Gloucester City Supporters Trust
at
Gloucester Cricket Club, The Spa, Park Road, Gloucester
Friday 9 November
A regular and popular fundraising event for the Supporters Trust.
Come along and help swell our coffers, and who knows, pick a winner
and go home with your own pockets a little heavier too...
More details to follow
You may be getting the message that you'll get hit by
a string of Trust fundraising schemes in the coming months,
but with the flood to recover from and a new ground to prepare
for there should be no need to apologise for that.
The Christmas raffle is a simple enough concept to grasp,
tickets are £1 each and available in books of five.
Sell them to your work colleagues, friends, relatives and
neighbours - and buy some yourself too. The cash goes straight
to the Trust, but lucky winners can also pick up prizes
- including a £250 cash prize and a Christmas hamper
amongst others.
The draw takes place on Saturday 22 December at City's final
pre-Christmas game at the New Lawn.
To obtain tickets to sell email Gordon Pointer, or on Tel.
01452 502659. Alternatively contact a member of the Trust
board on matchdays.
All tickets and counterfoils should be returned by 14 December
with cheques made payable to Gloucester City Supporters
Ltd.
Supporters Trust AGM 2007
The Supporters Trust AGM was held on Sunday
2 September. Due to the flooding at Meadow
Park the meeting was held at the Civil Service Club in Escourt
Road, Gloucester.
The Trusts accounts showed a remarkable
sum of £47,901 raised during the year end to May 2007. The
Trust has paid for a whole range of items at City, from the goalkeeper's
gloves to the players meal before the cup tie at Eastleigh, from
coach travel to regular payments for electricity bills and kit
washing. Ironically and sadly large sums raised were spent on
improvements to Meadow Park and the playing surface in particular.
The meeting saw the election of board members
including new secretary Rob Kujawa. Outgoing secretary Gwenda
Halford had decided to step down and she was presented with and
thanked for her work since the reformation of the new Supporters
Club and its transformation into a Trust.
All Trust members should have by now received
notification documents and new membership cards with calling notices
for the AGM during July 2007 via the post - contact the Trust
using the contact details below if you haven't received these
documents. Renewal for 2007-08 can be either through the 500
Club, or standard membership at £5 for adults or £2:50
for juniors.
The new Trust Board has already held its first meeting and claim
to be ready to fight cynicism and despondency wherever they find
it. After recent results that could be quite a battle, but good
luck to them..!
Recent City Supporters Trust News: Trust
Launches Flood Appeal
NEWS RELEASE 26/08/07: TRUST REACHES OUT FOR
HELP TO REPLACE CLUB SHOP STOCK
Fans of Gloucester City Football Club have decided
to refocus their financial appeal on replacing club shop stock damaged
in the flooding to the club’s flood ravaged Meadow Park home.
The flooding of July 2007 was the worst in the history of Gloucester
and the River Severn laid waste to the club’s ground, and
included in
the damage was the shop owned and ran by the City Supporters Trust.
The sale of merchandising is a crucial part of the Trust’s
fundraising activity, and the organisation has been hard hit by
the loss of stock and damage to the club shop building itself. Previous
flooding problems left the contents uninsured.
Gloucester City Supporters Trust chairman Phil Warren said: “The
cabin containing the shop at Meadow Park alone cost £3,500.
The timing of the flood couldn’t have been worse as it was
full of pre-season items including new replica shirts, we’ve
probably lost in the region of £1,000 in stock alone. Whilst
we wait for news about the future of the club we’re concentrating
our immediate efforts on replacing the shop.”
The fresh appeal came after Gloucester City agreed a year long lease
to groundshare at the New Lawn stadium of Blue Square Premier neighbours
Forest Green Rovers. It is hoped that the new landlords will be
able to provide a facility to enable the Trust to continue to offer
Gloucester City products to fans on match days. In the meantime
the Trust is anxious to re-stock.
The BGB Southern League Premier club itself is privately owned but
fans have worked hard through a democratically elected Supporters
Trust to assist in the day to day running of the club and to raise
money to support it. Fan’s giving has exceeded £210,000
since 2001 and has funded the club’s youth team and paid bills
including physio and medical supplies, electricity and pitch maintenance.
Phil Warren continued: “Our original appeal was wonderfully
well supported, not just by our own fans but also by other clubs
and fan organisations across the country and the divisions. There
have been many individual donations, but fellow Supporter Trusts
at Bath City and Northampton Town have both given generously. We’ve
been very touched by this support and on behalf of all City supporters
I’d like to thank all those who have sent money and good wishes.
The summer floods seemed like a terrible set-back after all the
fans have done to try and get the club back on its feet, but the
good will we’ve received has certainly helped to reinvigorate
us and keep us going over the last few weeks."
PIC (above right): Trust
chairman Phil Warren accepts a cheque from Northampton Town Trust
members.
Scroll down for details of how to donate....
NEWS RELEASE 31/07/07: FANS OF FLOOD HIT CLUB
ISSUE APPEAL FOR HELP
Fans of Gloucester City Football Club have today launched an urgent
appeal for donations to help restore damage caused by the recent floods
that have devastated the club’s Meadow Park home.
Flood
water rushed into the stadium on the evening of Sunday 22 July and by
the following morning the water stood more than eight feet deep. The
River Severn had engulfed all corners of the ground, swamping the entire
playing pitch and reaching as high as the crossbars on the goalposts.
Water entered the clubhouse, changing rooms, catering and kitchen facilities,
hospitality areas and the club’s merchandise shop. Although some
valuables could be removed from the ground the fast rising water levels
meant volunteers were unable to rescue much before police evacuated
the Hempsted area where the ground is located.
Phil Warren, chairman of the Gloucester City Supporters
Trust, said:
“The flooding has been extensive and it may yet be several days
before we’re able to get into Meadow Park to properly evaluate
the damage. The ground has been under deep floodwater for more than
a week and we are expecting the worst. The repair work will range from
the arduous task of mopping up and disinfecting of the stadium to the
likely complete renovation of the electrics and floodlight system and
replacement of catering facilities.
“We know that the city’s residents and businesses
have been hard hit and we understand that the football club cannot be
their priority as they struggle to get back to normal life. Many of
our fans and potential sponsors have also been badly affected by what
has been a catastrophe of an unprecedented scale in this area. For that
reason we are appealing to the generosity of the football community
across the country and ask for their help and donations to try and put
the club back on it’s feet. We have received some money and messages
of good will already. These are hugely encouraging, but we will need
more.”
The BGB Southern League Premier club itself is privately
owned but fans have worked hard through a democratically elected Supporters
Trust to assist in the day to day running of the club and to raise money
to support it. Fan’s giving has exceeded £210,000 since
2001 and has funded the club’s youth team and paid bills including
physio and medical supplies, electricity and pitch maintenance. The
Trust itself raises some of its money through sale of merchandising
and has been hard hit by the loss of stock and damage to the club shop
building itself. Previous incidents have meant that the club has been
unable to obtain insurance and now faces a huge clear-up bill to return
Meadow Park to a state where it can again host football matches.
Phil Warren continued:
“Through our Trust the fans had helped rescue this club from the
point of extinction, an incredible fundraising effort and success story
for Gloucester. After a summer where volunteers have worked long hours
renovating and painting the ground and where we have spent fans’
donations on improving the stadium and pitch this does seem like a real
kick in the teeth. However, the club has already been through a lot
and our fans must be amongst the most resolute and determined anywhere.
I hope with the help of other football fans and the local community
we can come back from this latest setback all the stronger.”
Those able to make donations are asked to send cheques
made payable to ‘Gloucester City Supporters Ltd.’ to:
Trevor King,
Gloucester City Supporters Trust Treasurer,
27 Buckholt Way,
Brockworth,
Gloucester,
GL3 4RH.
Alternatively donations can be made direct via online bank transfer
to:
Gloucester City Supporters Ltd,
Alliance & Leicester Commercial Bank,
Bootle.
Sort Code 72-00-03,
Account Number 89485489,
and quoting reference ‘Cleanup Fund’;
or on the internet via Paypal with payments made to gloucestercitysupportersltd@hotmail.co.uk.
£200K Up!
The grand total of funds raised by the Trust since
the Supporters Club was reconstituted in February 2001 has now passed
another impressive milestone figure of £200,000 (at end of
April 2007). It's not just in the volume off the T-End you can feel
the pride and passion the fans feel for the club - feel that wad
of dosh!
Club funds have been boosted by two recent fundraisers.
The annual Ruby's night of Cantonese food n' fundraising clocked
up a record sum in excess of £2,000 for the Trust - beating
even previous years impressive sums raised at this event. Well done
to all involved.
The race night is another reliable regular boost to Trust coffers
and this year's event held in February raised more than £650.
As always those extra pennies and pounds keep the
Trust going, and in turn that plays a significant part in keeping
the City's football club going. The money invested by the Trust
in the pitch is now really starting to show, while the youth team
is supported by fans' cash, and some of the extra money also helps
Tim Harris bring in the odd extra player here and there. The money
also helps with sudden financial demands - such as replacing the
under pitch pump which recently had to be urgently replaced at a
cost of over £500 - cash the club itself wouldn't have readily
found.
Supporters Trust AGM 2006
The next Supporters Trust AGM will be held in
the club house at Meadow Park on Sunday 3rd September, starting at 2:30pm.
The AGM is open to all Trust members and all
are encouraged to attend to hear about the progress made over the last
year and offer views on the future.
The meeting also carries out the formal and legal duties of the Trust,
including the presentation of accounts, reports by the Chairman and
Secretary, and elections for Board membership.
Club Membership
Trust membership now stands at 206, with 64 in the essential 500 club
donation scheme.
Community and Other Events
The Supporters Trust continues to
take an active part in wider community events - again Trust members
ran a promotional stall at this year's summer carnival.
The Trust is represented at a range of national and regional events
ran by Supporters Direct and the Football Supporters' Federation.
Expenditure
The Trust has been able to provide funds for a whole range
of football club activity over the last year including:
£15,000 towards first team player wages
Donations towards injured players forced off work or requiring surgical
treatment
The club electric and laundry bills
More than £3,000 towards the costs and travel for the most successful
youth (under-18s) team in the club's history.
£1,443 for repair of the Meadow Park floodlights
£4,000 for coach travel for first team away matches
Recent Fundraising & Income
 |
Over £49,000 raised in 2005/6 season |
|
A grand total of more than £160,000 raised since February 2001
|
|
In 2005/6 the Trust
was able to pass more than £30,000 direct to the football
club. |
|
The Ruby's Night
Event raised £1,846 and the Phil Neal evening £1,072 |
|
The Race Night &
Quiz Evening events raised an additional £800 |
|
Goal
Sponsorship raised £1,951 and programme advertising £1,960. |
Trust '500 Club' - Please Dig Deep.
Call it the 500 Club, or call it the club's lifeline,
there is no doubt that the regular standing order contributions of City
fans are the main source of steady income for the Trust. This income
means the Trust has repeatedly been able to put its hand in its pocket
to help the club out when times are at their worst, while also helping
the club by extra items ranging from Matt Bath's goalkeeping gloves,
to medical supplies and specialist machinary to clean up the post-match
litter at Meadow Park. The term '500 club' is a little misleading -
there are no prizes and beyond membership of the Trust and a mention
in the club programme there is no award for joining. The benefit is
simply the continued existence of Gloucester City AFC.
A new form can be found here,
and more details on the 500 club here.
The Trust is now second only to club owner Eamonn McGurk's
Keyway company in their contribution to keeping City afloat. Your contributions
matter and every penny counts. Whilst the recommended amount to give
remains £10 a month, regular contributions less than this are
welcome, as indeed are contributions greater than £10 a month.
Quite simply, please give what you feel you can afford, what is important
is regular reliable steady income to support the club. If you care that
the football club survives and prospers and you've yet to help, the
question is why?!
The Trust - how, what & why.
The City Supporters Trust was formed in 2004 and born from the previous
Supporters Club. It exists to support the future of Gloucester City
AFC, but is also a representative body for the club's fans and seeks
to ensure their views are heard at the very heart of the football club.
The Trust seeks to make the club stronger, but the Trust itself is only
as strong as the support it gets from members joining and supporting
it through the giving of time and money. The Trust also has active support
from national organisations and is a member of Supporters Direct and
the Football Supporters Federation.
The Trust has clearly stated aims and has a long list of successes
as by working together City fans have made sure the club has survived
in some very difficult financial circumstances. See below for more details
or read the Supporters Trust full constitution.
For more about what a Trust is, and how the Trust was launched click
here.
The Trust is ran by a Board elected democratically by the membership.
For details on the Board and their recent meetings click
here.
Two members of the Trust Board also represent fans' views on the executive
committee that currently oversees the day to day running of Gloucester
City AFC.
The Trust is also reponsible for running the Club
Shop and raising funds through the sale of merchandise.
The Trust raises enormous amounts of money to provide the club from
everything from mowers for the pitch to bandages for the physio, as
well as providing direct financial support to the first team and the
youth team. All of this takes money, and the Trusts main financial cash
flow is provided by regular monthly donations through the 500 club membership.
To find out more click here, or
to donate money direct to the Supporters Trust by standing
order, download and complete this form and hand it in to a Trust
board member or at the club shop for forwarding to your bank.
To get involved join the
Supporters Trust or contact
us for more details.
Membership Benefits
10% discount at the club shop
Discounts on organised away travel
Discount of up to 40p on drinks at Meadow Park social club
Social events and fundraisers
Right to elect committee and Trust directors
Representation on City's executive committee through elected committee
Group affiliation to FSF with benefits inc. increased legal protection.
Increased influence on City's future...
The Supporters Trust is an organisation which relies
on your input to keep it going and to make sure it represents your
views. It's never been more crucial than it is right now, so get off
your butt and get involved!
City '500' Club
Full membership with additional benefits -
Now more than 50 members guarantee that the Supporter's Trust generate
income over £500 per month.
But we still need you to dig deep
Further Details
Full Membership
£5 Adults
£2.50 Children
Download Application Form
Supporters' Trust Success
|
Regular continuing payments
for pitch maintenance at Meadow Park of £30 a week to cover seed,
sand and contribute towards a groundsman. £2,000 paid in November
2002 for new mower attachments to improve pitch quality. |
|
£2,000 set aside as
contribution towards repairs of the floodlight system installed
in summer 2003. Club also contributed towards safety testing to
enable the club to regain its safety certificate. |
|
Sponsorship of City
Youth Team equivalent
to £50 a week for 2002/3, continuing in 2003/4. |
|
Regular band of supporters provide assistance maintaining the Meadow
Park pitch. |
|
£150 monthly contribution towards Meadow Park utility bills. |
|
Contribution recognised by Chairman's annual award in May 2003.
|
|
Pay for cleaning and washing of City match kit at £9 a game. |
|
Coach travel for first team to several furthest away trips last
season |
|
Contribution towards industrial cleaning and repair to Meadow Park
changing rooms. |
|
Pay for regular medical supplies for City's physio. |
|
City Supporters donated labour and supplies to clean and repaint
Meadow Park in the last two summers. |
|
Payment for match advertising |
|
Agreed to pay in excess of £2000 towards settling the contract dispute
with former players Nathan Wigg and Nigel Niblett. The settlement
led to the FA lifting a two year ban on City signing players on
contract in May 2002. |
|
Continuing the improvement of communications with the board of directors,
with a Supporters Club representative now invited to attend board
meetings. |
|
Paid in excess of £3000 to the F.A. to meet a December 10th 2001
deadline for repayment of loans and fines without which City would
have been expelled. |
|
Paid in excess of £1,000 outstanding to settle with Bath City regarding
the transfer of Adie Mings to City in 1996. |
|
Paid off debt to the FA relating to gate receipts for the 2000 Cup
match vs. Havant, ensuring City were allowed to enter the 2001/2
FA Cup. |
|
Liaison with other Supporters Clubs and visits to Supporters Direct
seminars and meetings of the Football Supporters Federation. |
The Supporter's Club was reformed in 1998 and reconstituted in 2001
before transferring to Trust status in 2004.
Its aims are -
 |
To safeguard the future and best interests of Gloucester City FC
|
|
To protect the interests of Trust members and represent their views
to the directors of Gloucester City FC and the wider community.
|
|
To actively encourage, promote and develop support for Gloucester
City FC |
|
To directly support Gloucester City FC through the raising of funds.
|
|
Through good conduct, provision of financial aid, dialogue and acquisition
of shares in Gloucester City AFC (1980) Ltd. to increase members
influence on the future of Gloucester City FC. |
|
To be democratic, open and transparent in the running of the club
so as to appeal to all Gloucester City FC supporters and encourage
their active involvement in the Club. |
|
affiliated to Supporters
Direct
and the national Football Supporters' Federation
|
Contact the Supporters Trust
