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Work to start on new JB Postle 3G Arena

The Youngs Community Sports Trust and Aylsham Football Club are delighted to announce work will begin next month on a new state-of-the-art 3G pitch.

Contractors are due to start building the all-weather 3G football facility at Youngs Park, in Aylsham, on March 4 after a recent grant offer of £543,816 from the Premier League, The FA and Government’s Football Foundation.

This follows last year’s grant award offer of £250,000 from the Greater Norwich Growth Board (GNGB) through the Infrastructure Investment Fund.

Construction of the J B Postle 3G Arena, which will be available for use by the wider community and surrounding villages, is scheduled to take around 14 weeks to complete.

Ian Potter, football club chairman and trustee (The Youngs Community Sports Trust), said he was delighted by the progress of the project.

“It’s exciting to start the building phase in March, two months ahead of schedule, and this means it will be ready for use earlier than we expected,” said Ian.

Youngs Park was opened in November 2015 and is the home of Aylsham FC, Norfolk FA Schools and a diverse range of community groups who use the facility every week.

Growth of over 70% in football teams and groups since opening – increasing demand to expand our offering for women and girls, walking, wellbeing and recreational football – represents a compelling case for funding of the 3G facility, which will be illuminated by LED lights and surrounded by a four-metre-high fence.

Ian added: “The start of this work is part of an ongoing journey to ensure we develop and maintain the very best in football, health and wellbeing facilities – creating legacy for our community.  This investment is only possible because of the compelling story surrounding our journey, due to the hard work of all the volunteers at the football club and Youngs Park who make this is a special place.”

The 3G pitch will be built alongside the existing floodlit main pitch at Youngs Park.

Robert Sullivan, Chief Executive of the Football Foundation, said: “The Football Foundation is working closely with our partners – the Premier League, The FA and Government – to transform the quality of grassroots facilities in England by delivering projects like this across the country.

“Good quality playing facilities have a transformative impact on physical and mental health and play an important role in bringing people together and strengthening local communities.

“This grant award to The Youngs Community Sports Trust and Aylsham FC towards developing a 3G pitch is fantastic news for the local community and will help give more people access to a great place to play.”

Cllr Kay Mason Billig, Chair of the GNGB and leader of Norfolk County Council, said: “The Greater Norwich Growth Board is delighted that it’s grant award offer of £250,000 to Youngs Community Sports Trust and Aylsham Football Club has resulted in further funding for the area.

“Projects like this are a testament to the collaborative spirit of the local community and stakeholders who are passionate about residents and community groups with a quality facility where they can explore recreational opportunities.”

The announcement of the start date for the 3G pitch project at Youngs Park was also welcomed by the Norfolk Football Association.

Ian Grange, Head of Facilities and Deputy CEO at Norfolk FA, said: “I was delighted to hear the news that The Youngs Community Sports Trust and Aylsham Football Club have been successful in their funding application to the Football Foundation to build a state-of-the-art 11v11 3G pitch at Youngs Park.

“This funding, together with significant capital investment already secured via the Greater Norwich Growth Board, delivers a 3G pitch which enables strategic growth of football participation within the football club and from around the surrounding locality – from both an affiliated game and recreational game perspective.

“The new 3G pitch will be accessible seven days a week and will be a conduit to drive an increase in female football, disability football and walking football, as well as catering for a wide range of community-based programmes.  “This project shows what can be achieved when key stakeholders work together and I pass my sincere thanks to all organisations who have enabled this fantastic project to become a reality.”

WORDS: Just Regional

 

 

 

Youngs Park pitch project reaches crucial stage

The drive for a £1m all-weather football pitch at Aylsham’s FC’s Youngs Park base has reached a vital stage after an application was submitted to the Football Foundation for the lion’s share of the funding.

Aylsham FC chair and Youngs Community Sports Trustee Ian Potter believes a compelling case has been made to secure the key piece in the complex jigsaw to pay for the project – named the 3G JB Postle Arena after sponsorship from a local electrical retailer celebrating its centenary.

The bid to secure £800,000 plus VAT follows an intense three-month application process, with over 30,0000 words and 50 supporting documents submitted to the government-backed FA and Premier League charity improving grassroots football facilities.

Ian thanked Norfolk FA head of facilities and deputy CEO Ian Grange for his fantastic support.
“Our story is compelling thanks to the fantastic work of all the volunteers at Aylsham FC and Youngs Park,” he added.

The Football Foundation investment panel review is expected over the next couple of months with a formal decision expected next January.

“As a club and with the charitable trust, we must raise a minimum of our revised target of £24,000 to top up all of the grants we have managed to secure or are working towards,” said Ian.

“We have raised around £10,000 to date and now need a big push by everyone over the next four to five months before works starts – envisaged to be late Spring 2024.“

The wide range of events which have already taken place include a mini soccer football tournament, girls holiday programme coaching event, cake bake and supporting Aylsham show.

Main sponsor JB Postle has made a significant contribution to the charity fund and a “Go Fund me page” has also been set up: https://www.gofundme.com/f/3g-pitch

Ian added: “We are incredibly grateful to all our existing local business sponsors and advertisers who support Aylsham FC and Youngs Park – if you are looking to promote your business, we would love to hear from you.  If it’s an advertising board for the main pitch, call Alan Collins on 07901 915525 for a chat.”

The new floodlit pitch (on the existing full-size pitch two next to the floodlit main pitch), with fencing and a spectator area, is needed to cope with demand for matches and training in all weathers at the popular Youngs Park. The facility, which opened in November 2015, now hosts 30 teams and recreational groups with more than 500 players a week.  The 3G pitch scheme was boosted by a £250,000 grant this year from the Greater Norwich Growth Board’s Infrastructure Investment Fund to start the ball rolling.

 

ON THE BALL: JB Postle directors Jon Postle (right) and Nikki Filby are pictured with Ian Potter, Aylsham FC chairman and Youngs Park trustee.

Long term sponsor announced for 3g pitch

An Aylsham-based business marking its centenary is celebrating by being the main sponsor of the town’s planned new all-weather football pitch.

The £1m community sports facility, being promoted by the local football club and Youngs Park sports ground, will be called the J B Postle 3G Arena.

The electrical retailer, which was founded in Aylsham in 1923 and also has branches in North Walsham and Sheringham, will sponsor the pitch, which is due to open next summer, for the first three years. They will also make a major contribution towards the £35,000 of local fundraising needed to top up grant funding.

Company director Jon Postle said: “We like to help by putting something back into our local community. Supporting this fantastic modern sports facility is a great way to mark our centenary.

“One hundred years ago our granddad John Baden Postle supported the football club when it was on the Recreation Ground. Today we already support the club at Youngs Park by providing them with televisions for the clubhouse, but wanted to do more to help the pitch project at a club which is a key part of the community.”

Nikki Filby and Jon Postle

Football club chairman and Youngs Park trustee Ian Potter said: “We are really grateful for Postle’s support of our 3G pitch. They have helped us since we launched Youngs Park in 2015, so this naming rights sponsorship for the 3G arena was a natural follow on.

“Their contribution not only gets the ball rolling on our local top-up fundraising this year, but will help create a fund to maintain the facility and replace the playing surface in the future.“

The 3G pitch scheme, which is backed by the football club and The Youngs Community Sports Trust, was given a big boost last month when it received a £250,000 grant from the Greater Norwich Growth Board’s Infrastructure Investment Fund to start the ball rolling. Further grant help, to deliver the project, is now being finalised from the Football Foundation – the government-backed FA and Premier League charity improving grassroots football facilities.

The new floodlit pitch with fencing and a spectator area is needed to cope with demand for matches and training in all weathers at a popular facility that has grown 70pc in seven years, and now hosts 34 teams and recreational groups with more than 500 players a week.

J B Postle, which is part of the Euronics UK electrical wholesale group, began as a hairdresser/ barber and tobacconist before its founder diversified into electronics by collecting and serving accumulator batteries in the local area.  It is run today by co-directors Jon and his sister Nikki Filby.

Ian Potter with Nikki Filby and Jon Postle

WORDS: JUST REGIONAL

Young footballers’ hopes take off at the Canaries

A trio of young footballers from Aylsham have spread their wings to join the Canaries.

Ben Bates, Dexter Jackson and Alfie McCann, who all cut their teeth playing in Aylsham’s youth teams, have been talent- spotted by Norwich City’s academy which nurtures young local football talent.

The hat-trick of successes has thrilled the town club which is proud of passing on promising young players to the county’s flagship football hub.

Aylsham Football Club youth chairman Gus Bates said: “It is great that Aylsham youngsters get picked for the academy, where they get professional coaching and match experience at the training grounds of top clubs like Spurs, Arsenal and Chelsea.

“It is hard to get into the academy and even harder to stay there but we are pleased our young players are getting the chance to showcase their talent and play at the highest possible level,” said Gus who is Ben’s dad.

“Ben, now 12, has been at the academy since he was five, He has played in France, Belgium and Poland and could be off to Finland next. But he and the others could not have got this far with the initial support from Aylsham FC.”

Ben Bates

Dexter joined Aylsham at six and after a recent successful trial he joined Norwich City’s under-10s. Alfie began his football journey at Aylsham aged five, was spotted by Norwich scouts in a summer tournament, started training with the pre academy squad in August 2019 and is now hoping to progress to the under-11s.

Dexter Jackson

Gus added: “Aylsham Football Club wants to provide football for every standard for children – and adults. Some just like playing for fun, while others are driven to see how far they can get. So the club is pleased when players progress to the academy or higher level clubs. We have had players at the academy in the past but having three there is great.”

Recent success stories of former young Aylsham players include goalkeeper Sam Blair who signed for Norwich and Fletcher Dyson who went to the United States on a sports scholarship.

Alfie McCann

Aylsham’s youth section ranges from under-6 Mini Kickers, to under-18s at which stage they move into the adult teams.

Gus stressed that the vital work of the youth sessions and teams could not be done without the unstinting help of an army of volunteers. And as the youth section grows, along with the rest of the club at its Youngs Park base, so does the need for more coaches, managers and helpers, who they are always keen to recruit.

Anyone interested in youth football at Aylsham – either as a player or volunteer – can find out more on the club’s website www.aylshamfc.co.uk or call Gus Bates on 07775 856879.

-Words: JUST REGIONAL.

Major grant kicks off £1m pitch project

A £250,000 grant has kicked off a £1m project to build an all-weather football pitch at Aylsham’s growing community sports ground.

The goal is to put a 3G floodlit facility at Youngs Park ready for action by summer 2024 for use by the town’s football club teams, as well as Norfolk FA Schools, the community and other clubs, in all seasons and all weathers.

The scheme has been boosted by the £250,000 grant from the Infrastructure Investment Fund of the Greater Norwich Growth Board – a partnership of councils which promotes and speeds up infrastructure delivery.

The announcement enables its backers – Aylsham Football Club and The Youngs Community Sports Trust – to secure further grant support from the Football Foundation, the government-backed FA and Premier League charity improving grassroots football facilities.

The project is already listed as a priority in a 10-year strategic plan for improvements drawn up by national and county sports development bodies.

Ian Potter, football club chairman and Youngs trustee, said:  “This is amazing news for this project, which has been always been part of our vision, bringing the £1m investment required closer to reality while creating sporting legacy for Aylsham, not just for the club but for the community.”

The £1.2m Youngs Park complex was opened in November 2015 with 12 pitches, a community building and 120 parking spaces. But the success of the football club, plus use by a range of community users across Norfolk, means pitches are under pressure, particularly when the weather turns bad.

“The club has grown 70pc in seven years to 34 teams and groups, with over 500 local people playing sport up at Youngs Park most weeks – aged from three-year-olds as part of the Mini Kickers programme to people in their 70s doing walking football every Friday. Youngs Park is also the home for Norfolk FA Schools boys and girls teams.

“One of our key goals is to run and develop an inspirational facility for current and future generations of our football family – but we have serious ‘growing pains.’

“The 3G facility will enable matches and training to continue in all weathers– particularly when it’s wet and can result in grass pitches becoming unusable, leading to cancellations and disappointment,” added Ian.

The fenced-in facility will be located on the middle full-sized pitch next to the main floodlit one.  It will be marked out for a range of pitch sizes, a spectator area and eco-efficient LED lighting.

How the new pitch at Youngs Park could look.

Following the Growth Board grant the club and trust will continue to work with the Football Foundation, to finalise the grant application and deliver the project. The club and trust need to contribute £35,000 as part of the project, with the hope of securing naming rights for the 3G Arena very shortly through a local business sponsor.

Planning permission will be applied for, with the Football Foundation recently appointing a contractor to carry out the work – due to start in a year’s time.

There will also be a drive to attract new volunteers to help run the growing sports and community facility, which Mr Potter said is an “amazing achievement with all the other pressures in life, that local people are passionate about giving up their time to support the club and this fantastic community asset.”

The Growth Board giving the seed corn grant is made up of Norfolk County Council, Norwich City Council, South Norfolk District Council, Broadland District Council and the New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership. It was one of nine grants totalling £10m agreed by the board today (March 30).

Norfolk Football Association head of facilities Ian Grange added: “Delivering a full sized 3G pitch at Youngs Park is a key priority for the development of grassroots football in the Aylsham and surrounding area.

“The project has been identified strategically via the Greater Norwich Playing Pitch Strategy, and the Local Football Facility Plan for the Broadland district, and will deliver significant outcomes including increased participation levels in sport and physical activity, improvement in levels of mental wellbeing, and improved community cohesion.

“The pitch will benefit Aylsham FC, providing new and existing players with access to excellent football facilities all year round, with a potential opportunity for other grass root community clubs.

“Norfolk County FA is fully supportive of this project and looks forward to working with the football club and The Youngs Community Sports Trust to see the project through to delivery.”

Growth Board chairman Cllr John Fuller says the grants show its ambition to make real improvements to benefit residents and visitors giving local communities long-lasting benefits that will make a positive difference to their lives.

Spectators will have a great view of the action on the all weather pitch.

2022 Annual General Meeting Reports

The 2022 annual general meeting was held last night (October 17, 2022). Here are three reports for general circulation:

Chairman’s Report

Introduction

Thank you for coming to Youngs Park tonight.  A key part of the chairman’s report, is to focus on my reflections over the past 12 months, both on and off the pitch.  I will also touch on some of our current challenges and future opportunities.  Although the focus of this report is the football club (as a limited company), we are all invested in and inextricably linked to Youngs Park, I feel it is important to touch on the facility.  For anyone new to the Club, ACS Ltd runs Youngs Park and is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Charitable Trust that owns the building and land.  Heidi Clark, Steve French and myself are Directors of ACS Ltd.

On the Field (Key Reflections) 

  • We continue to grow as a club with 34 teams & groups (previously 31) and are one of the biggest clubs in Norfolk, with football available from age 3 (Mini Kickers) all the way to our Vets team (35+) and walking football (50+).
  • We have 7 adult mens teams (including x3 U18 teams) for the 22/23 season, plus a thriving walking football group for both recreational and competitive team players.
  • The Adult mens 1st team achieved promotion to the Anglian Combination Premier League for the first time in their history, by winning Division 1 last season. This is an amazing achievement from everyone involved.
  • Our continued focus on Womens & Girl’s football means for the first time, we have 2 Women’s teams playing in the NWGFL (both 7 & 11 aside), 3 Girls teams and Wildcats which targets new players to football. Our support for the NWGFL Cup finals at Youngs Park for all girl’s age groups and FA Schools U14-16 girls across Norfolk means our profile is growing.
  • We continue to attract new coaches to the club, some with significant management / coaching experience and are committed as a club to investing in professional qualifications. Our coaches are amazing and their commitment to their players is unwavering.
  • The secretary report will cover on the field successes in more detail.

Off the Field & Youngs Park (Key Reflections)

A relatively small number of committed volunteers run the football club and Youngs Park to ensure it is a safe environment, well governed, profitable and is “one of the best around” and this requires huge effort.  We continue to get fantastic feedback about the facility and pitches from visiting teams, but sometimes it feels like we do not realise how fortunate we are.

  • We achieved 3* Accredited as a football club (previously known as Community Club) which is the highest level available through the FA and an accolade surrounding our football offering (breadth & range of player pathways) and the high standards we demonstrate. It is incredibly important we protect our “orange and blue brand” and seek to maintain these standards through everything we do.
  • We are financially stable (many clubs are not) as a football club. We have managed to keep player subscription and fee increases to an absolute minimum in recent years, however with spiralling costs this is becomes increasingly more challenging. Financial stability also gives us greater choice as a business in how we invest in our future.  We are especially grateful for the part our community business sponsors & advertisers play making much of what we do possible.  We really must formally thank Ricky Gedge for his time as Club Treasurer over a number years as he transitions out of this role over the coming weeks. Our Treasurers report will expand on the financials.
  • Through donations, grant applications and residual profits we continue to invest in maintaining and developing the facility and infrastructure. This includes; investment of over £16k grant funding on pitch improvement in the last 12 months, new (extra) goals & replacement nets, fencing, patio and ongoing maintenance or replacement of machinery and equipment.
  • We have recently partnered with #Her game too (an organisation set up to raise awareness against sexism within sport). We continue to support The Offside Trust to ensure we as a club are leading in raising awareness of safeguarding relating to child sexual abuse and have a prominent promotional board on the building listing key emergency helpline numbers.  All new kits feature the Offside Trust logo and our Womens 1st Team feature #Hergametoo logo.
  • I must underline the level of effort required to run Youngs Park (as a facility business) by the incredible volunteers, grounds staff and directors which absolutely benefits us all from a football club perspective. This enables so many people to focus on their passion – football on the pitch.

Opportunities, Challenges & Future Plans

One of our biggest success factors (75% growth in teams & groups over 7 years when Youngs Park opened) has also created our biggest challenge as a club and facility.

Put very simply – unless more people step up and volunteer to help run their club (behind the scenes) and support the day to day running of Youngs Park, we will struggle to expand or maintain the high standards we aspire too.  We rely on a very small committed volunteer workforce across AFC and Youngs Park who are stretched and without more help can only do so much.  We have advertised and asked for help in many different ways within the club and community.  We really need more parents, players, supporters or the local community to help us with administration, match day support, fundraise, maintenance or take up a defined role within the club.  One of the only alternatives would seem to be increase prices across the board and start paying many more people, which I personally want to minimise. Losing key people who we are dependent on is a concern.

Our other major challenge is the provision of training lights for 34 teams and groups which is well documented, but the reality is there seems to be no easy fix.  With teams losing existing slots at AHS this has compounded the situation.  Better use of the existing resources (electrical tripods lights) and improved logistical planning seems to be helping and the only short-term solution, albeit not ideal for anyone during the winter months, when the pitches need to be protected from long-term damage.  Maintaining the diesel generator lights continues to be a challenge with very few local businesses seeming to have skills set or ability to help us.  Conversations are ongoing to try to improve the situation.

Looking forward ……….  We have an incredible opportunity to secure 3G pitch funding for c£1m project which I announced to members during September.  This could be a game changer for us all, with the first key investment decision of £250k expected by the end of Dec22, with Football Foundation funding conversations in play and very positive thanks to the support of Norfolk FA.  I will share further news when I can, but for now its essential people come forward right know to be part of a fundraising group to help raise £35k (this is a Football Foundation requirement to support future major grant funding).  Please contact any club committee member if you can help as this really cannot wait.

 

The Key Message(s) to take home (and no apology for repeating some of the messages from last year)

  • We have no Club & Youngs Park is just a building with a field – without the efforts of all our volunteer’s. That’s everyone across the Club and Youngs Park.  It’s a massive team effort across the board; from the committee members, the managers/coaches, physio’s, players and all the volunteers who work behind the scenes to provide a great facility, great pitches and great hospitality is something for us all to be proud and the envy of many clubs.
  • A massive thank you to every volunteer (it never seems enough, but without you we have no club or facility). However, without more volunteers coming forward to help run the club or Youngs Park we are in danger of stagnating which would be such as shame after what we have achieved.
  • We are also especially grateful for the part our community business sponsors & advertisers play making much of what we do possible.
  • We are on the verge of potentially securing major investment and realising the dream of 3G at Youngs Park.
  • Our vision of “One Club, One Home, One Approach continues to guide us. With our growing pains, it’s even more important we all pull in the same direction as one club – “Orange & Blue”

Ian Potter

Chair & MD – Aylsham FC Ltd

 

Secretary’s Report 

Aylsham FC (Ltd) have continued to grow as a club and have achieved historic and remarkable success on the field of play. Both the 1st and Veteran teams after long and hard fought seasons won their respective league titles. Many congratulations to the teams and the wider squads, there are too many players to single out, so I will not but well done to the management teams Lee Collier, Paul Belton, Asa Saunders, Matt Howe and Jon Covell. Matt Howe’s deserves individual recognition for outstanding commitment, endeavour and huge passion to manage the success of the Veterans! The club now plays in the Anglian Combination League Premier Division, which is the highest level of football in the club’s history, well done to all involved in that success.

The Adult section were regularly fielding five teams over the weekend and we have two strong under 18 teams. We were still attracting new players and growing but it can be a struggle. As a consequence, we have decided not to enter a team in the Sunday league this year, due to excessive demands on the same players. We have attracted a new women’s 11 aside team which I am confident will be very successful.

Thanks to Graham Gladden and Mick McCann we have a thriving walking football section with over 30+ players. I am very grateful for their management of the car parks on busy match days. Again, I am very grateful to the ground staff led by Jeff Lake, who have done a wonderful job in difficult climatic conditions.

The bar and kitchen have again provided hospitality, on a Saturday and Sunday, thank you to all the volunteers that made this happen. There would not be a club without your commitment.

The Youth Section have also gone from strength to strength expanding to 23 teams including girls and mixed youth teams plus mini kickers and wildcats. They too have achieved success on the field.The Women’s and Girls section are also developing into a strong and hopefully, sustainable group. Well done to them all.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the volunteers for the remarkable commitment and endeavour that you put in week after week. Whether managing or coaching or helping in the kitchen without you Aylsham FC would not be thriving. A special thank you to Becky Bates and Kelly Baker for their outstanding efforts behind the scenes. Difficult, arduous work but always completed to the highest standards.

A thriving football club is a remarkable achievement but also a logistical challenge as more young people want to play for us than we can cater for. As a consequence, we need to attract an even larger number of outstanding volunteers to support this growth but as you are all aware that is a much more difficult a task to achieve in reality. We are turning away potential youth players on a regular basis, so this is something, collectively, we need to resolve.

I would like to publicly thank our Chairperson, Ian Potter, for all his hard work behind the scenes. His endeavours in acquiring substantial grants to improve our facility are significant and through his endeavours, hopefully, a new 3G pitch coming soon.

The club is in a strong position due to the commitment and hard work of you all, we have a sound financial base, a clear vision of the way a head with a comprehensive three to five year business plan and a small team to deliver on those aspirations. We are in the process of developing a ‘football development’ plan which is separate to the business plan, so there is a pathway for all players, coaches and managers within the club.

That said, times are changing and we need to change with it. We need to professionalise and run both Youngs Park and the football club as a business. Football is expensive and we need clear structures and systems that maintains and grows our offer. That is my big challenge for the next few years utilising Youngs Park to its full potential, generating more income and ploughing that back into the facility and Aylsham FC, in a transparent way.

In concluding my second annual report, I would like to thank our sponsors, advertisers, supporters and members of the Executive Committee for their continued support, without which I could not be doing this role now or in the future.

For the coming season, I wish all players, club officials, match officials and spectators a safe, enjoyable, and successful season.

Graham Grant

Club Secretary

 

Treasurer’s Report 

As the football club emerges from the Covid-19 pandemic, it remains in a strong financial position.

Total Income for the year was £55,161 (2021 – £36,453) and total expenditure of £46,783 (2021 – £25,498). This resulted in a surplus of £8,378 (2021 – £10,955).

Player subscriptions for the year covering both adult and youth totalled £28,605 (2021 -£26,497) and for the first time in three years, Aylsham FC was able to host its summer youth tournament albeit a scaled down version, which raised over £3,500 once tournament related expenditure has been deducted.

As the football club returned to a full playing season, pitch hire and training costs totalled £16,941 (2021 – £6,118, 2020 – £15,211). For the 2020/21 season, the pandemic seriously effected the number of competitive matches played and ACS Ltd (Youngs Park) did not charge teams training for the season, to support AFC. Year on year increases are based on the growth of teams and groups.

The club is again extremely grateful to its sponsors and advertisers. Kit sponsorship for 2022 was £12,800 and advertising boards raised £1,650.

As stated in the financial statements, it is the Club’s policy to hold reserves equivalent to twelve months normal operating costs. Any excess reserves above this are deemed to be held to fund future capital projects for the benefit of the Club, which include the hope of a 3G facilty at Youngs Park.

A copy of the approved financial statements will be made available

Duncan Fisher

Aylsham FC

Aylsham FC AGM – Report

Youngs Park hosted the Aylsham FC Annual General meeting last night (18th October).

Chairman Ian Potter (who was reelected) spoke of his pride at how the club had navigated through the challenging Covid period and was keen to thank the volunteers who made it possible.

He emphasised that without this small army of people who give up their time then the club wouldn’t be what it is today.

However, the need for more volunteers to step forward is apparent. This will help to support the continuing growth of Aylsham FC and and Youngs Park.

To read the chairman’s report in full click here:

Aylsham FC Chairmans AGM Report 18Oct21 final

To read the club secretary report in full click here:

AGM Club Sec report 2021 Final

To read the financial report click here:

AGM Financial Report 16Oct21

All officers were appointed as proposed. There were no other nominations or additional agenda items requested.

 

Ian Potter, chairman.

 

 

AGM announced

The Annual General Meeting of Aylsham Football Club will be held at Youngs Park on Monday 18th October at 7:30pm.

Any other business to be notified to Graham Grant (ggrant15@outlook.com) 21 days before the meeting (Sunday 26th September 2021 by midnight).

AGENDA:

  1. Apologies
  2. Chairperson report
  3. Secretary (Elect) report
  4. Treasurer’s report
  5. Constitution
  6. Election of officials
  7. Any other business

Your support is invaluable

It’s fantastic that Youngs Park is full of smiling faces again and that we have been able to extend this season into May.

Hopefully we can welcome family, friends and supporters back very soon. We have missed you!

We just wanted to say a massive thank you to the 21 people who have now donated their £35 credit we offered towards next seasons youth fees.  Its been a difficult time for many in our community financially, and for us at Aylsham FC we have had little opportunity to raise vital funds as a volunteer organisation.

Thankfully over 20 people have already donated their £35 credit to the club and we are extremely grateful.

There is still time to donate all, or part of your credit to the club before it is issued at the end of the month, if you so wish.

Please email chairman@aylshamfc.co.uk as soon as possible and we will arrange it.

Thank you.

-Aylsham FC Executive Committee

 

Social media boycott – Weekend of Action

Alongside the Premier League and EFL, The FA are asking clubs across the Women’s football pyramid, National Football League and grassroots game to join the ‘social media switch off’ over the weekend of 30 April – 3 May 2021. Recognising a unified approach will deliver much greater impact and reinforce the collective fight against discrimination in all its forms.

Aylsham FC will stand together with English football by turning off all social media channels during this period and redirect club members, players and parents to other club and FA platforms.