Albrighton Boling Club Annual General Meeting
31st January 2025 6:30pm
47 Members were present
At the start of the meeting the chairman asked for all members to observe a minute’s silence for the members who had passed away during 2024.
1: Apologies.
2: Minutes of 2024 AGM.
The minutes of the last AGM dated 27th January 2024 had been emailed to the club members. They were proposed by Ray Woodstock and seconded by Jean Stroudley.
3: Matters Arising.
There were no matters arising.
4: Chairmans Report.
On behalf of the committee and myself I would like to welcome you all to this year’s AGM and wish you all HAPPY New year 2025.
I please to say that 2024 has been very successful year for our Club.
Our membership has been increased to almost 100
The state of the playing green had a lot of positive comments
We increased the number of teams in the league by fielding an extra team in the Thursday Afternoon league.
Congratulations to A team for gaining promotion to Division Two.
All other Teams performed extremely well.
In order to accommodate more player in the leagues, this year we planning to enter a team to the Highley League, and extra Ladies Team to Telford Ladies League and another team to Thursday Evening.
We hosted a County Junior Competition in the Summer and hoping that this year we host another competition.
During the season we held many events and inhouse competition with great success. Credit to the organisers of the inhouse competitions and the trophy presentation night.
During the year we raised £839.60 for various charities through various events and activities. Such as Lingen Davies Cancer, Skin Foundation and Childhood Cancer Charities
All these were made possible by of you by participating one way or another.
We established a dedicated green team, which every week ensure the playing green is perfect condition to play us to enjoy the game, either socially, competition or league games.
There are the Garden volunteers who spend many hours during the year ensuring the gardens and hedges and fences around green and the club house are kept if perfect condition.
The catering team which provided excellent meals and refreshments as required. During the winter months the group of volunteers provided, once a month a coffee morning for all the members to get together and keep in touch with each other. The proceeds have gone to named charities, on top of the Rose Bowl charity event takes place every Saturday.
Last year the committee introduced other trophy/trophies to the top of averages of each division, 8 in total. The price of £20 which is self-finance by the match fees.
Let’s not forget the four coaches who every week of the season dedicate their spare time bringing old and new members game to the higher level.
There are the captains, the league players and the competition participants who spend may hours of their spare time arranging team selection, lifts and liaising with other teams’ captains for us to enjoy the game.
Let us not forget the committee members who spend many hours attending meetings, arrange agendas, reports, repairs as well as making difficult decisions for the smooth running of our club.
To all of you, the committee and I would like to say a very big thank you.
Last year we decided to purchase a shed to store the green tools as well as all woods and jack to make easier to access without entering the club house.
There were times when we faced some difficulties when the club house required emergency repairs, every one of you showed real resilience to overcome and solve the problem without any complaints.
During the electrical renovation of the Club House we discover that the floodlights need attention. The committee decided that it would be more cost effective and improvement to the lighting system to replace the existing ones. The lights will be replaced before the new season starts.
Last year we introduced chapter into constitution to include the R&R of each committee position and their sub committees for support.
Our aim for this
year is to elect the committee according to the Roles and Responsibilities and sub committees to support these roles.
Also support the A team stay in the division 2, introduce new members to the C team and get promotion with B team and one or both Senior Teams, support the Ladies Teams and specially the two New Captains Jenny and Margaret as well as John in Highley and Thursday Team.
Being a chairman of any organisation/club is not an easy task. However, your understanding, your enthusiasm and support you made it easy and enjoyable for me. I’m really proud to be a chairman of this club. For that I Thank you All.
Before I hand to you the Treasurer I would like to remind you the dates of some forthcoming events.
7th February Bingo Night - Fish and Chips
28th February - Quiz Night
16th March - Horse Racing Night
Complex AGM to TBA
5: Treasurers report.
Members were emailed a copy of the annual accounts showing income and expenditure.
The treasurer took time to go through the years expenditure and explained that the club often relied on the continuous generosity of some of its members and would in future need to find new ways to raise funds to ensure the future of the clubs’ finances.
There was unrest regarding the money from the lottery going to the complex rather than to the club. The secretary explained that this was a decision made some years ago – but explained that this would be something that would be better discussed at the complex meeting and beseeched all members to attend the complex meeting if they wished to gain more knowledge and provide their input to its future.
6: Proposals
Proposal 1
Current Rule 3
3. The Bowls Club shall be under the management of a committee, which shall consist of the following: -
i. Chairperson
ii. Secretary
iii. Treasurer
Amend to:
3. The Bowls Club shall be under the management of a committee, which shall consist of the
following: -
iv. Chairperson
v. Secretary
vi. Treasurer
vii. Vice Chair
viii. Players Secretary
ix. Competition Secretary
x. Volunteer & Social Secretary
xi. Welfare Officer
xii. Green Rep
xiii. Lead Coach
xiv. Maintenance Rep
xv. Complex Rep x 3
Seconded by Keith Lockley & carried unanimously
Proposal 2
Delete the following:
3 (i) A Committee member shall stay on committee for a maximum of three continuous years unless one of
the following applies:-
a. No other club member wishes to stand for election
b. They take up the position of Chairperson, Secretary or Treasurer
Seconded by Ray Woodstock & carried unanimously
Proposal 3
This proposal will be withdrawn if proposal 1 fails
Current Rule 3(f)
All members of the committee shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting
Amend to:
All members of the Committee as identified in para 3 shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting.
Seconded by Mal Hughes & carried unanimously
Proposal 4
This proposal will be withdrawn if proposal 1 fails
Delete the following:
7. At the first meeting of the Management Committee after the Annual General Meeting, the
Chairperson shall ensure that the following appointments are made for the forthcoming season:-
a. representatives for the County and League Organisations.
b. Three members of the committee to act as the club representatives to the Sports Complex
Committee.
c. Club Competitions Secretary.
d. Green Representative.
Seconded by Jean Strowdley & carried unanimously
Proposal 5
Match Fees
MSBL: £1.00 per person per match
Mid- Shropshire Senior Citizens: £1.50 per person per match (incl. tea & coffee)
Telford Ladies £1.50 per person per match (incl. tea & coffee)
For 2025 season only
Increase all match fees by 50p per person per match.
Proposal 6
Amend the following:
Para 28. The Annual Subscription shall be decided by a majority vote by members at the AGM.
Amend to:
The annual subscription and individual league match fees to be set each year by the bowls committee at the November meeting.
Seconded by Tony & carried unanimously
7: Election Of Committee.
Position - Nominee
Chairperson - Vlassis Alpanis
General Secretary - Siobhan Lynch
Treasurer - Gill Owens
Vice Chair - Gerry Connolly
Players Secretary - Steve Wall
Competition Secretary- Keith Lockley
Volunteer & Social Secretary - Helen Blunt
Welfare Officer - Helen Blunt
Green Rep - Keith Lockley
Head Coach - Val Johns
Maintenance Rep - Brian Forrester
Complex Rep x 3 - Gill Owens, Colin Stewart, Gerry Connolly
The above nominees were all elected to the committee.
Proposed by Darren Mattox and seconded by Anne Saxby
There being no other business the meeting was closed at 7:47pm