idea to replace 200 club draw – 1876 lottery with Bairns Trust to be sole agents. Falkirk F.C. to give BairnsTrust £10 per person signed up for this. Prizes will be revamped, bigger and better prizes, with draws to be made on the pitch. Will report back in more detail at next Committee meeting.
Brian Guthrie did not want the Trust to spread themselves too thin across the board, look after Trust matters first. Currently we have 1 Trust Rep and 1 Shareholders Rep given to Trust, based on our shareholding, not membership numbers.
8. Social Convenors report:
It was decided to go ahead with the upcoming Beatles tribute show, 20/10/06. Brian hoped many people would attend the upcoming Beatles tribute show as it was very good first time round. Nothing planned for after that. Suggested football quiz night at Westfield in January.
Bairns Trust should have a regular piece in the programme. Regular features will not be dropped though to make room for this.
9. Board/ Saturday morning meetings report:
When selling raffle tickets for signed tops, Bairns Trust members have been informed they should have no Falkirk colours, but this does not seem to apply to sellers of the 50/50 draw. Again mention was made that the feeling was the stewards were not properly trained.
Presentation by Gordon Crawford to the Board re new stand was well made and received.
Celtic was a success, fan wise, with 300 tickets left for gazebo. Suggested tickets should be numbered and that should be your seat. If you buy tickets for others, you are responsible for them.
10. Any other business:
The Trust A.G.M. will take place in March. Lots of paperwork to be prepared.
The lift is still not working.
Mention was made that some people are unsure of where the 50/50 sellers are on match day. They should be in the spot each week and readily noticeable instead of having to search for them. Dependent on staffing numbers at each game.
Memberships – Ian Mitchell Haulage hopefully to be a corporate sponsor, 265 last year, 60 junior bairns. Try to push membership.
Treasurer emailed 90 former members, approximately 6 back.
Ask those who advertise on the hoardings at Westfield re membership
Suggestion of a fans forum for Wednesday 15th November.
11. Date of next meeting will be Monday 20th November at 7.30.
