HAMPSHIRE CRICKET MEMBERS’ CLUB

AGM 2015 Minutes

Date: 30th March 2015

Opening of AGM – 17.35pm (5 minutes late due to sound issues)

Apologies:Nick Pike, Andrew Renshaw, Richard Ankers, Jane Shinn, Mike Turner, Peter Came,

  1. Approve the Minutes of the 2014 Annual General Meeting

Proposal for acceptance of the minutes as a true record -David Auckland

Seconded - Michael Paine

Against - none, Abstentions - none

Minutes were signed as a true record.

  1. Matters arising from the 2014 Annual General Meeting

No matters were raised

  1. Chairman’s address

Please see attached notes

  1. To elect the followingPresident, Patron and Vice Presidents

President proposal of Nick Pock – Terry Crump

Seconded – Bill Hughes

Against - none Abstention - none

No other proposals for president were made.

Patron proposal of Wilfred Weld – Michael Pain

Seconded – Alan Head

Against – no Abstentions - no

Vice Presidents proposal en bloc – Roger Treherne

Seconded – Tim Milligan

Against – none, Abstentions - none

Nick Pock announced that Neil Jenkinson has resigned as a Vice President due to ill health.

Nick said that Neil was a wonderful Archivist of Hampshire heritage and for many years headed up the Heritage Committee. He has written many definitive books on Cricket History and Hampshire Cricket.

The president, on behalf of all the members, thanked him for all his efforts. Hampshire Cricket have made Neil an honorary life membership to recognize his association and support for the Club.

Members elected to the Members’ Committee.

The following stood for Committee and were elected unopposed:

Peter Came, Tim Milligan, Alan Head and Laurence Coleman

Jane Shinn and Simon Younghave been co-opted onto the Committee for another year.

  1. Rose Bowl Plc and Ageas Bowl updates for 2015

DavidMann highlighted the following points:

Hotel Development:

  • It has been another huge year in history of Ageas bowl and the near completion of a 10 year journey with the hotel opening 1st May. The hotel will include 171 bedrooms, a luxury spa, conference room, media facilities and the golf course is coming for 2016.
  • New restaurant concept in hotel – new brand in collaboration with Ian Botham, named Beefys.
  • Fantastic economic boost to local area, and to the company with turnover of £10m this year, meaning we have doubled size of operation.
  • Hotel project currently delivered on budget.
  • Tours for members to be announced – towards end of April.

Business performance

  • Current performance is ok. Accounts have been audited and the Plc. is reporting profit again, increase to £600, 000 for 2014, with a revenue increase from £8m to £10m
  • High points include test revenue, sponsorship revenue,which is up 25% on previous year and both membership and ticket sales are increasing.
  • Now looking to exploiting synergies in the business i.e. between hotel and cricket. NZ cricket using facilities for warm up for England tour.
  • Also looking at major match allocation, hoping and working towards it being better moving forward. 2017 – 2019 was ok, we maintained test ground status but missed out on an Ashes tour.
  • Business model is to be independent of major match allocations – but these are still important. Sales for the year’sinternational games selling better than anywhere else outside London. Both NZ and Aus games looking positive for a sell out.

Cricket structure

  • Leadership changes within management and coaching working well and the department is developing well.
  • There is to be more focus on bringing youngsters through and developing younger players, even though we are currently good in this area.
  • Cricket still remains a positive revenue stream.
  • New International Signings – Andre Adams, Jackson Bird, Yasir Arafat and Fidel Edwards.

HCCC Trust

  • Very proud of the trust and it is central to the ethos of the business. It is starting to bear fruit.
  • Poseidon boxing club has received a grant to expand as it has outgrown it’s current location. Very positive news about the good this venture is doing within the community, helping disaffected children.

David stated that he was always looking to add value to membership and would always welcome feedback from all members and appreciates the time members take to tell us about their ideas, issues etc.

David thanked all of the sponsors, giving special mention to Ageas partners and Prysmian Group UK who helped with hotel and is a big local employer.

David also thanked Terry and the members committee. He said that he appreciated their efforts and hope it continues. He also gave special mention to Dave Allen, our archivists.

David wished Jimmy Adams good luck with his benefit year and said that he was sure that everyone in the room would join him in this thought.

Stuart Robertson took the floor and discussed the following:

New reward scheme, coming in Early May.

  • Free of charge and all people on the database will be automatically opted in
  • Points will be earned for all money spent on membership, tickets, hospitality etc..
  • All points will sit on own named account and then can be redeemed against spending within Hampshire Cricket, including membership.
  • Point earning opportunities will also be opened up to 4000 online retail opportunities, including Amazon, Boots, John Lewis, Expedia, iTunes, booking.com
  • Also added opportunity to add a credit or debit card and then every time this card is used in one of the 30 high street retail partners you will also earn points. Retailers include Debenhams, H Samuel and Cotswolds.
  • Reward scheme trialled by jockey club with great success and some very positive reviews from customers.
  • A letter giving a full explanation and details will be being sent to everyone in the near future.
  • Redemption of points will be able to start in September.

Newclose, IOW

  • Scheduling some part of the Hants Cricket season to take place at Newclose is still in discussion but will not happen this year.
  • Some key people from Hants Cricket visited the facility this week to further discussions and the feedback is very positive. Both the playing and player facilities look good.
  • The concern is to ensure that members are not disadvantaged in any way and it has been agreed that any scheduling on the IOW must be announced before memberships for that season go on sale so that members and potential members are fully informed.

Transport

  • 3 new bus routes for T20 blast games, in conjunction with new partners Airlinks

1)Eastleigh via Fair Oak

2)Winchester via St cross, m3 and Eastleigh

3)Warsash via Locks Heath and Bursledon

  • 1 coach per route and on demand so more can be scheduled if required.
  • £5 return for all routes and available to book on line via Ageas.com, airlinks website or via phone at the ground booking office.

Pavilion access

  • The Atrium will revert back to members only for all T20 blast games.

Website

  • Website is being completely rebuilt and will be ready on May 1st. 2015.
  • It will incorporate the hotel as well as all current content but it will have better navigation and usability.
  • Feedback will be welcomed once the site is up and running.

Arlott Atrium

  • On Sunday 12th April (Sussex game) there will be a ceremony and formal unveiling of the sign to officially recognise the new name.
  1. Presentation of Cheques and Awards

Brian Ford presented the Olive Ford Award2014(shield) for most promising uncapped player of the year. This award has been running for 25 to 30 years.

Winner – Tom Allsopp

Brian Scrimshaw from Portsmouth& SE Supporters’ Associationpresented a Cheque for £300.00 to Simon Jones for Disability Cricket

Simon Jones gave special thanks and mention to the ‘Quiz Night’ hosts, the Portsmouth & South East Supporters Association, England Cricket and Help for Hero’s, Cage cricket, David Mallet (who organised the joint brass band and community choir andJeff Levick.

  1. Any Other Business

Nick Pock discussed Jimmy Adam’s Benefit Year.

Terry or Alan Head (both on Jimmy’s Benefit Committee) have information about events and mentioned 3 in particular:

  1. The Members’ Day on the 17th May,
  2. Dinner on the day before the NZ ODI on 13 June
  3. Eve of Australia ODI Dinner on 1st September – the latter two to be held at the new Hilton Hotel on the ground.

A question from the floor (name not given) - What arrangements have been made for discounts etc. for members wishing to use the hotel?

David Mann – this is currently under review and there will be discounts available. Details will follow once finalised.

Due to time constraints there was no further time for questions and members were asked to speak to a member of the committee to have any further questions addressed.

Meeting closed at 18:40

Members’ Committee

Chairman’s Address at 2015 AGM

Good evening. Thank you for attending the 2015 Hampshire Cricket Members’ Club AGM.

I will start by thanking our Patron Wilfrid Weld for all he and his wife Sally have done to support and promote the Club, its events and its Player Beneficiaries. They have supported me throughout the past year, as has our President Nick Pocock, who is our AGM Chairman tonight.

Wilfrid, Nick ...... thank you for being here this evening.

Reporting on events since the last AGM is always exciting for me, because I have mostly had to report success, both on and off the field since being the Chairman of your Committee.

That is also the case today but I intend to start by speaking with sadness about the losses during the year since I last reported to members.

Sadly, I announce the death of Geoffrey Elderfield, a staunch supporter of Hampshire Cricket and cricket in Hampshire. Geoffrey was a Vice president of our club and he was well known in Hampshire cricketing circles, most especially in the Portsmouth area.

Again, sadly I must report the death of Imogen Grosberg. Imogen, who many will remember, celebrated the achievements of the Hampshire team and its players in verse, in Hampshire Handbooks from 1955 until 2008.

The sadness felt by the cricketing family, upon the tragic demise of Philip Hughes, will be echoed here in this room. The manner of the former Hampshire player’s death left us all in shock.

Members here this evening will know of others that will not share the new season with us and on behalf of the Club, I offer condolences to their families and friends.

The purpose of the Members’ Committee is to liaise with those that run and maintain the facilities we enjoy, and to represent Members’ views. I can report that the relationship between your Members’ Committee and the Directors, Managers and staff associated with running The Ageas Bowl and Hampshire Cricket has continued to be a close one. The relationship is purposeful, built on mutual respect and is dedicated to providing the best possible experience for Members on their visits to the ground.

As Chairman of your Committee, I invited a group of members who attended The Ageas Bowl most frequently during the 2014 season to a Members’ Forum, in much the same way that I have done in previous years. All the information from that forum, together with the comments made through the other means by which Members’ views are communicated, have been used to inform the arrangements for this season.

To ensure that Members are able to pass on comments and share concerns, a ‘Committee Desk’ will once again be manned by a Committee Member. The desk will be manned in the Atrium for an hour before play starts on all one-day matches and t20 games and on the first day of LVCC Division 1 fixtures (Oh what a joy to say LVCC Division 1).

Committee members always pass on the comments given to them to ensure that Rod Bransgrove, Company Directors, managers and staff are aware of potential difficulties and your views.

Your Committee continues in its determination to ensure that liaison with everybody at The Ageas Bowl is maintained and reflects the views expressed by those that the Committee represent.

Any meetings, informal or formal with Rod Bransgrove or his Directors regarding developments at The Ageas Bowl, get reported to your Committee to help them keep informed on your behalf. During the past year, Stuart Robertson, Tim Tremlett and other Directors, Managers and staff have attended the quarterly Members’ Committee meetings to listen to ideas and views and to update the Committee.

I will take this opportunity to thank all the members of your Committee on your behalf, for all the hard work that they put in representing you and your views.

The location of the Committee Area for most games this season will be in the Hambledon Suite at the front of the Pavilion and Committee Members will always be available to listen to your comments, ideas and questions.

Please look at the Members’ noticeboard on days that you come to The Ageas Bowl as it displays important information about the Club, related events, match statistics and heritage matters. Thanks to Dave Allen and Bob Murrell for overseeing our Notice Board and for their efforts to produce the Hampshire Handbook, which is now available thanks to their hard work.

I would also like to pay tribute to Dave Allen, our Honorary Archivist, for all the work he does to maintain and utilise Hampshire County Cricket Heritage for our benefit.

I will edit and publish the RoundUp again this season and it will be available for Members on the first day of LVCC Division 1 games (I’m so excited to have said it again, great isn’t it). Some Special Editions may be produced for One-day or T20 matches.

Bearing in mind the recent ICC Cricket World Cup Final, it is exciting that both New Zealand and Australia will be playing ODI’s against England at The Ageas Bowl this coming summer. I hope you will be supporting our magnificent venue and have already acquired your tickets. If not, there is still time but hurry.

We have another influx of new members for 2015 and Membership numbers have been maintained at around the 4000 mark.

I will be meeting some of those new members over the next few days when I take them on a tour of our ground, pointing out facilities, talking about our heritage displays and telling a few tales about players and matches from the past 152 years.

Charity fund raising by Supporters’ Associations continued last season and several events have taken place during the winter months. The Southampton Association, the North and Borders Association and the Portsmouth and South-East Association provide a focus for supporters of Hampshire Cricket (they are not all Hampshire Cricket Members) to meet in friendship and enjoy a social atmosphere.

Members and supporters do not have to live in a particular area to attend the events. Everybody is welcome, although of course, each event has a limited number of spaces available. The details for each event this season will be published in the RoundUp or they will appear on the Members’ Noticeboard.

A cheque presentation by the Portsmouth and Southeast Supporters’ Association will be made later this evening.

It is hoped to revive at least one Bournemouth and New Forest event in 2015, although the Bournemouth and New Forest Supporters’ Association is no longer functioning.

On behalf of the Associations, I would like to thank the members of their committees for organising events and to thank the speakers at the functions for their time and their efforts.

I am proud to be an Ambassador for Hampshire Cricket in the Community and the support given by Members at several events run to support the trust has been very much appreciated and has helped with several projects.

Your Members’ Committee support Hampshire Cricket in the Community and there are always opportunities for you to support the numerous initiatives through participation in projects, events and fundraising. Trust Chairman, Neil Trestrail or manager Greig Stewart are always pleased to talk to members about Hampshire Cricket in the Community and its excellent work.

News on the development of the Hilton Hotel will be an integral part of the reports by David Mann and Stuart Robertson but we can all see that it has come a long way since the end of last season.

To ensure that our facilities can be used to best effect (and to show off those facilities to potential new members), the Atrium will be open to the general public, as well as Members, on County Championship days this coming season. On Royal London and T20 Blast days, the Atrium will revert to a Members Only format.

The Shackleton Bar will remain Members’ only, on all cricketing days.

Due to the success of the “Members’ Day” last season, another similar event will take place this year as part of Jimmy Adam’s Benefit Year. The 2015 Members’ Day will be held on Sunday 17th May, the first day of Hampshire’s game against Middlesex.