Club F.O.D 2nd AGM Annual General Meeting 22-06-2023 rev 2
1. Attendees : Jamie Wake (CEO), Laurence O’Meara (CFO), Brendan Nagle (Trustee with Responsibility Club F.O.D @), Martin Holmes Mark Young (Treasurer) Suzie , Gloria
2. Apologies None : Non-Attendance: Gary, Stuart, Adam
3. Meeting Started : 7:10PM
- Past Minutes reviewed and accepted.
4. Report of Last Year by Jamie Wake :
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Separate detailed document is available.
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Copy below
It’s fair to say that the last year had brought challenges. I think the biggest two is a cost-of-living crisis and that some of our events have had to compete with alternative events. Most of our door hosts (Drag) have left to explore opportunities with Iota Events. This has meant that the visible “shop window” of our events has changed and then of course, people have had to choose between their financial priorities where socialising is either rationed, or cheaper venues sought to have a night out in. This has led to the numbers of people attending our events decreasing. The last year has also seen us pause a number of projects including Radio F.O.D, F.O.D TV, and the launch of LGBT Friending. This has mainly been as a result to challenges posed by a shortage of suitable volunteers and funding.
Though this is disappointing, and despite the slight delay to our expansion of our service offering, Club F.O.D has managed to successfully a new service, Club F.O.D @ Pride, which reduces social isolation for LGBT+ people attending pride events and provides a home for those that wouldn’t normally attend. I remember bringing the initial proposal to the team and seeing the faces of horror at the ambitious nature of the project – but we did it – and ironically today is the day of the official launch of it happening again this year.
Another success to recognise is that we have also expanded into Oxfordshire with monthly events now taking place in Banbury - I would like to take this opportunity to recognise Suzie and Stuart for establishing the first Club F.O.D service outside of Berkshire.
Whilst acknowledging expansion, we are also launching services in South Wales where we will be organising a small regional pride event to build a platform for monthly events and are also currently exploring the possibility of establishing Wales’s first LGBT+ community hub. This has led us to meeting with the Welsh Government as well as Torfaen Council last week.
As we have proved, all it takes is a desire to make things happen – and we are fortunate that the Club F.O.D Team has that desire.
But like anything in life, we also need to look to the future. With me now living in South Wales and recognising that we also have people within our team that also don’t live in Berkshire, I would like us over the next year to relook at how we operate and structure ourselves as a charity: to ensure that the local LGBT+ communities that we operate in are reassured by the services that we deliver and see us as much more than just a group that organises LGBT+ nights. For example, other LGBT+ groups were invited to be included at Bracknell Pride – I am not sure we knew about it or even if the charity was picked up on anyone’s radar.
I believe that we already recognise that the risk and challenge we often face is that people might start to not be able to separate what we do, from what the venues do in the locations that we deliver in. Not everyone recognises I believe we have also tended to focus on what we try to offer rather than what the various communities need.
I have been mulling this over and pondered on what we could do. I think a key task is to start surveying our existing communities to gather that they want and need and then at some point, I’ll be bringing a proposal to the trustees and operations teams. This proposal would be to move towards a central model with a branch network rather than a network that has been dictated by service stream. This allows the branch network to take ownership at a local /county level and access the service streams that reflect the needs of their local LGBT+ communities and may bring in new volunteers for any services that do not need to be delivered at a local level such as Radio F.O.D or F.O.D TV. One locality may only support a dedicated LGBT+ night whilst another might only require a befriending service.
This then means that individual branches then only need to build and maintain volunteer resources for the service streams that meets the needs of the LGBT+ community in their locality rather than spreading resources thin across all service streams we offer.
This also allows individual branches to work with similar groups and organisations in their area to achieve the charitable objects of Club F.O.D.
To illustrate all this as an example, Club F.O.D Berkshire might only deliver a dedicated LGBT+ at the Blagrave and the Club F.O.D @ Pride project at Reading Pride, whilst Club F.O.D Oxfordshire might only be able to deliver a social meet up in Banbury and a pink picnic. South Wales might not be able to organise dedicated nights but can deliver a pride event or befriending service. None of the branches then need to focus on other service streams that won’t work in their area but might notice similar groups and organisations locally that do which could be supported by the branch. It might also mean that across the branch network there are a number of volunteers that might have shared interests in delivering a service that is not geographically aligned such as the Radio: there might be two people in Berkshire that want to volunteer for the Radio, one in Oxfordshire and three in South Wales. This would then mean that pooled volunteers could deliver a joint project.
Branches would not be separate charities but would need to be established by agreement to design and deliver local plans for their localities whilst adhering to rules, policies and procedures set centrally.
Continuing to look to the future, over the next year I would also like to see us then expand the number of trustees that sit on the board to ensure that we will be able to ‘un-pause’ the other service streams that were started and inject some different ideas into what we already deliver and what we could potentially deliver in the future.
These are merely my own visions for the direction of the charity which may or may not be shared with the other trustees who may envisage different plans, but I believe it would ensure we remain community led and driven rather than service stream led and enable us to expand access to local grants and funding streams. This is not a motion for this AGM, but I would welcome any feedback – after the AGM - on what our structure could and should look like to ensure it is future proof and achieves our charitable objects.
We remain one of the only LGBT+ charities that focuses on preventing and reducing social isolation in the UK – something that we should celebrate and embrace as a platform to grow from.
With events in Oxfordshire and soon South Wales, we are no longer just Reading based, and we have an amazing team that share a vision that seeks better for our communities: we need to shout it from the rooftops!
Finally, I would like to recognise each, and every volunteer involved in Club F.O.D – I of course miss you all and I miss working with you closely. Thank you for your commitment and hard work for the LGBT+ community.
I have always said that there really is no place home, and as we are starting to see, home does not necessarily have to be in Reading. So, I hope that as the charity continues to grow, not only will we build communities, but we also start to build a sense of home in many more locations.
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Laurence comment on specify area to be discussed further in other meetings:
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How donations are raised and cross-funding other area
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o Bracknell Pride we were not invited to the event: We need to raise our profile with other local prides.
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Brendan asked about volunteers in Wales if that would be difficult, Jamie’s advised currently we have possible 42 volunteers with good mixture of people: Jamie felt this is mainly due to there not being a pride in Wales, so people want to get involved, while in other area like Reading they are already volunteering.
5. End of Year Finance Report by Mark Young
Treasurers Report
Please remember this is a snapshot of the financial situation on the 31[st of] December 2022.
Profit and Loss Account
Net Income from all sources £2,489.08
Donations totalled £1,777.88 less £14.76 card fees.
The Rainbow Lottery raised £703.50.
Less cost of Events (Club F.O.D nights in the Blagrave) £81.40
Other income of £103.86
Operating Expenses: £6,947.62
Operating Loss for the year: £4,458.54
Grants received: £9,368.00
Sponsorship received: £488.75
Less reserved expenditure: £8,750.00
Net Reserved Income £1,106.75
Movement of Funds: -£3,351.79
Breakdown of Other Income
This consisted of Amazon Smile, Microsoft Giving and Gift Aid.
Breakdown of Expenses:
Pride: Marquee and other Pride expenditure including the fabric, sewing service and equipment.
Office: telephone service
Services: F.O.D website, radio website and associated banking costs
Radio licence: broadcasting licences
Software: befriending software and Restream
Promotions: banners and business cards
Publicity: advertising costs for club nights
Balance sheet
This shows the actual finances on 31 December 2022.
| Metro Bank Account: Zettle Account: Paypal Account: Paypal JustGiving Account: Cash in hand: Total Available Funds: |
£2,031.71 £0.00 £7.50 £5.00 £101.58 £2,145.79 |
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Payments and Accrued Income of £446.00 consists of £350.00 invoiced to Thames Water and £96.00 paid to Zurich for Insurance which was subsequently cancelled and was to be refunded.
There were no outstanding liabilities, so the Net Assets were £2,591.79.
Fund brought forward from the 2021 accounts were £5,943.58.
Movement of funds from the P&L Account was -£3,351.79
So, funds carried forward to 2023 were £2,591.79 .
The supporting documents are available in the Finance section of Teams includes the ledgers of all transactions and bank statements etc.
I have one further comment to make – Mark Pointed out that we did not make any distribution to external good causes during the year. However, we did raise £356.42 for the Marco Appeal at the November F.O.D night and this was subsequently distributed to the appeal in February 2023.
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Laurence requested If the Trustee agreed with the report: all Agreed.
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Copies of bank statement/accounts can be requested if required.
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Trustee Steeping Down : Brenda Nagle is due to step down at this AGM as he was the 2nd official trustee of Club F.O.D
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Laurence Requested Brenda Nagle to formally step down as trustee.
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• Laurence proposed that Brenda Nagle be re-elected as trustee for future 4 years.
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Martin Homes seconded it.
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All Two trustee’s agreed Brenda Nagle to be re-elected to serve another 4 years before needing to seek re-election.
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Futures Discussion AOB: Brief discussion on the planning for the next year.
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Laurence summarised the future, key areas Reading Pride and Next Club F.O.D Night.
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Reconstruction of Charity to be discussed: in more detailed.
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Brendan Mentioned the key priorities are Money and volunteers: which is why we have not been able to expand into area that we wanted.
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General Discussions: -
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F.O.D nights are quiet due cost of living/price increases.
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We need to let people know over the year, If there no donations that we can’t keep F.O.D nights going.
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It seems that its only Us advertising F.O.D nights, we are not getting support from others.
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We need to make more announcements about what we are doing on F.O.D night and push the QR codes.
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We need to keep cash buckets and card reader as wee as the QR code to stop digital divide with people that may not have smart/ QR readable phones.
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New QR code and Flag for Oxfordshire F.O.D night to be made and giving to Suzie/Stuart
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Laurence gave a brief outline of plans for Pride: very much like last year stage/Set-up.
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We have 2 Hosts offered Bodecia and Miss Tin. We also have the offer from Lady M to do stage for free and fill in whenever she is needed (good feedback from when she appeared at the Blagrave)
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We are now on the Reading Pride Webpage
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General A.O.B
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Jamie raised that we do need to review how we change/structure the charity going forward: Some updates need to be made to our Charity commission details.
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EG we now just don’t operate in England it now England and Wales.
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Laurence to make the changes after discussions in later meetings.
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Laurence to write up minutes of the AGM.
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Laurence to submit Charity annual Return for the year.
Meeting formally closed 7:58 PM
Club F.O.D
Accounts
Financial Year Ending 2022
As of 31 December 2022
Mark Young Treasurer
Club F.O.D Accounts
Profit and Loss Account
| In UK Pounds (£) Donations From other organisation Fees Other Costs Net Donations Sales Lottery Tickets (Rainbow Lottery) Sales of Raffle Tickets Cost of Prizes Purchased Prizes taken from stock Fees Other Costs Net Raffle Sales Sales of Event Tickets Cost of Events Sales Fees Other Events Costs Net Event Surplus/Cost Sales of Goods Cost of Sales Sales Fees Other Sales Costs Net Goods Sales Sale of Services Cost of Sales Sales Fees Other Services Costs Net Services Sales Other Income Other Income Income from previous year Total Income Operating Expenses Operating Loss Reserved Income - Grant Reserved Income - Sponsorship Less Reserved Expenditure Net Reserved Income Distributions Movement of Funds |
1,777.88 0.00 14.76 1,763.12 703.50 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 81.40 0.00 0.00 -81.40 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 103.86 0.00 2,489.08 6,947.62 -4,458.54 9,368.00 488.75 8,750.00 1,106.75 0.00 -3,351.79 Year Ending 31 December 2022 |
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Mark Young 13/04/2023
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Club F.O.D Accounts
Profit and Loss Account
| In UK Pounds (£) Other Income Breakdown Amazon Smile Microsoft Giving Gift Aid Unknown Donations Miscellaneous Income |
Year Ending 31 December 2022 | Year Ending 31 December 2022 |
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| Total 32.47 50.14 21.25 0.00 0.00 103.86 |
| Expenses Breakdown Pride Equipment Office Services Radio Licenses Professional Memberships Transport Finance Cost of Prizes Purchased Software Promotions Publicity Other Expenditure Total Expenses |
Reserved General Total 8,750.00 4,570.33 13,320.33 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 72.00 72.00 0.00 516.22 516.22 0.00 795.60 795.60 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 684.50 684.50 0.00 131.97 131.97 0.00 177.00 177.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 8,750.00 6,947.62 15,697.62 |
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Reserved expenses are restrictred funds that the club has for specific purposes including, but not limited to, grants, sponsorships and loans with specific restrictions attached.
Mark Young 13/04/2023
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Club F.O.D Accounts
Balance Sheet
| In UK Pounds (£) ASSETS Current Assets Ba Metro Bank Account Ze Zettle Account Pa Paypal Account PP Paypal JustGiving Account Ca Cash in hand Total Available Funds Stock Other Assets Payments and Accrued Income Awaiting receipt Partially completed Transfers Between Accounts Total Assets LIABILITIES Creditors: Amounts falling due within one year Accounts Owed Accrued Expenses Total Current Liabilities Net Assets REPRESENTED BY Funds brought forward Movement of funds for year from P&L Acount Funds carried forward Charged to accounts but not paid |
2,031.71 0.00 7.50 5.00 101.58 2,145.79 0.00 446.00 0.00 2,591.79 0.00 0.00 0.00 2,591.79 5,943.58 -3,351.79 2,591.79 Year Ending 31 December 2022 |
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Mark Young 13/04/2023
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