FUNDRAISING TO PLAY ‘ENORMOUS PART’ IN CLUB’S FUTURE
Emley Clarence: Annual General Meeting - 4th March 2008
by Chris Knowles

This year’s Annual General Meeting at Emley Clarence CC was seen by many as something of a formality, with no particular aspect of the club under specific scrutiny. However, there were a handful of relevant points raised, some which reflected on the past year and others which highlighted issues for the future.

Committee – the process of formalising key administrative roles was one which was executed with both efficiency and frivolity, with the chairman, president, secretary and treasurer all rapidly reinstated for the foreseeable future. No changes were made to the committee members.

BALANCE SHEET

Sponsorship & Funding – in 2007, Clarence secured sponsorship for over £3,700 through the generosity of local businesses and incentives. Maxi’s Restaurant and Kingfisher Restaurant deserve particular mention, collectively contributing a significant sum to the Emley cause.

Craig Stratford, the club’s treasurer, gave his report on the balance sheet for 2007 and confirmed that further efforts to secure these sponsors will be needed to ensure that last year’s figures are not only equalled but surpassed due to the same level of expenditure being predicted for 2008.

Fundraising – a point that was stated at the AGM was that fundraising will again play an enormous part in the club’s efforts to balance the books. Just over £3,800 was brought in through fundraising initiatives last season and these are usually organised by the same individuals who play a vital role in the day-to-day running of the club.

Major sources of finance included the Sporting Evening and the Team Golf Day, but money was also brought in through ‘smaller earners’ such as quiz nights. Along with the ‘Spot the Ball’ feature, these must be utilised to their full potential in order to maximise revenues for the forthcoming season.

However, included in the club’s league expenses (£448.50), there is an accumulation of fines for bad language throughout the course of the season. The fines total £140 and perhaps indicate that while the club is doing everything it can to maximise income, it should also be striving to save money by avoiding petty expenses such as these.

Subscriptions – there will be a slight change to the organisation and set-up of the subscriptions and memberships but there will be no change to the price of any of these packages. A general letter is currently being constructed and will be circulated shortly outlining the key changes and overall set-up of the memberships.

Overseas Player Fees – undoubtedly the largest part of the whole balance sheet is the monies paid for last year’s professional player, Bilal Khilji. It is envisaged that a similar figure will be disbursed for the 2008 season, with Asif Zakir already in place as the next overseas professional.

Quiz Night – the most recent Quiz Night, which was held on Friday 29th February, raised profits in the region of £140 and was seen as a huge success in the club’s fundraising calendar.
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