|
Date: 6th October, 2025 Cemetery Hotel, Rochdale
|
Ref: October Meeting |
||
| Present: | Trust: | Bob Morrisey (BM), Dave Earnshaw (DE), Emma Loynd (EL), Vince Ashall (VA), Scott Goulding (SG), Matt Cullen (MC), Ruby Loynd (RL) | |
| Guests: | |||
| Apologies: | Received for: Michael Shepherd, Ian Goodwin, Murray Knight, Keith Hicks and Siobhan McElhinney. | ||
| Minutes: Vince Ashall | |||
| Interim Chair: Bob Morrisey | |||
Rochdale Down Syndrome (DS) All Stars
Prior to the meeting, a presentation was made to the Board by Emma Lambert on behalf of the Rochdale DS All Stars following which it was unanimously agreed that the Trust would provide support to the group for this season.
The Trust would look at potential funding for gym sessions including a trainer and speech therapy sessions. VA to look at costings for the latter.
See the Appendix to theses minutes for more details on the presentation and the Board’s reactions.
Apologies / Acceptance of Minutes
Apologies as detailed above. The minutes of the previous meeting were accepted having been earlier amended by VA to clarify that it is Kirsty Fearnehough who will be co-opted onto the Trust Board.
Matters Arising
MC confirmed his acceptance of the Community Trust liaison duties.
Membership
SG had previously circulated an email detailing the latest membership figures:
Total members: 670;
Adults: 266; Exiles: 217; Juniors: 187
Males: 543; Females: 127
Renewing: 633; new members: 37
It was noted that the lapsed membership mailshot had been effective in getting these members to renew their membership.
Trust Business
Details of the Trust Club Board director applicant had been circulated to the membership.
EL provided an update on the coach travel. Positive feedback had been received about this season’s service. There were 45 travellers booked on to the Forest Green coach. One of the suspensions from the Boreham Wood coach ended after the Forest Green match on 4th October. EL will notify the person concerned that they are now able to travel on the coach with restrictions still in place as per the travel policy. It was agreed a coach to York would be running on 11th November with a scheduled departure time of 16:00.
Media details will be provided at the next meeting.
The AGM arrangements were now complete. Members had been emailed the agenda, final accounts and a proxy form. Anthony Field had been notified of the start time (10:00 for Trust Directors, and from 10:30 for members with the AGM commencing at 11:00).
Board directors had indicated their availability for the meeting, although SG wasn’t 100% sure of his attendance at this stage.
VA will take the minutes for the AGM. SG (assuming his attendance – see above) will be ensuring attendees are members of the Trust. MK will chair the meeting.
VA updated directors of the paramount importance of meeting the requirements of the GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018. In particular the following aspects:
- Only keeping data for as long as necessary for the purposes for which it had been collected. It was resolved that data would only be kept for the current and immediately previous seasons.
- In light of the above, obsolete worksheets will need to be deleted from Google sheets and from any personal devices on which such data was held / had been downloaded. This includes any hidden sheets.
- VA expressed concern at who could view the sheets. It was agreed that whoever “daletrust1907” are would be removed from the list.
- Any data downloaded from Google sheets must be password protected immediately.
- VA is to look at sourcing a Data protection policy.
- To improve security RL is to look at utilising Microsoft 365
PSA testing and mobile lung cancer screening items were deferred until the next meeting.
Working with the Club
In the absence of KH no update was given on Former Players speakers.
Player of the Month (POTM)
The closing date for the September POTM was the 5th October. The winner was Harvey Gilmour.
It was confirmed that the September POTM presentation will take place on 11th October at the FA Cup match vs York City.
Events / Projects
Support for Her Game Too (HGT) would continue. Leanne Connolly to confirm whether she is to be co-opted onto the Trust board.
Nothing to update regarding support for the Ladies Football teams. It was confirmed that Trust membership would be free for under 18s.
Support, where practicable, would be provide to the under-age teams.
The Exiles Day was confirmed as 7th March 2026 vs Boston United.
AOB
VA confirmed he was available to man the Trust desk on 11th October.
VA and RM to look at the use of SumUp to take payments to be used on phones. A membership form will still be needed to meet data protection requirements.
The next meeting will be on Monday, 3rd November at the Cemetery Hotel commencing 18:30
Appendix
DS All Stars Presentation.
Trust Board directors now have a fuller appreciation of the impact the Trust can have on a community, which carries its own stress, strain, and emotions. It was an emotional presentation, and the Board was united in adopting them as our charity, especially during its Down Syndrome Awareness Month.
The key areas we want to support now are detailed below. MC and VA are still sorting costings for board approval.
Key Areas
- Providing support for continuing sport therapy. This is seen as an essential in helping with the folk with the syndrome (This could involve collaboration with the Community Trust (on our terms)
- Speech Therapy. The Board now appreciate the different forms of DS and the vital need to assist with this provision. Initial provision would be for the therapist.
- Provision if possible to send the group and support people to a very local pantomime, this may not involve all as the activity may stress folk with one of the forms of DS.
- Respite Care. Exclusive to parents, particularly mums, maybe every six weeks.
- Dedicated match at COA possibly on 21st March – Dale home to Tamworth on that date, which is Down Syndrome Day. This aims to include (hopefully) free tickets for all, with a box provided by one Dale907 person and one of the Crown Oil boxes, both intended to assist those who may find it difficult to be amongst noise. This will be linked with fan liaison at the club.
- Possibly an away match travel for some of the adults (To Be Discussed)
It was felt that once a figure could be established, we would launch an appeal (similar to Squad Builder) to raise funds for such activities for the following year.
The Board believes that this work fulfils our commitment to the community, especially to those who have needs and may not have the same advantages. It aims to bring people to the club and hopefully attract them more regularly. This conveniently aligns with the Ogden’s vision of “For Generations To Come”.
Action points on this initially are that:
Matt Cullen to check with Ryan Bradley that, without our intervention, the sports program would suffer.
Vince to liaise with Emma Lambert in tightening figures and provide his “forensic” mind to pitfalls and ways forward.
RM to update those that were not there at the October Board meeting with more flesh on the bones.