OOASC Full Committee Meeting 11th August 2025 – Minutes

Minutes of the Full Committee Meeting held on Monday 11th August 2025 at 7.30 pm in the Main Hall at Old Owen’s Sports Ground.

In attendance:    Alex Barlow(AB), I.Breeze(IB), S.Clampitt(SC),J.Clark(JLC),Richard.Hattrell(RH), A.Hunter(AH),Paul Kennedy(PK),T.Lane(TL),M.Oakley(MO),K.Rowswell(KR), A.Ward(AW)

1. Apologies: A.Battersby,Rob Hattrell,H.Nemko,D.Webb

2. JLC update (John Clark)

• June & July bar and catering figures were down compared to 2024 due to not many functions and events taking place. There is a Quiz Night booked for the 15^th August and there will be several functions at the end of this month. There are also some functions booked from September onwards (John will advise SC). John reported that the Thai kitchen is now permanently closed and advised that the Old Owens Bar & Catering Sales document that he generates the figures from are on the Computer in the office and also added that the printer in the office might need replacing (The meeting thanked JLC for their presence, work and effort over the last 15 years spent at the Club).

       3. Matters arising from previous minutes 16^th June 2025

           3.1  Bar, Catering and Events Manager

           JLC will be leaving on 31st August 2025 to be replaced by Sian Clampitt(SC) appointed on the 16^th July 2025
           who will be our new Bar, Catering and Events Manager. Sian will start on the 1^st September 2025 (The
meeting thanked the sub-committee for conducting the interviews to appoint the new manager). Tim and Richard
advised that a new company OOASC Bar and Catering Limited has been set up and will have its own email address
and a laptop specifically for use for the new company. JLC is currently helping alongside Tim and Richard to obtain a seamless handover with Sian with regard to the current agreements and services that are used e.g. Till system, Beer Suppliers, Price List, Food, Staff, Internal Hire etc. There will be a new Till system installed by CLUB CONTROL that will be able to report on Stock, Sales, Income, Invoices, Membership etc. The Till system  is due to be installed on the 1^st September 2025 and will be card and cash to start with (The meeting thanked Tim and  Richard with additional help from JLC for all their work and effort so far with regard to implementing the new company and the various requirements that are needed).

4. Finance (RH)     

• As stated above RH has registered a new company OOASC BAR AND CATERING LIMITED with Companies House (reg. no.16598991) of which the Directors are TL, RH and AH. Currently awaiting the set up of a new Bank Account.

• Sian has agreed and signed a contract as Manager for OOASC BAR AND CATERING LIMITED and payments will be made by PAYE. Any staff employed will also have a contract and will also be on PAYE (Current staff Becky and Craig are interested in continuing working behind the Bar).
  Sian will also be renting and residing in the Bungalow. 

• RH provided Profit/Loss and Balance sheet accounts as at 31^st July 2025 (end of the Financial Year for the Association). As at 31^st July 2025 the income was £1.8k more than the income for the end of the financial year for 2024. The expenditure was £4.5k more than the expenditure for the end of the financial year for 2024. The depreciation figure of £10.9k shown on expenditure is for the Borehole.

• As at 31^st July the total balance in the bank accounts (i.e. HSBC and Barclays) was £88k, 10.6k in the Owenians Alumni account, £197k in the Bond and there was a surplus of income over expenditure of 13.4k.

• For football pitch hire, Roving Reporters and Elizabeth Allen still owe (IB to check).

• Football Foundation Grant (£12.3k) is still outstanding (AW to chase).

• RH to check any monies owing from JLC on his departure on the31st August 2025 taking into account the rent and any stock that JLC owns.

• TL advised that no payments can be made from the Barclays account but he can obtain bank statements.

5. The Ground (AW/TL)

    5.1 Ground (AW/TL)     

• AW stated that more rain is needed especially for the football pitches. The cricket squares have been performing Ok. The irrigation system needs to be used (AW to do).

• TL reported that the quote to replace the slabs at the back of the Barbeque area and part of the patio is £1.5k to include the cost of materials, labour and waste removal.

• Football Foundation Grant (£12.3k) is due to be received.

• Padel rental payment (£10.5k) is due to be received in October 2025.

• The Cricket season at the Ground ends on the 6^th September 2025 and work will ensue immediately to prepare the Ground for Football.

6. OOASC Sports Clubs

       6.1 OOFC Football Section (PK)

• Old Owens Football Club season started on the 9^th August with home matches being played at the University of Hertfordshire Sports Village in Hatfield.

• There will be 4 Old Owens teams playing in the Herts. Senior League this season (i.e. 1^st XI, 3^rd XI, 4^th XI and 5^th XI). There will be no 2^nd XI this season as the management and players have left.

• New nets are needed for the goals on the Football pitches.

• There is an issue with pitch 1 not being big enough (i.e. 4 metres short) which will be looked at to provide a solution.     

       6.2 OOCC Cricket Section (TL)

• 1^st XI, 2^nd XI, 3^rd XI, 4^th XI and Sunday XI are all still competing in matches but Junior matches have finished for the season. Availability of players for matches in recent weeks has been a problem.

• The 1^st XI is currently in 2^nd place in the Championship of the Herts. Cricket League and will play the 2^nd from bottom team in the Premiership in a play-off if they finish 2^nd.

  The 2^nd XI is currently in 5^th place in the Div 5A of the Herts. Cricket League.

  The 3^rd XI is currently in 4^th place in the Div 11 East of the Herts. Cricket League.

  The 4^th XI and Sunday XI play Friendly matches.

      6.3 Affiliated Clubs (MO) 

• MO reported that Potters Bar United have finished their tournaments at Elm Court as part of the 50^th Anniversary of the Club which was very successful.

• Matches for the season will kick off on the 13^th

• Matches on a Saturday and Sunday will kick off at 10 am. MO has asked if it is possible for the Club to be open between 9.15 am and  30am to offer tea, coffee and breakfast.

7. OOASC Membership (AH)     

                                         TOTAL MEMBERS         494

8. Old Owens Website (AH)

• The website was lost for a few weeks due to the expiry of the domain name (i.e oldowens.com) on the 7^th July 2025 and the cancellation of the website hosting which was all under the name of Sally Tanner. After repeated contact with IONOS by email and telephone I have managed to get the account in my name with a new contract and reinstatement of the domain name at a cost of £1 for 6 months followed by £16 for the remaining 6 months for web hosting and £16 for the year for the domain name and safeguarding of the domain. The website is now back up and running smoothly and is updated as and when.

• The statistics for the website as at 11/08/2025 are as follows:

  Last 7 days there were     519 visitors with    1,435 visits

  Last 30 days there were      1,205 visitors with    3,405 visits

  Last 90 days there were      6,795 visitors with  33,697 visits

  Last 365 days there were  33,075visitors with 103,207 visits

             P.S. In the last 30days visitors and visits statistics are down due to the holiday period.

9. ZOO Club (AH)

• The balance in the account as at 11/08/2025 is £939.85 (includes £67 owing to Harold Moore Luncheon).

             A draw was made at the meeting by AB.

            The winner is: GRACE ROWSWELL £50 (Ball No. 4)

• Sandyann Cannon has asked if the Zoo Club account can be used again to collect payments for the Harold Moore Luncheon scheduled for the 19^th October 2025 at the School (The meeting agreed).      

10. AOB
    

      10.1 School Update (AB) 

• The Lashings event on 17^th July 2025 went well and was very successful with regard to the profit made. Further details are currently being finalised to establish the exact profit.

• A road is currently being put in on the School premises before the knocking down of the Sports Hall in October 2025.

• An Alumni newsletter is to be produced and sent out in Sept/Oct 2025.

• TL asked if it was possible to contact University leavers to make them aware of the Association and the Club at the Ground for membership. AB asked if we could produce some sort of flyer advertising the Association and the Club to send out to the leavers as well which may help.

• AB to liaise with Sian with regard to organising School events.

      10.2 JLC Gift (TL)

• TL stated that the Association should organise a leaving gift to John and Lynn (circa £150 each). Various options as to the gift to be given will be investigated.

11. Date of next meeting

• Next meeting is scheduled for Monday 6^th October 2025, 7.30 pm at the Ground.

• Meeting ended at 21.10 pm.

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