Resignations from the Trust Board and an appeal for new faces

[Bluebirds Trust]

This week the Trust Chair Frazer Stewart and Secretary Richard Ingham have tendered their resignations to the Board, effective at the end of the season. These follow the recent resignations of Ian Rainford and Stuart Nichols from the Trust Board.

Frazer Stewart said “Unfortunately I am not in a position to give the role the time, dedication or motivation it deserves. Moreover I am also going to be scaling back the match day work I do..”

Commenting on his departure, Richard Ingham stated “After a lot of consideration over a number of months, I wish to announce that I will be standing down as Secretary of the Trust at the end of the season, and will be reducing the amount of activities that I do on a matchday (and after matches e.g. banking) as soon as possible.

With an increased workload and growing demands on my time from family and other interests I feel that I have given as much as I am able to do for the Trust at present and need to step away, not only for my own wellbeing but that of the Trust.

Quite simply, over time, I have tried to wear too many hats within the Trust, some of my own making and some because jobs needed doing and we don’t have enough hands to do them all. I have reached the point where I have no motivation to do “Trust Stuff” as regularly as I used to and have begun to resent the drive up to Barrow on a matchday. Basically I need a break”

This now leaves the Trust in a position where new faces are urgently required, both in the short term to see out the season and in the medium to long term to take the Bluebirds Trust forward. Unless volunteers step forward immediately we will have to scale back our operations both on matchdays and beyond. New people are required both to join the board and on a less formal basis to help with various tasks.

Help is needed in the following areas:
Informal roles- Running the matchday shop, social media and content writer for the website/newsletters, Treasurer’s assistant (banking and book keeping).

Formal positions – Secretary (previous experience would be an advantage but not essential)
Training for the secretary role is available from Supporters Direct.

Anyone interested in stepping forward or wanting more information on the roles should contact us by email on info@bluebirdstrust.co.uk or come to the Trust Board meeting this Saturday 10th at 11am at the Crossbar or visit us in the Trust Office at the Hartlepool match.

If there is no or insufficient help forthcoming, an EGM will have to be arranged for members to discuss and vote on the options available to us with regards to the future of the Bluebirds Trust.

[spirit of 1990]

Understable that three more of the Trust committee have decided to step down in recent weeks, quite simply too much work for a small group of people - which eventually wears even the most hardened down.
Stu has done a fantastic job over the years running the travel side of things (along with Chris)
Frazer & Rich have put in countless hours running around for stock for the shop and chasing up a lot of the official stuff that needs doing to enable the Trust to work.
I genuinely believe that without Rich & Frazer the Trust would’ve struggled from the off.

All three will be very hard to replace.

[Bennyfromormsgill]

i for one will be dissapointed to see rich and frazer go, they both work so hard and i ope someone with time on their hands comes forward to keep the trust shop running, i know how hard it is and i would like to say thanks to you both for what you have done

[McMark]

Sad news indeed!! Tireless and committed dedication in the roles they held and a real driving force. They all earn our thanks and certainly deserve to enjoy a break to seek out some well earned leisure time.

[Wintergreen]

I said on another thread recently that the Trust will be running the club in five years time - I hope I didn't spook anyone with that. While I have genuine admiration for the work these guys put in, from the outside it looks extremely ominous, especially following the recent departure of Ian Rainford. These resignations of course beg the question 'Do they know something we don't?'

Most of us have seen the club crash and burn before and most of us will have realised that all the signs seem to be in place for this to happen again. The owner really needs to step up to the mark now to steady the ship or tell us what course he has set - if any.

[Van Der Nipper]

I know absolutely nothing Wintergreen,I've simply had enough.

[barrowaberdeen]

All these folk will speak for themselves I'm sure, but as well as thanks to all, it really isn't anything sinister-it's simply a small amount of people being spread very thinly, who have given a lot and now have different stages in their lives/priorities etc they want to get on with. That it's come at the same time is very unfortunate, which is why Frazer and Rich especially are resigning at the end of the season rather than next week thank goodness.

However if people don't come forward it will be really hard, especially on a match day but also with Trust tickets, raising money for the community side of the club through the raffle, events like the Food Bank donation, travel to games, maintenance and keeping a few quid by that YOU helped us raise for all those things and a rainy day.

I think in that our club is a better place for all that happening, with some independence. Just my opinion.

[EHB]

Sounds like the end of the trust.

[Bingo]

Sad to see these people go I hope there are enough come forward to carry on the good work

[Jonty]

I would like to say a sincere thanks to the guys who have decided to step down from the Trust board. Good people who are passionate about BAFC. The Trust has done some great work since it first started out. The community side- food bank collections and ticket fundraising have been fantastically well supported. Also the End Of Season Dinner last season was a great night. It's a pity that these guys are stepping down but thanks for your dedication in setting the Trust up and putting it on a good platform.

[The Tomahawk Kid]

Many thanks to all those who have 'called it a day' and who have given their time and energy to the Trust.
Well done and thank you.

[Van Der Nipper]

I'd like to thank everyone who has supported the ISC then the Trust Travel from when we set up the ISC up in 2008 to the trust in this present day,I never ever thought back then we'd take the numbers we did and I never thought I'd meet as many life long friends as I did through the years so a massive thank you to everyone as it's been a massive blast.Much love to you all x

[The Tomahawk Kid]

I said on another thread recently that the Trust will be running the club in five years time - I hope I didn't spook anyone with that. While I have genuine admiration for the work these guys put in, from the outside it looks extremely ominous, especially following the recent departure of Ian Rainford. These resignations of course beg the question 'Do they know something we don't?'

Most of us have seen the club crash and burn before and most of us will have realised that all the signs seem to be in place for this to happen again. The owner really needs to step up to the mark now to steady the ship or tell us what course he has set - if any.

You old dog, Wintergreen! I too thought the very same...
The recent departures from the Trust plus the departure of club staff who left in droves following the departure of Paul Cox does, indeed, beg the question: 'Do/Did they know something we don't?'

Van Der Nipper says he knows nothing - and why would any of us doubt his word?
But it does make you think...does somebody know something?

[spirit of 1990]

Van Der Nipper says he knows nothing - and why would any of us doubt his word?
But it does make you think...does somebody know something?

If it helps Mike (and WG) there was no sinister reason for me stepping down either. I've been involved with the ground maintenance for six years plus, Trust duties for three years plus and a club director since 2015 - it simply got to be too time consuming and I needed to take a step back. There have most definitely been disagreements along the way and there are things I think the club could've been better at, but nothing more serious than that.

I guess the reasons are similar for Rich, Frazer & Stu, the Trust have continually asked for more volunteers without success - it just gets to be too much in the end.

[Richard Ingham]

I shouldn't have to say this but to make it crystal clear to all the doubters:

I don't know anything as regards the Cassons and their plans for future of the club.

My reasons for stepping down are entirely due to lack of time and motivation to carry on.