Squash Committee Meeting 26 January
2009
‘Virtual’ General Meeting Conducted
Mostly by Email.
Official Version
Minutes of
email correspondence regarding eight
discussion issues starting 26 January 2009:
From: Laura Robison [mailto:Laura.Robison@icr.ac.uk] Sent: 10 February 2009 21:33 To: edwards@sketters.co.uk Subject: Re: Squash Matters 26.01.09 Hi again, Just spoken to Rob and he confirmed that every RMH staff member does
have an email account and it is possible for the to send an email to the
whole of the RMH Sutton, however 'they' (someone at a higher level of
management) do not like people doing this.
Has there been any discussions about this with management in the
past? Is it worth broaching the subject.
I know Rob used to send emails for us, but think he got told off for
it, so I don't want to get people into trouble by asking them to advertise the coaching via email... Laura
From: Laura Robison [mailto:Laura.Robison@icr.ac.uk] Sent: 10 February 2009 21:23 To: edwards@sketters.co.uk Subject: Re: Squash Matters 26.01.09 Hi Steve, Finally got round to reading your email, sorry it has taken so
long. I am happy with all the points
raised and he suggestions. I can add that I know at least one RMH phBar volunteer- Karen
Hawkins, not sure if she still is, but she definitely used to be! I will ask Rob Chaldecott what the situation was with receiving emails at the RMH before he left, and let you know! Thanks, Laura
From: louise Johns [mailto:louise.Johns@icr.ac.uk] Sent: 09 February 2009 15:51 To: Antigoni Divoli; Chris Stott; David Roberts; James Darcy;
Jonathan Gear; Laura Robison; Lionel Gunn; Mark Sydenham; Neil Goddard;
Sandra Edwards; edwards@sketters.co.uk Cc: Helen.Taylor@rmh.nhs.uk Subject: Re: Squash Matters 26.01.09 - Update incl Ups Club
Matters06.02.09 Hi Steve Quite a busy meeting by the sounds of it. Thanks for passing it all
on to us. The PDF was the only one of the attachments I could open I'm afraid,
so couldn't take a look at the business plans. I am generally in favour of opening up membership to a wider group
of organisations. I'm also keen on plans suggested to enable to club to
continue if funding is withdrawn/reduced. My only concern at this stage is that it will quickly become far too
much for a volunteer UPS committee to run. I was on the committee until
recently and it had become obvious (I thought) that most people just can't
give up the time to deal with club matters that crop up during the working
day and they also feel the legal/health and safety responsibilities are
becoming too onerous. The feeling then was that the logical thing would
have to be for the RMH to take on the running of the club, but from what
you say about the RMH that sounds distinctly unlikely. BWs Louise (Maybe the committee have got a lot keener since I left...just a
coincidence?!)
>>> <edwards@sketters.co.uk> 06/02/2009 19:29
>>> Dear Squash Committee, Re: Follow-up on 8 Point Email
of 26 January 2009 Just a short (!) update on some of these points following today's
Ups & pH Bar Committee Meeting: Point 5: Provision for more Associate Members (AM)
was debated. It was felt that it was too early to open the gates to lots more
people becoming AM's as the amount of work involved will be too much for
the current system to handle. The committee did not however rule out such
provision in the future. In fact they have sanctioned the proposal in Point
6 (Sutton Police Belmont Safer Neighbourhoods Team) as a trial for
generating more funds to cover costs and to make better links with the
community. The covering cost aspect is important as we will have to be
non-profit making to comply with Ups Club insurance requirements. Point 6: Sutton Police Belmont Safer Neighbourhoods
Team: This was debated extensively. There was a strong feeling that
allowing this group to join is a good idea. It was proposed that this be a
test case for allowing external groups to join - just has been the case in
the past e.g. BIBRA and the HM Prison Downsview. The extra benefit that
could come from this policy is the chance to interact more in the community
and this was felt to be a good thing to encourage. Particularly if it is
good press for the RMH and ICR. I am therefore actioned to gather your
views and then to draft 'terms of reference' under which the group will be
allowed to use the court. I will make provisional
contact with the parties involved and keep you all posted. Point 8: Future of the Club: This was a major topic
of debate and had many facets: (i) There are a lot of rumours
circulating at the moment about the future of the club. I'm not going
propagate any of these! What is known is that negotiations and
correspondence is taking place between RMH and ICR about funding levels for
the club. The Ups and pH Bar Committee would therefore like to convene a
meeting in order to find out what is behind the statements that the RMH and
ICR have made which indicate a possible withdrawal or reduction of funding.
Much of this is covered in the Business Plan which I have attached as a
PDF. This has already been
submitted to ICR and RMH. (ii) Further to the submission, the ICR
and RMH have asked for more details on usage and potential funds
generation. They are particularly interested in the pool and bar, and
whether they can be self financing. I have indicated, in the usage report
that I promised (attached) and have now produced, that the squash court can
be self financing and is a significant attractor of participants. The
committee has attempted to catalogue other participation, including
running, yoga, tennis, badminton, reading, table tennis, Hall booking etc.
The feeling that perhaps the RMH and ICR think the club is underused was
considered, and thought to be a possible reason for the RMH and ICR
starting to have cold feet. Another possible reason is that the club
premises are sited near to land (Sutton Hospital) that may well be up for
grabs by either the RMH or ICR or both. One of the ideas of a meeting would
be to ask both parties face to face what their plans and intentions are for
future expansion. (iii) Linked to this is the matter of
raising our finance to fill the gaps if there is a corporate withdrawal.
The matter of AM's came up and whether we could open up this category to
ex-staff and other affiliations. Currently there are insufficient
'membership' volunteers to cope with such applications, but the committee
did not reject the possibility and thought that paying people e.g.
students, to help with databasing and administration could be a viable
option. It was thought that by
trialling the Sutton/Belmont Police group that we would get an idea of
whether this can be rolled out further. There was a feeling that we should
not gather a head of steam on the general proposal until the meeting is
held with RMH and ICR, to gauge their views and to get some idea of the
continued availability of the current buildings to us. (iv) One factor involved in becoming
'self governing' is the 'council rates' we are charged. We are currently
charged at a business rate - which is approx £1000 per month. The total
outgoings of the club is around £23,000 pa, so if we can save on the rates
using 'charitable status' (80% reduction) then we would halve our annual bills
and perhaps make the whole enterprise more viable and desirable to the ICR
and RMH. The committee agreed to look into the possibility of obtaining
charitable status. (v) Communications and RMH
Participation in Sports and Social: The issue of lack of general email
access for RMH employees to onsite 'sports and social' info was
acknowledged by the committee. It is not clear what commitment the RMH has
to the sports and social activities because the feeling was that it does
not condone them being promoted by site-wide email distribution. The
committee felt this was a big hindrance. I said there was evidence to show
the detriment of the RMH policy as the RMH fraction of participation in
squash over 14 years was only 25%. It is even worse when looking at attendance
at squash coaching - with only a 10% RMH participation rate - despite us
pamphleting the RMH with coaching details and asking friendly people to
send RMH emails for us. The committee was aware of the communication
problem as it was in the process itself of distributing by a hand a
pamphlet recently commissioned to promote the club (see scan attached). The
issue of addressing how to have a seed change in attitude was raised, but
it was difficult to identify a RMH person or group who outwardly supported
the club and its contribution to the wellbeing of its staff, The only group
that has outwardly acknowledged the clubs activities are a major benefit to
employees is Occupation Health. I said I knew the head of the unit and
would try to initiate talks with them to see if better channels of
communication can be constructed. There was also talk of manning a booth in
the RMH canteen to promote the club. My personal view is that this must be
tried, but it has to be admitted that
this is a slightly archaic means of communicating in this day and
age - the committee was frustrated with what they considered an unhelpful
RMH email policy. I leave this for your consideration, and would welcome any comments
on these points or those raised in the earlier '8-point' email. Cheers, Steve Encl 07b business case revised dated 190109 from Amin-Helen 05.02.09.pdf 09c Squash Section Business Plan Report for Committee Draft 3
060209.pdf 10b Ups and Downs (pH) Promtional Leaflet from Helen 060209.pdf
From: James Darcy [mailto:jamesd@icr.ac.uk] Sent: 05 February 2009 11:36 To: Steve Edwards Subject: Re: FW: Message from Helen 04.02.09 - Update 05.02.09 Hi Steve I did receive and read the email. I did not respond as you seemed to
have it most comprehensively covered. ttfn James
From: Steve
Edwards [mailto:edwards@sketters.co.uk]
Sent: 26 January 2009 15:48
To: 'Phil Hall'; 'Antigoni Divoli'; 'Chris Stott'; 'David Roberts';
'James Darcy'; 'Jonathan Gear'; 'Laura Robison'; 'Lionel Gunn'; 'louise Johns';
'Mark Sydenham'; 'Neil Goddard'; 'Sandra Edwards'
Cc: 'Taylor, Helen'
Subject: Squash
Matters 26.01.09
<Please
view in HTML>
Dear Squash
Committee,
Thank you
to Sandra for forwarding the enquiry from the Ups Club Membership Secretary
(attached as file 01b…pdf) and to Mark for his kind follow-up (in same pdf).
OK, sorry
for the long email, but there’s a lot going on - so just to summarise the situation
in Points 1 - 3 and then to add some more in light of the meeting we had in
October and recent events. This email will form the basis of a ‘virtual’
meeting (VGM), so please circulate your views as usual - cc to all on the
committee.
1) We have notification
from Sandra via the Ups Club Membership Secretary that perhaps ‘favours’ are
being advanced to ex-staff in the absence of validated Ups & Downs
Associate Membership. Note attached as file [01b Re Non renewal of membership.pdf].
We have also been informed as part of the same notification of a refused
application for Ups & Downs Associate Membership and that subsequently a
family member of the refused applicant may have used the squash court.
The implication is that this person may have the squash door code.
2) We have a proposal
from the Ups & Downs Membership Secretary (conveyed by Sandra in document
cited in Point 1) that all codes on doors be changed including that on the
squash door.
We also have an associated proposal from Sandra to change the squash
door code (same file cited in point 1).
Follow-up and proposed action:
The ‘floor’ is open to debate (and or vote) on the
proposals to change the squash door code.
3) We have a proposal
from Sandra to require proof of membership and recording or ‘registration’ of
players prior to any new door code being released to Squash Section members
(same file cited in Point 1).
There is a question from Mark asking about how proof of membership is
ascertained. This was in an email answer to Sandra’s notification shown in file
[01b Re Non renewal of membership.pdf].
Follow-up and proposed action:
I suggest that the proposal from Sandra to require
proof of membership and recording or ‘registration’ of players prior to
a new door code being released to Squash Section members is combined with the
action points from the OGM on 21.10.08 (ref Point 4 below) under AOB
Item 2. Amongst others, I have been tasked to put a notice in the squash
court to ask people to email Lionel to state their membership status.
The proof of membership/registration proposal has already been seconded
by Mark, so please forward your comments in the usual way.
With regard to Mark’s question about proof of membership, the UPS and Downs
Club stopped giving out membership cards quite a while ago. There was also a
period where you got a sticker to stick on your card every year. This process
was discontinued for current ICR and RMH employees - these are now called
‘Corporate Members’ - see http://intra.icr.ac.uk/upsdowns/_memship.htm. Perhaps we can check
on the validity of membership when the emails come in. If they have a
@icr.ac.uk or rmh.nhs.uk address box then this will imply they are from current
staff.
Other members should have a membership card - these will be Associate, Family, or
Honorary. When these people email us, then we will have to ask for their
membership number. If we think it appropriate then we could either ask to see
proof either by seeing the card or by checking with the UPS and Downs
Membership Secretary. It may be an idea to request a membership download of
these membership classes from the Ups Club.
4) Update on our Squash
Ordinary General Meeting (OGM) that was held in the BLB 21 October 2008.
Web link: http://intra.icr.ac.uk/upsdowns/_sq_ogm_211008.htm
Text is also included as [01c Committee Meeting 21 October 2008.mht].
Follow-up and proposed action:
Please can you comment on the minutes of this OGM,
and say if they appear to be a correct summary of what was discussed ?
Just as a point of information, the way squash OGM, SGM and VGM minutes are
recorded has changed. Instead of having hard-copy official versions of
minutes, they will officially be lodged on the website from now on. This will
not apply to AGM minutes for the time-being, as I’m not sure about the
‘legality’ of this and will look into it. I know that AGM minutes have to be
signed, and I think the best way to do that for the time-being is in the
traditional pen and paper way !
I've also made a few modifications and additions to the following pages, and
would appreciate your comments on them:
http://intra.icr.ac.uk/upsdowns/_sq_insurance.htm
http://intra.icr.ac.uk/upsdowns/_sq_insurance_children_vul_adults.htm
http://intra.icr.ac.uk/upsdowns/_sq_insurance_accident_incident_reporting.htm
http://intra.icr.ac.uk/upsdowns/_sq_safety_goggles_lets_firstaid.htm
The key file here is the 'Children and Vulnerable Adults' draft
policy. If and when agreed, this page can have it's own link from the squash
home page.
The 'safety' page is also important as this is the one that we should be
referring players to routinely for safety information. I think this should
definitely be part of the ‘welcome pack’ suggested by Mark.
The other relevant information or ‘welcome’ file is the Squash General
Information web page: http://intra.icr.ac.uk/upsdowns/_sq_gi.htm
5) Enquiry from
Laura (27.11.08) about provision for ex-staff to be allowed to play squash (one
party in particular). Effectively asking if ex-staff could be Ups & Downs
Associate Members. Associated enquiry about insurance implications
(email available on request).
Follow-up and proposed action:
Laura’s enquiry about provision for ex-staff to be
allowed to play squash is linked to points 1) 6) and 7 (ii) and (iii).
Effectively we have to wait for the UPS and Downs Club Management Committee to
decide on this. Every sports and social section has representation on the main
Management Committee and I sometimes attend the meetings if there is important
Club business to discuss. However as a section we can make written
representation if we feel this is needed.
I believe, that as a committee of 13 people, we represent our 70 or so squash
playing members very well. So our opinion should count for quite a lot in a
decision to offer Ups & Downs Associate Membership to ex-staff. However
there are some other significant considerations we have to take into account
and these are discussed in points 7 (ii), (iii) and (iv).
The insurance implication of this particular point is addressed as part
of Point 6.
6) Request (via
Mark 16.12.08) from Julie Thripp for Sutton Police Belmont Safer Neighbourhoods
Team to be allowed to use the squash facility. All communications shown in file
[01d RE SQUASH COURT Enquiry 16.12.08 Update 17.12.08.pdf ]. The Squash
Committee was informed of the application later that day. Subsequent
communications ensued (attached in same file). The proposal also went to
Gary Burkill (Head of Facilities RMH). His reply of 17.12.08 included a request
for consideration of the insurance implication for The Ups and Downs
Club as well as Squash Section. Attached as file [01e RE SQUASH COURT
Enquiry 16.12.08 Update 17.12.08.pdf].
Follow-up and proposed action:
There are two PDFs supplied for your information on this. The Squash Committee
was notified about this on 16th December 2008. In the meantime the proposal
has gone to Helen Taylor and Gary Burkill for their consideration.
From the Squash Section’s point of view, this has been left with my email to
Helen to say we will await the UPS and Downs Committee’s decision on this.
In addition the matter came up at the SGM of 18.12.08 (see point 7o) and there
is still an outstanding question on insurance - primarily with
regard to the UPS and Downs Club.
My view on this is that once a decision is made to award Ups & Downs
Associate Membership to individuals and/or create new Affiliation Groups, then
all insurance implications should have been addressed before the decision
is made. This is because the only concern for insurance is whether you are a
member or not.
I am however not sure what insurance provision is made for current Associate,
Family and Honorary members. I will ask Helen if she can kindly update us on
this.
My guess about what lies behind Gary’s concern is that Marsden employees have a
slightly different ‘insurance status’ for consideration of their use of the
sports facilities. As they are employees of the Trust and the sports facilities
are sited on Trust land - they are covered for certain aspects by the Trust
insurance. ICR staff are covered by a separate policy that was taken out
specially to cover them.
As you know the Squash Section has taken out it’s own additional insurance
policy (see earlier web links). This covers all MEMBERS of the Ups and
Downs Club - so all we have to worry about is whether people are bonafide
members and not who they work for ! I hope this makes sense !!
As for whether this application is accepted or not, my opinion is that we
should comply with the Ups and Downs Management Committee’s decision. All we
can do is to furnish them with information on what we might want from the deal
and whether it will impinge on availability of court access to our current
members - the majority of whom are ‘Corporate Members’.
Please chip in as its one of the perks of being on the committee and
everybody’s view should be heard - I think it would also be a good idea to
solicit views from as many players as possible.
7) Ups and Downs
Club Special General Meeting 18.12.08.
(o) Circulation of
proposed new Constitution for Ups and Downs Club by Helen Taylor 05.12.08.
Attached as 4 files [01f - 01i….pdf]. Subsequently accepted at SGM 18.12.08.
(i) New Ups and Downs
Club Constitution Ratification - file [01h Constitution final 2008.doc].
(ii) Including discussion on
ex-staff and Ups & Downs Associate Membership.
(iii) Including discussion on
request from Sutton Police Belmont Safer Neighbourhoods Team.
(iv) Including debate on Ups and
Downs Club income / revenue generation.
Follow-up and proposed action:
(o)
Circulation of 4 files including new Constitution for Ups and Downs Club for
your information.
(i) New
Ups and Downs Club Constitution Ratification - file [01h Constitution final
2008.doc]. The new constitution was discussed and then accepted at this Special
General Meeting 18.12.08.
(ii) Email and
SGM discussion on ex-staff and Ups & Downs Associate Membership.
I had already briefed Helen that I was concerned about the provision for
ex-staff to become Ups & Downs Associate Members in an email dated 17.12.08
see file [01d RE SQUASH COURT Enquiry 16.12.08 Update 17.12.08.pdf]. My enquiry
to her was based on Laura’s enquiry about membership - see Point 5.
I was a bit late attending the SGM and arrived very near the voting time. I however
had a chance to ask about membership criteria. I asked for clarification on how
Ups & Downs Associate Membership was awarded. It was confirmed from the
table that this category was only for retired staff and certain ex-staff that
had either been afforded membership historically or on committee discretion.
I had just listened to a discussion and proposal from the table and floor for
the Club to become more proficient at generating its own income. There may be
concerns about this with regard to insurance which I’m not sure were raised and
I need to check with Helen about this ‘income generation’ aspect. However there
was a clear indication from the table that the Club would investigate ways of
generating money. One of the reasons given for this requirement was that
financial support from the ICR and RMH was anticipated to possibly be less
forthcoming.
In view of this I made a proposal to allow ex-staff to become Ups &
Downs Associate Members. I suggested that this could generate quite a bit of
money - as indeed it used to when ex-staff were allowed to be members. (I said
it was ironic that I had just become ‘ex-staff’ myself and that this was a
total coincidence !)
The response from the table was that it was unlikely to be adopted as it was
difficult to administer applications and subsequent payments from ex-staff. The
floor was told that if there was a flood of applications the Membership
Secretary would not be able to cope with the work.
I said that this answer was potentially at odds with the earlier statement that
money-raising was needed, and that we had received an application from Sutton
Police Belmont Safer Neighbourhoods Team - which on the face of it appeared to
be being looked at favourably by the Committee.
I was a bit confused, so I proposed that if the Club was struggling with
a single volunteer Membership Secretary, then perhaps the Committee should
consider expanding the number of people involved thereby creating a ‘Membership
Team’.
A call to vote on the constitution was made. I asked if clarification on how we
granted Associate Membership could be made before the vote was made. The table
made the reassurance that a firm policy wasn’t needed at this stage as the
‘bye-law’ provision had been retained that allowed the Committee to make new
rules at anytime. The bye-law rule therefore covers this concern and there is
still the provision for the Committee to award membership on a discretionary
basis.
The bye-laws mentioned are in Section 28 & 29 of the New Constitution
- ‘Interpretation of the Constitution and Rules’ and ‘Bye-Laws’.
The constitution was then voted on and accepted unanimously. The club is now
officially known as ‘The Ups Club and pH bar’.
Further to this, Sandra has kindly pointed out that we have to be careful not
to give the impression that we are favouring ‘outside’ groups over ex-staff. I
think this needs more debate. The factor here is that we generally know
ex-staff, whereas this may not be the case with outside groups.
With regard to ex-staff, there is already a clause that says that the Club can
check-up on eligibility with respective Human Resources, as well as checking
for status/eligibility based on disciplinary factors. This clause is on the
membership web page: http://intra.icr.ac.uk/upsdowns/_memship.htm.
I leave it there now, and await your comments - and I hope that my account of
the meeting matches with the minutes !
(iii) Sutton
Police Belmont Safer Neighbourhoods Team application to use squash facilities.
This was debated briefly at the SGM as described above in Points 6 and 7(ii),
but there was no further input other that what has already been reported.
(iv) ‘Ups Club and
pH Bar’ income / revenue generation.
I also raised this in my email to Helen on 17.12.08 file [01d RE SQUASH COURT
Enquiry 16.12.08 Update 17.12.08.pdf]. It was discussed at the SGM as already mentioned,
although I only heard a bit of this debate, so please chip in if you know more
or just want to record your opinion.
8) Ups and Downs
Club Future: PDF of email to Squash Committee attached [01j RE Squash Christmas
Social & General 011208.pdf].
Follow-up and proposed action:
This of course is a concern to the Ups & Downs Management Committee. We, as
a section have been asked to supply some squash data to help make a business
plan which is to be submitted to the Marsden (I’m not sure about Institute ?).
The Squash Committee was notified of this via my email to Phil (cc Squash
Committee in early December 2008 - see file [01j RE Squash Christmas Social
& General 011208.pdf].
My plan is to trawl back through the records and make a list of players over
the years. Unfortunately this may well show that most people who play squash
are ICR employees. I believe the primary reason for this - particularly in
recent years, is the inability to get emails through to all_RMH as you can for
all_ICR.
We used to pamphlet the whole hospital to let people know about for example -
squash coaching, the Mini-Olympics and general social events. This involved
going to all the wards and talking to a lot of the nurses etc. This probably
isn’t practical these days, but the Squash Section still pamphlet the RMH
canteen to let people know about the squash coaching courses.
I’m planning to emphasise to Helen and the Committee that communication is key
to the viability and sustainability of the Club. I believe the Marsden is as
big as the ICR at Sutton - indeed with maybe more people. Very few use the club
and this is a worrying state of affairs.
It is my understanding that not all Marsden staff have their own works email box.
The reason I’m led to believe for this is that their system cannot accommodate
the number of boxes needed as well as an inability to cope with the ensuing
electronic traffic. At one stage I believe it was only managers that had email.
Perhaps we need to check up on the current status.
So I think we need to find a way to influence or persuade the RMH authorities
to give all their employees access to email and to allow distribution of
information freely through these channels. Any ideas on how to implement this
would be welcome !
I even think there’s a possibility that the pH bar rota is exclusively ICR
because communications are predominantly conducted by email, and the Marsden is
inadvertently excluded from this forum. Again please comment on whether this is
a correct interpretation.
Well I
guess this has given you a bit to think about ! I’m really looking forward to
hearing back from you and if there’s any energy left then it might be nice to
meet up at that New Year’s party we’ve all been looking forward to !!
Best wishes,
Cheers,
Steve
cc Helen Taylor (Ups and pH
Management Committee : Chairman)
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