Newsletter 38

This is a special edition of the electronic update of BairnsTrust activities.

If you are reading our newsletter for the first time ... welcome to BairnsTrust as a new member! If you wish to review some of our previous newsletters they can be visited at the following section of the website...Newsletter Lists

You are cordially invited to attend the monthly BairnsTrust meeting in the Warm Up Area of the Falkirk Community Stadium on Mon 20/08/07, KO 7.30pm. Due to the impending trip to Holland and the Summer holiday period there will be NO BairnsTrust Monthly Meeting on Monday 16/07/07.
There will be a full agenda for discussion, but if you have any concerns you wish to raise, please respond to either bairnstrust@hotmail.co.uk or post your query on the message board at our website and we will try to cover on the night.
If you are unable to attend, the minutes from the meeting will appear on our website later for your perusal.

At our last meeting on Mon 18/06/07, we had an informative and enlightening 45min discussion with R Smith from the Amarillo Bar Bistro and D McGillivary from stadium caterers Alchemy Inns Ltd covering all aspects. Various questions, recommendations, suggestions and options were debated for mutual benefit.
Also at the meeting the re-election vote for the position of Supporter's Director was announced. Scrutineer T Kopszywa (ShireTrust's Media Liaison Officer) intimated that of 198 issued ballot papers, 134 were returned, representing a 68% "turn-out". It was agreed by all parties that all re-election papers were assumed posted and delivered by the Royal Mail to addresses held by BairnsTrust and all votes received and counted were genuine. With a couple of "spoilt ballots" the results were as follows:

a. BairnsTrust Vice Chairman Brian Guthrie - 38 votes.
b.       Trust Former Player’s Association Committee Member Murray McIntyre - 64 votes.
c.       Trust IT Co-ordinator Tom Paterson - 30 votes.

Due to the unanimous result, no further enquiries would be entertained, with Murray McIntyre declared the winner and will be presented as the successful candidate to the Board of Falkirk FC at the next available opportunity.

Scrutineer T Kopswyza took the opportunity to inform the meeting of the upcoming ShireTrust Annual Close-Season Quiz Night. Tue 03/07/07, 7.30pm at Lodge St. John No 16, Masonic Hall, 200 Grahams Road, Falkirk. The quiz will feature a general knowledge mix of questions. The entry fee for a team of up to 4 people will be £10 with the winning team receiving a prize of £100, there will also be a raffle and an auction of interesting items. Team formation and entry fees can be done on the night and there is a bar on the premises. Anyone is welcome to participate, enjoy a good night out and help raise money for our colleagues in ShireTrust. BairnsTrust Committee will send one/two teams as per usual. Any BairnsTrust Member wishing to participate should make their intentions known in the first instance, to establish whether room is available, by email to ... bairnstrust@hotmail.co.uk

Meeting also heard intimation that Falkirk FC Chairperson Campbell Christie was recently rushed to hospital. Will not now be attending Holland trip and will be out of action until into new season. A card wishing a speedy recovery has already been sent on behalf of all Committee and Trust Members. Late News: Also wish a quick recovery for Alex Totten after he was recently admitted to the intensive care unit at Stirling Royal Infirmary as well.

After much investigation and organising BairnsTrust are no longer in a position to offer a package to members wishing to travel to the pre-season tour of Holland. Details were mentioned at our last Monthly Meeting on Mon 21/05/07 and again at the specially arranged meeting for all interested parties on Fri 25/05/07. A final meeting was arranged again in the Warm up Area of the Falkirk Community Stadium on Fri 01/06/07. There were a few options available and were emailed to those that had expressed an interest. The Trust could not gamble finances on booking for additional persons that may/may not have materialised.

With a number of Trust Committee joining supporters heading to Holland for the Falkirk FC pre-season tour we will again be taking orders for matchday programmes from each of the three games:

Wed 11/07/07 FC Zwolle v Falkirk, KO 7pm.Venue: Sportpark Nieuwleuson.
Thu 12/07/07 Cambur Leeuwarden v Falkirk, KO 7pm. Venue: De Hertgang.
Sat 14/07/07 July Rosselare v Falkirk, KO 4pm.Venue: V V Emst.

Please email your order by Sunday 08/07/06, 5pm. to bairnstrust@hotmail.co.uk  Orders will be available for collection on the resumption of the BairnsTrust stall located on the concourse in the Main Stand at home games.

The much anticipated home pre-season friendlies with Ajax and Millwall will see the Trust introduce a new line in commemorative, pin badge, merchandising that we believe will be highly desirable to both home and visiting supporters. Peruse the Trust stall at the games to find out more.

The Trust also hopes to have in place early in the new season a new banner to promote BairnsTrust. This will be both noticeable and portable. Watch out for it on our travels next season as well.

The 5th Annual Supporter's Direct Scottish Conference is taking place between10am to 5pm, Sat 30/06/07 at the Royal College of Physicians, 232-242 St. Vincent Street, Glasgow. BairnsTrust are sending more than our full delegation to the event, with five confirmed attending. A report on the topics covered will be made at the next Trust Meeting on Mon 20/08/07.

The latest Supporters Direct magazine can be viewed online at the following address and amongst some interesting articles are pieces from our colleagues at Dee4Life, ICT Supporters Trust, Erin Hibernian Supporters Trust, Kilmarnock Supporters Society, St Mirren Independent Supporters Association and sad news from ArabTrust. Also included is mention of Greenock Morton Supporters Trust's Children's Activity Day and an intriguing article form James Proctor, Development Manager, Supporters Direct in Scotland on continuing to buy shares in our club even when a foothold has been obtained .

.. www.supporters-direct.org/docs/MagazineIssue26.pdf

The Trust have a stock old Falkirk FC HOME and AWAY programmes from this and previous seasons for sale at £2 each. Also now have some rarely available team sheets and after match stats sheets to compliment these. To purchase over the close season, please contact a Committee Member, intimate via our email contact address at bairnstrust@hotmail.co.uk or visit our online shop at ... www.bairnstrust.com/BairnsTrust/shop/sales.htm

We have now obtained back issues of the "ONEF" Fanzine and whole sets from issues 1-21, excluding 1 & 18 will soon be appearing on the auction website. If any member has unwanted copies of numbers 1 and 18 then over the close season, please contact a Committee Member or intimate via our email contact address at bairnstrust@hotmail.co.uk
             
            In addition, BairnsTrust have obtained a large quantity of surplus home programmes from the past few seasons from the Club for an excellent, discounted rate. Our aim is to collate and parcel as “Bargain Bundles” in time for the match day stall reopening at the first pre-season friendly. These bundles proved popular before and it’s anticipated this new stock will disappear as quick, so get in early!

Falkirk FC has allowed BairnsTrust to become an Official Matchday Programme vendor using our stall on the concourse in the Main Stand at home games as the point of sale. We will cater for those who wish to buy INSIDE the Stadium pre-match and in return the Trust will receive the standard “seller’s fee” in return. This is proving a great success so far. We do urge Members to purchase their copy from the stall to allow the Club to monitor how successful and necessary this point of sale is.

For those who requested one of our BairnsTrust 2006-07 Polo/T-shirts all have now been collected or posted to our exiled members. Subsequent enquiries and interest prompted BairnsTrust to make another small order. This has now been received and contains some of the main sizes and a new Limited Edition version available in the “3rd Choice Ice/Powder Blue.” The design can be viewed by visiting our online shop and see what else we have on offer at ... www.bairnstrust.com/BairnsTrust/shop/sales.htm

We are still taking orders for our new range of framed photos of the Falkirk Stadium Main Stand. Small and medium sized greetings cards are also available. The photo used is copyright of our friends at AK Photo Art and all profits go to BairnsTrust.
           
Trust member Michael White has also given the Trust a stock of his new "Book of FFC Lists" with the Trust receiving a donation from every copy sold. To purchase over the close season, please contact a Committee Member, intimate via our email contact address at bairnstrust@hotmail.co.uk or visit our online shop at www.bairnstrust.com/BairnsTrust/shop/sales.htm

Unfortunately no stocks have been received for the rare "1957 Cup Winners Re-union Brochure." If you are eager to purchase may we recommend doing so via the Club's online store..

The new BairnsTrust Application Form for 2007/08 is in the final stages of production. 3,500+ copies will hopefully be printed in time for the distribution by the Club of the new season ticket books. The Trust hope the Pay Pal option of joining next season will be of use to you. As passed at our AGM, the new subscription fee has been set at £5 for all adults and £0 for u-16 concessions only.

With the recent expiry of the Bank of Scotland's SPL sponsorship the last branded products have been obtained for the Trust to use towards fundraising. This has proved a rich vein of income generation and thanks go to the Bank's Sponsorship Department for this assistance over the years. It also permits a convenient point to be the last newsletter from your Treasurer from this email address. Please therefore be aware that any future newsletters may arrive via another Committee Member and you may have to amend your electronic filters accordingly.

Finally, if you have any topics or articles you wish to be included in future BairnsTrust Electronic Newsletters, please respond by your preferred contact method below. 

Look forward to seeing you at the next monthly meeting where there will be a chance to win a prize for attendees!

Thanks.
Peter Jack, FCCA

BairnsTrust Treasurer

www.bairnstrust.com

Please support the Trust's Corporate Sponsors:

Thomas Johnston Quality Butchers Limited

Amarillo Bistro Bar / Eleven Restaurant

J H Kilt Hire

BSH Limited

John Mitchell Haulage

 

Links of interest:

The Wheel .net

Pie and Bovril

Bedsearcher

Keepy Uppie King

 Scotsport Campaign

 

Contact methods:

a) Email to bairnstrust@hotmail.co.uk

b) Post your query on the message board at our website:

c) Visit the BairnsTrust stall located on the concourse in the Main Stand at home games.

d) Attendance at the monthly BairnsTrust meetings at the Falkirk Community Stadium on the third Monday of the month, KO 7.30pm.