 On 7th August, at the Imperial Public House, Cleethorpes, Grimsby Town Supporters Trust held an open meeting, during which plans were unveiled to revamp the ways in which the Trust currently communicates with both members and non-members. Some excellent ideas were suggested and discussed at the meeting and the following two weeks have proved similarly productive for the Trust. Several people have come forward with offers of assistance, especially via email, and plans for another open meeting will be soon confirmed. However, we are still looking for fans with the skills, time and enthusiasm necessary to help us in specific areas where we are currently underperforming due to lack of numbers.
Web Design One particular area, in which the Trust board members and meeting attendees discussed plans to improve and revamp, was the GTST.net website – a portal through which the Trust can not only attract new members but also keep current members informed. The attendees agreed that the Trust wasn’t using the current site to its full potential and new Trust editor, Jake Olley, outlined plans to integrate more creative content, an easier platform for communication between the Trust/Club and ‘new media’ portals such as video and radio webcasts. The Trust also outlined plans to bring in a new Supporters Direct initiative, which will allow easy communication between the Trust and its members, as well as a greater emphasis on the Buy.at site – an affiliate online shopping programme. However, despite a couple of enquiries, the Trust has yet to find a volunteer with a flare for web design, who will oversee the re-design project as Trust webmaster. If you have the desire, time and resources to help us, or know someone who has, please contact us at
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Contributors/Sponsors Since the plan for the GTST.net revamp was announced, new editor Jake Olley and his editorial team, Nathaniel Pidgeon and Andrew Hubbert, have received a steady stream of emails from people willing to help with the fresher, more fanzine-style, side of the site. Plans have also been discussed for both paper and online publications in the future, along with the possibility of providing a free newsletter to ALL Mariners fans to spread the word about the Trust’s work. However, that plan is dependent on the Trust attracting local companies who will be willing to help by sponsoring/advertising in the Trust’s future projects. All attendees at the meeting agreed that attracting advertisers and ensuring that the site and future newsletters/e-newsletters/fanzines were profitable was the key. So if you are a local business and would be interested in advertising on the new Trust website/in future publications or think that you may be able to contribute in other ways, please contact us on
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Accounting Currently Grimsby Town Supporters Trust reluctantly has to spend up to £500 a year on having its yearly accounts audited, an amount which represents a sizeable chunk of the money it raises. For Trusts whose income is under £25,000 a year, Supporters Direct now allows an alternative to the full audit; an Independent Examination of the accounts by a person who has an understanding of accountancy principles and standards but is not necessarily a qualified auditor. Whereas a full audit assures the members that the accounts are right, The Independent Examination confirms to members that there is no evidence to suggest that the accounts are wrong. The GTST Board would love the Trust to be making £25,000 plus a year, but the reality is that our income is currently a fraction of that amount. So, subject to the approval of our members at the next AGM, the Trust Board would like to opt out of full audit and switch to an Independent Examination from 2008/09 onwards. This would save the Trust a considerable amount of money, which could then be invested in the future of Grimsby Town Football Club. The appointed examiner should have no connection with a member of the Trust Board, which might inhibit the impartial conduct of the examination. If you feel that you are capable of fulfilling this role or know of someone who could, please contact us on
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Ideas/General Support Finally, if you have any ideas that you feel would benefit the Trust or you would like to get involved in any other areas, please contact us. Alternatively, if you don’t have the time but would still like to help the Trust, please take the time to look at the membership packages, which are currently available from our online shop (www.gtst.net). GTST Contact Details Email:
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Editorial:
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Telephone: 0870 4711 827 (please leave a message) |
