Board Meeting Minutes Jan 2016

Sunday 17^th January, 5pm – Toby Carvery, Enderby
Attendance
David      Bex      Lee
Gemma      Steve      Julie
Jonathan     Libby      Kaitlin.
Apologies – Chris.

1. Misc outstanding
   • Babs still TBC as Child Protection Officer.  – Lee will contact Babs.
     Sabre Club is covered for Child Protection.
   • All coaches should go on a safeguarding course. – East Midlands fencing are running one soon, Steve will forward details to David. – Should look at club paying for this.
2. Co-Operative grant & other funding (/kit donations). Further club awareness
   • Jonathon thinks that running a PR style event for the bigwigs at Co-Op would be a good way as saying “thanks” for the money and also maybe get us in the Co-Op newsletter.
   • Can we get a voucher sorted to print in the mag alongside it?
   • Didn’t dwell on looking for a free room, would be hard as we would need full first aid, changing facilities and secure room etc for kids, sports hall is our biggest expense but it does give us all these extras. Would be best to stay put. – Check cost of local school halls though.
   • Donations from schools or clubs – Abington/Oadby/Wigston schools – Kaitlin to ask friends.
   • Businesses & Retailers are nearing their year end, can we find anyone who would look at donating their spare pennies to us?
   • Kaitlin brought up Sainsburys sports for schools vouchers. – Can we get on their list to spend these if we can get all the kids to donate them to us? Bex to research.
3. Secretary business
   • Website Maintenance – Steve to send Bex details of Sabre Club for website page.
   • Bex to update pages to be a little more informative.
   • Update forms to show better timescales for responses.
   • Coaches all happy with where the emails all go too.
   • Bex to look in to hosting options – is this still with Jaz?
   • Still working on a full update of the member’s emails through mail chimp list to purge & update
   • We need to get ICE info for everyone asap (should also look at “updated” member forms for current members)
     Steve gets his kids to fill out a new application from every year so will do that to get ice details.
   • Thoughts on updating the club application form. –  Everyone agrees they need a bit of a refresh.
     Including social handles.
     Including photo consent.
     Sending digital form as soon as their taster is confirmed to saves time on night.
     Sign in sheet modification – insurance/child protection reasons.
     We need to modify this so that it is still one sheet of paper but that it has them actively signing in and out. We need to be sure who is still there after 8pm or if people go home early.
     Not decided one of each grade coach should take a register rather than having a queue.
4. Fee structure
   • Standing Order pricing – A-£25 (=£8.33/n) J – £15 (=£ 5/n) – put up jr s/o to £18 (=£6/n to equal the cost of the 10 week course)?
     Lee says a year ago we were the most expensive compared to similar clubs in the area but we do give more for your money.
   • Bex is going to check the list of membership vs who is paying standing orders & we need to look at updating everyone on standing orders to be paying the same price.
   • We need to create a handout with all the prices on & agree on a package discount price for advance payment. Potential below:
     Grade 1/2/3 full term: A – £75 (=£7.50/n) J – £60 (=£6/n)
     Grade 1 short course (½ term): A – £50.
     Grade 1 – 3 full year: A – £210. J – £165.
     Grade 1 – 3 late starter: A – £185.
   • Can we do something on a “credits” basis? – This is something we still need to work out, Bex is getting requests for a less set class structure. But how do we do this?
     10 hours = same £££ as One Grade can be used in 30 or 60 min blocks?
     Need to have guaranteed attendance 2(?) days prior?
     How do we control this – especially as Bex can’t be at all club sessions.
5. Swordmark/Clubmark – Babs emailed David regarding this, we can apply to be part of City
   • Festival this year as it’s an Olympic year & this will count towards Swordmark. Not clear on what this is exactly.
6. Child Protection bits –
   • We need to be more careful with children who are getting to / leaving the club under their own steam.
   • Ties in to register options above.
   • Should have a parental consent for under 16s & they have to sign out. Under 18s should sign themselves out – Links to above.
   • Are there any other child welfare things we may be missing? David still to talk to Andrew at Harborough about such.
   • Sabre club tells parents that they can leave the kids but only when a coach has arrived and then must be there to pick kids up by the time session ends. We need to check with all parents exactly where they are and why they’re leaving.
   • Photography consent from the parents
     Worked this out with Chris on 19^th, should be all sorted.
7. Sabre Club needs / wants.
   • Steve needs some bodywires please.
     Otherwise all is good there.
8. How do we spend this grant then?
   • Everyone is to email David with their ideas, we will then collate them and make a decision.
   • Steve pointed out we need to check the insurance will cover some more expensive equipment.
   • Julie happy for some of the current club funds to be spent on this too to boost what we buy.
     Would it be more cost effective / still good quality to not buy Leon Paul?
9. Kit needs – Club & Coaches
   • The club should provide it’s coaches with black kit if they wish – yes they would please. Need to check BFA rules regarding coaching now, do they require black plastron?
   • Who owns the go-fence kit?
   • Steve, Jonathon & David would all like a black coaches tshirt.
   • Thought for future – more club hoodies and tshirts. Like before.
   • David to cost up black plastrons for everyone – LP vs All Star vs PTB etc.
   • David to look into idea of refurbing the spools and boxes.
     Can we trade them in to LP/sell on ebay to help cover cost of fancy new ones?
   • Wary of buying anything too expensive as kids have a habit of accidentally breaking things.
   • Everyone to send details of what they think the club needs, will send separate later on.
10. Higher grading options & Coaches commitments & qualifications.
    • Coach Education – Confirm Date in Feb for a Sunday – 20^th?
    • Good idea to increase number of coaches?
    • Ian Clowes has a grade 4 in Epee & foil & would be interested in coach’s qualification.
      Steve to talk to Prof. Graham – would Chris be happy teaching the Coaches the stuff for Grade 2 and then just get him down to administer the exams?
11. Competitions – Great idea but how to market it better. Mail chimp & social media be v good.
    • Team Steam sessions
    • In house league or end of term match night
    • Extra club night with just competitions
    • Can we integrate Duke of Edinborough Award work? – Julie is going to talk to Kelly Ross for us.
12. Response from Leicester City Mayor (if available)
    • None as of meeting however have since had a response which was very positive, David has sent this round & requested thoughts on what to bring up at a meeting with the council also list of desired stuff the club needs more than just stuff~ we can buy with the Co-Op money.
13. Youth Representatives Section
    • N/A
14. AOB?
    • How many business cards do we have left??? – Do we need to look at getting more?
    • Noticeboard – Needs photos and more info. A news section.
    • Posters/Flyers
    • Thoughts on a handbook to be given to newbies via email. – This is a good idea, can we re-use the old one?
    • Harry Palmer’s dad is going to be photographing club for us – 26^th Jan (2 weeks time).
    • David needs to read & sign the risk assessment.
    • Check for the lead for the posh box in the tower lights box.
    • All the kit needs cleaning – this is being worked on.
    • What can we do in the summer? Are we running over Easter? – Birstall outdoors?