Secretary’s Report: 2009
1. The year since the last AGM really started at that meeting when our new Bar Manager, Martin Bonnici, was introduced to you. Martin has now settled in to the post. I trust you will agree with me that he has taken on the role with great enthusiasm and is always very welcoming to those using the club. For my own part Martin is a valuable addition to the admin team without whose help I would probably find the work more time consuming than I might wish to continue with.
2. Activities on the administration front this year have included;
a. The renovation and conversion of the old Treasurers office, under the stairs, into a very useable snooker room for the benefit of members. This renovation and the redecoration of the TV Room, front entrance hall and other minor jobs to date have been the result of a community project entered into by the club with an instructor and pupils from Downland School. A small team of lads from the school have been given the opportunity to gain some valuable Life/Future employment skills and qualifications. The only cost to the club has been a little of my time and the cost of materials. A record of the work they have done can be seen in a folder that is on the table where you signed in tonight.
b. To enable the reoccupation of the flat above the club, some improvements were necessary in particular the old gas fired heating, which had been condemned, needed to be replaced. Martin and Gail have, of course, wanted to put their own character in to what is now their home and where applicable the club has assisted with their efforts.
c. Many of you might be unaware of the extent of this old building which is your club. There is an extensive complex upstairs to the rear of the building that, on and off, for the past couple of years has sadly been all but redundant. Unfortunately, as with many older buildings that have flat roofs we have had a problem with leaks in the roof that has all but rendered the area unusable. Roof repairs have been initiated and phase 1 is now complete. A programme of redecoration will now be embarked upon with a view to marketing this space for conference facilities in order to help maintain the necessary income to keep our club buoyant. A Pool table has been installed in to the bar and the club now has a team in the local pool league. This has proved very beneficial to the use of the bar on Mondays and Thursdays. Martin has initiated the early opening on Friday afternoons, so why don’t you come in with a friend for a pint on the way home from work. An attempt has been made to improve the heating in the members bar by changing and adding to the radiators there. Unfortunately this is not working quite as we expected as yet, but we are still on the case.
d. An internet website for the club has been established and is now becoming recognised. We have received enquiries for membership and bookings for private and corporate use as a result. The website also publishes the results of the winter skittles leagues and has had over 1300 hits for the Ladies’ results and around 400 for the men’s.
3. On the social front, the entertainments committee have arranged a wide programme of events for the benefit of members, but the functions have had a varying degree of success. The Cabaret in 2008 was a huge success and, with the efforts of all the committee members, our ticket sales were fantastic leading to a packed club on the night and a great atmosphere. Some of the other events have struggled and this leaves the entertainments committee very frustrated and wondering what it is the membership wants. A full programme has already been arranged from now until the New Year so, please, put the dates in your diary and come along to enjoy what, after all, some of your money is paying for. The next function is on the 16th of May and will be race night in aid of our new chosen local charity.
4. In line with our charter the club is still fully involved in our local community and is pleased to continue its relationship with our local charities and associations. The Royal British Legion, The RAF Association, the Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry, The Bikers Branch of the Royal British Legion (Wiltshire), a new addition, and Devizes Link meet here regularly. This year the Devizes Pensioners Club are also holding their Christmas Dinner here.
For 2 years now the club has “adopted” a local Charity and in 2008/9 it has been ‘Devizes Link’ for whom the club has amassed a grand total of £557. Arrangements for the presentation of this money to them are under way. Later this evening you will be asked to select a local charity to benefit from your efforts in 2009/10.
Eleven teams, 5 Ladies and 6 Men’s, from the club continue to play in the Devizes and District skittles league and there are 7 teams in the Summer skittles league. The Devizes Town Band, The Wyvern Band, Louise Lawrence with her Extend (Ladies exercise) Class, The Davison School of Dance and the Royal British Legion Standard Bearers of Wiltshire are all still regular hirers of our facilities. These along with the private function hire of the hall, are a major source of income to the club. It would always be nice to think that we could survive on the patronage of our membership to pay for our overheads but we must keep a realistic view and that is unless and until all of our members use the club on a regular basis we will have to rely on outside functions and hire to create the revenue needed to meet our overheads.
5. In response to a question asked at the last AGM, your committee decided to carry out a review, by a sub committee, of the membership system and subscriptions in preparation for 2009. As a result of this review, which gave the whole membership the opportunity to comment via a Newsletter and an opinion Performa, Couples, Members over 65 and Country Members now have the opportunity to join and/or renew their membership at preferential rates and joining fees have been reduced. The Committee are aware that this has been a contentious subject in the past but we should all be able to accept that in a democracy not everyone will be pleased. I would like to say at this point and after taking on the control of the application and renewal of membership, a very big thank you to Betty Smith for the years she has been our membership secretary and “No wonder you gave it up!” As at today our membership stands at ? Which is down ? on last year.
6. I feel sure that most of you have heard about the special deal that Wadworth set up for the early months of 2009. This deal was intended solely for their own Managed and Tenanted Pubs and gave preferential rates for IPA, 6X and Fosters. Your Committee managed to convince Wadworth that it should be extended to this club and that we should get Carlsberg instead of Fosters. This enabled us to compete with most of the Pubs in town. As of yesterday Wadworth have ended that deal, therefore our prices for those commodities have reverted to reflect this change. During the later part of 2008 the committee decided the club should absorb three rounds of price increases from the breweries, but as the budget approached they found that could no longer be the case. A price review was initiated and new prices were set. The committee realise that everyone is feeling the pinch during the country’s present financial problems but please be assured that they will continue to ensure you get the very best deal they can get for you.
7. In closing I would like to thank the very small team, and I feel sure they know who they are, who give so willingly of their time, energy and skills to keep your club running for you. It would be absolutely wonderful to see every member give just a small amount of their time and skills to assist them and ease their burden. Help in laying out for and clearing away after functions, assistance with painting and decorating or cleaning, assistance in the kitchen for preparation of buffets etc are but a few of the ways in which you may be able to help. The list is virtually endless. Please just speak to a committee member and let them know you are prepared to assist.