HALESWORTH TENNIS CLUB

7TH NEWSLETTER 2024-2025 SEASON

TRUSTEE MEETING MINUTES

Wednesday 9th April 2025, 18.00pm

Maureen’s Community Space at the Co-op

Present

Simon Thackray, Charlotte Binder, Mick Binder, Lyn Burnett, Tessa Summers, Mike Davis, Ben Sharratt

1. Apologies for absence

None

2. Death of Sarah Giles

In memory of Sarah, John has asked if a memorial bench could be placed at the tennis courts. Mick will speak further with John. ACTION 1

3. Review of the golf day

Simon spoke about how brilliantly the golf day had gone, particularly in terms of the organisation and outcome. Mike confirmed that we made £4,448 in profit. Simon thanked Mick for securing sponsorship, and particularly the amount donated by Spectra. These sponsors have been thanked by Mick and Charlotte and, at Tessa’s suggestion, Simon will thank Lois Hunt for the opportunity. ACTION 2

4. Where we are with resurfacing of the courts

• Outstanding work

Painting of courts and lines (Premier). Front gate painting (DIY). Mick to message through the committee WhatsApp with proposed date for painting. ACTIONED

• Outstanding payment to Premier

In hand.

• Re-opening day – notification to members

Lyn will notify members by email and on the HTC WhatsApp (w/b 14/04). ACTION 3

• Surplus – do we immediately reduce the LTA loan?

Various options are up for consideration – pay back £2,000 to the LTA and reduce loan from £12,000 to £10,000, pay £1,200 now being the current calendar year instalment, stick to the scheduled payment period (1st payment on January 1st, 2026.), use the surplus to purchase a new shed, for example. There was no decision.

5. Planning the AGM

• Time & date – notification to members

This will take place on Tuesday 22nd April 6.30 at the Insomnia Café in the Halesworth Co-op. Lyn has already notified the membership via email and HTC WhatsApp and will post the agenda once prepared by Simon. ACTION 4

• Trustees for 2025-26

Stated by Simon, and agreed by the trustees, is the reality that the club’s demographic, its committee and coach are interlinked and to promote a demographic shift we need change. Simon has a Teams call with Josh Dashwood (LTA) tomorrow, seeking advice and support, and will share the outcomes. ACTIONED The need for change will be introduced within the agenda for the AGM and then between this and our Open Day anyone who wants to stand as a trustee can say so. ACTION 5

• Annual Accounts

Mike must get these done by the AGM on the 22nd of April and these go to 30 April 2025 to bring us in line with the member subscriptions. ACTION 6 Simon will provide Mike with the ready-made spreadsheet on which he prepared the half-year accounts to 30 September 2024. ACTIONED

• Budget and member subscriptions 2025-26

Lyn outlined the proposed rates for the new season and the types of memberships to be offered. These are as follows: Single adult £100, Couple £160, Family £180, Junior £40. Setting the fee for guest bookings

The fee for pay & play will be set at £15.

Simon ran through the figures and the income generated over the last 2/3 years. If we set our subscriptions at these new rates, then we will reach our target income of around £5000.

• Club Night

Lyn raised the point that a club session where any member can participate has to be a weekend day, particularly as we aim to encourage more families and juniors. 

6. Thinking ahead to the Open Day

• Confirming date & time

Sunday, 18th May 10.00am to 1.00pm

• Equipment

Tennis balls and pickleball bats & balls will be purchased and kept in the hut. ACTION 7

• Catering

The usual light refreshments will be provided. ACTION 8

• Banners

It was agreed that we need a new banner to go up at the courts where we promote our programme and advertise our most significant funders i.e. Halesworth Town Council, Heveningham Hall Charitable Trust, East Suffolk Community Partnerships, Suffolk LTA and Spectra. ACTION 9

• Advertising the event

Social media must play a big part in promoting this. We are all to share the details over as many platforms as possible. Lyn will look to produce an article and advert (asking for Roger’s help) for April’s Community News if Micropress can extend the deadline. ACTIONED

• Gary’s role

This must be confirmed. ACTION 10

• Discounts and payment of subs on the day

As usual, new members joining on the day will be offered a discounted rate.

7. HCSL – report from Simon & Mick

Simon referred to a series of posts by J. MacDonald (FOI) exposing the lack of progress made by Campus.

8. The team – pre-season report from Tessa

Tessa shared the schedule for this season’s matches. In Division 3 we are up against Southwold D & E, Lowestoft C and Loddon. The problem remains that Tessa and Lyn are the only women prepared to play which is okay unless one of them is injured. We will need to invite players from the Intermediate group. Tessa to make approaches. ACTION 11

9. AOB

None.

Meeting closed at 20.30pm