CHAIRMAN'S AGM REMARKS

Welcome to Tottington Sports Clubs 2016 AGM, thank you for giving up the time to attend what is a key date in the diary.

As I sat down to write my opening remarks last weekend I couldn’t help but reflect on the past 12 months and whilst I know I’m starting to sound like a broken record, the progress made in the last year has been quite staggering and probably eclipses anything in the clubs long and proud history.

We have:

• Finally secured a 35 year lease to protect the long term future of the club
• Completed the most ambitious extending and refurbishing of the pavilion ever undertaken
• Successfully competed in senior men’s and women’s cricket whilst also having a mixed junior side
• Held the second TBDO which despite the weather proved as popular if not more than the first
• Joined the new GMCL

But it has not been without its challenges as we had a break in during the building project, got beaten by the weather on Boxing Day and suffered a number of set backs during the development due to planning and building regs issues.

It is with all this progress in mind that the theme of my opening remarks becomes clear and that is support and help.

Your committee has worked extremely hard over the past 5 years or so to provide a facility that is beyond compare to that endured by those of us who have been at the club for many years – we now enjoy state of the art practice net facilities, a bowling machine and showers to name but a few. But in creating the club that you enjoy today we have increased the work required 5 fold at least.

It is no longer good enough just to play cricket or rounders. I fully appreciate everyone has different amounts of time available but less than 10 hours a year would make a huge difference. We will be asking for your help this year with the following:

• New members on the committee (monthly meetings)
• Cricket Force Day (a couple of hours)
• Support for TBDO (6 hours)
• Ongoing ground work (Saturday mornings)

If you are asked please don’t just think that someone else will do it.

The future is really exciting with new facilities, a new league and new opposition – involve yourself as much as you can with the club.

Finally I just wanted to thank all those that have given their time to the sports club during the last 12 months and in particular my colleagues on the committee who between them provide hundreds and hundreds of hours of time free of charge.

Thanks for listening, please contribute tonight with any comments, observations or challenge and support our club, support your captain and enjoy a great season of cricket and rounders in 2016.