Members News February 2024 Edition

Welcome to the first of new bi-monthly Member Newsletters. This one is a bit of a mammoth read, so we hope you’ll have time to browse!

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The Grovellers celebrate their 50th Anniversary this year, and with 5 teams now playing at The Grove the number of club football members has more than doubled. The Grovellers now have two teams, one playing open-age friendlies every Sunday, 10am kick off. The second Grovellers team (over 45s) are FA Affiliated members of the inaugural season of the Kent Masters Conference (KMC). They play one game a month, normally on a Saturday. Spectators are very welcome at games and teams would value your support. New players are welcome, particularly for the over 45s.

Hythe Bay over 45s are also members of the KMC, while teams from Balance FC and Hythe Athletic play in Division One of The Ashford & District Sunday Football League.

You can find KMC fixtures and results here: https://fulltime.thefa.com/index.html?league=771184310

While it’s a little out of date now, there’s a nice article in our local Community Ad online magazine featuring Andy and The Grovellers: https://www.communityad.co.uk/exclusives/hythe-cricket-squash-club/

If you’d like to join a gentler version of the game, Hythe & Lyminge Age UK run walking football sessions once a week at the Club. Here’s all the info: https://www.walkingsports.com/walking-football/united-kingdom/kent/hythe/mixed-sessions/hythe-cricket-and-squash-club/

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Grovellers Manager: Andy Boorman andybce@yahoo.co.uk 07470 060151

Football Safeguarding: Rachel Gainsford 07952 671382 & Andy Boorman

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With 4 men’s teams (including a midweek T20 team in the second year of our very own Hythe Smash Competition), a women’s softball team, and junior teams for girls and boys playing league and friendly cricket in all age groups, planning is well underway for a very busy season. Men’s games start with 2 friendly fixtures on 20th and 21st April. You can see all the league fixtures here:

https://hythe.play-cricket.com/home

Indoor nets training for men starts on 20th February, 6-7pm at Three Hills Sports Park, while outdoor training at the Club starts on Wednesday 24th April. Anyone interested in playing or just brushing up some skills to get back into cricket is welcome to join indoor or outdoor training sessions. Contact Will: cricket@hythecsc.com

Ahead of junior training starting outdoors, Girls Coach Chris Green is running free taster sessions for girls on 25th Feb and 24th March, then pre-season training sessions on 7th and 14th April. Details on our website: https://www.hythecsc.com/ The girls (aka ‘The Frogs’) are looking forward to some serious Haribo consumption as well as the training!

16 women joined in softball cricket sessions last season, with most never having played cricket before. More weekly sessions for new players are planned for this year, and our team play their first tournament on 17th February.

71 children and young people played cricket at Hythe last year, so our team of 17 volunteers (Coaches, Team Managers, Café Volunteers and Safeguarding Officers) are gearing up to welcome young players back to Sunday Morning Training in April. Children and young people from Year 4 upwards are welcome, with no cricket experience or equipment required.

Coach Malcolm Richmond runs a local charity, Cricket for All, and recently did a lovely interview with Radio Kent. It’s well worth a listen:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1yscLKyjdnlivi-M5HxW8wh9xzczfdGO9/view?fbclid=IwAR3lYlEjw3BL08y-ZLX7otSWI7LWFJouiVwOGo0ceSYYUUrTp2477EIwxJw

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Chair : Will Clayton

Captains : Matt Ford (Sat 1st Team & Midweek Captain), Pat Briscoe (Sat 1st Team & Sun Vice-Captain), Simon Hayward (Sat 2nd Team Captain), Stefan Pichowski & Cameron Potter (Sun 1st Team Captains), Matt Cobb (Midweek Vice-Captain)

Junior Cricket Coaching Team : Martin Cobb (Head Coach), Matt Day, Chris Green, Malcolm Richmond, Dave Potter, Roger Mapstone, John Osborn and Jamie Du Bois. Assisted by Cameron Potter, and occasional support from Clive Taylor

Women & Girls Coaching Team : Chris Green, Malcolm Richmond, Jamie Du Bois

Safeguarding Officers : Rachel Gainsford 07952 671382 and Kirsty Potter 07985 952236

Contact for men’s cricket: cricket@hythecsc.com

Contact for women's and junior cricket: juniorcricket@hythecsc.com

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It’s another busy year ahead with leagues, tournaments and some special guests planned. There’s a Mixed Ability Team Squash Tournament from 12noon-5pm on Saturday 16th March, Squash Finals Night will be Saturday 11th May, with Racketball Finals Night on Saturday 8th June.

Weekly Club Nights are great fun, and a good opportunity to meet and play other members. Squash Club Night is every Friday from 1745 onwards, while Ladies’ Club Night is Wednesdays from 1915. If you are not already included in squash/racketball Whatsapp groups for news and updates, contact Mel Booth (email address on squash noticeboards) or drop a line to info@hythecsc.com

Meanwhile, aspiring young players can join in Junior Squash weekend training sessions. Contact baz.hodson@kentsra.co.uk to book a place. Grace Norman started as a Hythe junior, and is now a fully qualified member of our junior coaching team, inspiring other children and young people to play. Go Grace!

Mixed Ability Squash is a new Squash England initiative aimed at making squash more accessible to everyone. Thanks to Coach Baz Hodson who completed training and successfully applied for grant funding, members of The Shed, a group for people with a learning difficulty/disability, are now thoroughly enjoying Tuesday squash sessions once a month. The feedback from players has been absolutely brilliant, and Baz will tell you how proud he is of the progress they’ve made. We hope to have some pics to share soon… but in the meantime here’s a great Squash England video to give you a glimpse of some magic on a court: https://youtu.be/E2SPdeFhTYc

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Chair : Glenn Mousley

Captain : Gary Hollamby

Leagues Organiser : Mel Booth

Junior Squash Coaching Team : Baz Hodson (Head Coach), James Voyle, Mel Booth, Grace Norman, Richard Newsome

Adult Squash Coach : Antonio Petronzio

Squash Safeguarding Officer : Baz Hodson 07786 168864

Contact for Junior Squash: baz.hodson@kentsra.co.uk

Contact for general Squash/Racketball enquiries : info@hythecsc.com

Contact for racket restrings : Chris O'Donovan (details on squash noticeboards)

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With the expansion to 5 football teams playing on 2 pitches, and well over 100 games of cricket in a season, keeping our pitches available, enjoyable and safe to play on is more challenging than ever before. Andy Boorman maintains the football pitches and outfield, while Pat Briscoe maintains the cricket square, assisted by Cameron Potter. Peter Sage maintains some of the boundary hedges/areas.

If you’ve struggled to keep a domestic lawn in shape, you’ll have some appreciation for what a skilled and time consuming job groundskeeping is. For Andy and Pat it’s a year round commitment, and you’ll see one or both of them out on the pitch or maintaining machinery on most days and in all weathers.

If you’d like to understand more about groundskeeping have a little look here: https://thegma.org.uk/

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There are a growing number of rather wonderful people regularly hiring the Long Room and club facilities to run exercise, fitness and wellbeing activities. Please mention the club as a venue to anyone you know who might like to run classes or sessions here too!

Running

Beginners2Runners meet at 7.30pm on Mondays and Wednesdays. To join in, book a place through their website. Leader Matt Andrews will look forward to welcoming you. https://www.beginners2runners.co.uk/pages/find-your-local-b2r-running-club-near-you

Pilates

Jane McKenzie runs classes on Wednesday evenings and Thursday mornings https://www.janem.co.uk/ 07703 792388

Philippa’s classes are on Monday afternoons and Tuesday mornings. Contact: 07932980772

Caroline runs a Wednesday morning class. Contact: 07830 526643

Yoga

Gemma Wickert recently began yoga classes on Tuesday evenings https://www.gemmawickert.com/

Watch this space for news on a free session and special club member discount from Gemma!

Salsa

You can join a Cuban Salsa class with Dance Visions on Thursday evenings (or come in for a drink to enjoy the music!). https://www.dancevisions.co.uk/

Golf

Did you know that the Club has a Golf Society? Drop a line to info@hythecsc.com to be put in touch with organiser Tony Wilkins.

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Membership

As of today there are 391 club members, with increases across all membership categories. 256 people have sports memberships, there are 115 social members, and 20 people have honorary or life memberships.

Can we reach 400 members by the end of the month? Anyone can join online https://hythesquash.mycourts.co.uk/ or by completing a form at the bar, or by emailing fabulous Membership Officer Jayne Wilkins: membership@hythecsc.com

Charity Status Update

As of 11th September 2023 the Club is Registered Charity No 1204650 listed for public view on the Charity Commission website. The transition from a Community Amateur Sports Club (CASC) to a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) is a lengthy administrative process, including a new accountancy system, bank account and transfer of assets, so while we are now operating and legally accountable as a charity, we have not yet fully ‘wound up’ the CASC .

Another administrative change likely to come is company registration for the bar, as a ‘Trading Arm’ of Hythe Cricket & Squash Club Charity. Trading as a bar is not the primary charitable purpose defined in our CIO constitution, and while Charity law permits us to carry on a certain amount of ‘non-primary purpose’ trading in order to raise funds, the trading cannot involve ‘significant risk’ to the assets of the charity (i.e. the charity cannot be liable should the bar go into deficit.) So, with some advice still pending, our bar is likely to become a Trading Arm with any profit paid to the charity (and eligible for gift aid). This will make very little difference to day-to-day life in the club, but there is significant work involved in setting up the company and accountancy processes.

The Hythe Cricket & Squash Club CIO constitution defines our Charitable Purpose as: ‘ community participation in sport, particularly cricket, football & squash’

The Charity is our sporting activities, our ongoing and equal commitment to cricket, football and squash, charitable income streams, and use/hire of our building and grounds for sport/exercise/community group purposes.

The Trading Arm will be the bar and hospitality related activity and income, including use/hire of our building and grounds for non sporting purposes.

Licensing & Venue Hire

The Club went through the application process with Folkestone & Hythe District Council and was granted a full Premises Licence at the end of 2023. Previously the Club was limited to serving alcohol to members and guests only. The new Licence means the bar can be promoted more widely, and we no longer have to apply for a temporary licence for every party and event. However, the Licence requires additional accountability around training for bar staff, risk assessments, strict adherence to published opening and closing times, limits on outdoor music, extended CCTV coverage requirements, and new responsibilities for Reagan as our Designated Premises Supervisor.

Hire of our venue generates crucial income for the Club, so we appreciate you spreading the word that our venue is available for parties and events. There is a discount on hire charges for those with sporting or honorary memberships of the Club. To book the Long Room or discuss a party or event, contact Reagan@hythecsc.com 07395 200074

Meetings

The change from CASC to CIO has a significant impact on the governance of the Club. As a CASC we had lifetime Trustees responsible for the land only. Under our CIO constitution we can have between 3 and 12 appointed Trustees (we chose to start with 7) responsible for the whole club. All serve for the first year of the operation of the charity, then one third of Trustees must retire each year. Trustees can be reappointed, but can only serve a maximum of 3 terms.

Trustees have a legal responsibility to act in the best interests of the charity. Here's a look at Trustee responsibilities: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-essential-trustee-what-you-need-to-know-cc3/the-essential-trustee-what-you-need-to-know-what-you-need-to-do#trustees-duties-at-a-glance

So, we have restructured our meetings, and are getting used to some new ways of working.

Trustee Meetings focus on governance, strategy and oversight to ensure the overall success of the club and compliance with charitable status.

Operational Committee Meetings involve representatives from each section of the club, the bar, buildings and grounds management, and safeguarding/admin . Committee Meetings focus on the day-to-day running of the club, coordination of activities, and facilitating teamwork across the club.

Meetings take place on the last Wednesday of each month, alternating between Trustee and Committee meetings. Any club member can suggest an item or issue to be discussed. Talk to a Committee Member or Trustee, or email Company Secretary Rachel: admin@hythecsc.com

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Trustees: Philip Carter (Chair), Martin Cobb, Steve Eggleston, Tom Locke, Ken Pollock, James Pope.

Company Secretary (non Trustee role): Rachel Gainsford

There is one vacancy for a Trustee. If you are interested or would like to recommend someone talk to any of our Trustees or email: admin@hythecsc.com

Committee Members:

Andy Boorman, Pat Briscoe, Philip Carter (Chair), Andrew Chivers, Will Clayton, Steve Davies, Rachel Gainsford, Reagan-Elleize Gribbon, Glenn Mousley, and Trustees as above.

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Club Manager : Reagan-Elleize Gribbon

Deputy Manager and First Aid Lead : Kirsty Potter

The Bar Team : Emy, Katie, Cameron, Megan and Lauren

Reagan will shortly be advertising for staff able to work occasional hours for parties/events. If you know of anyone interested contact Reagan@hythecsc.com 07395 200074

You can find current bar opening hours on the ‘Info’ tab on our website: https://www.hythecsc.com/contact-details/

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Club Communications

Got a question? Need information? Not sure who to contact?

info@hythecsc.com is our published club email address. Clair Daniels does a brilliant job at checking the account regularly, and sends on any questions or enquiries to the appropriate person in the club.

A Little Online Shopping Anyone?

Thank you to everyone already signed up to EasyFundraising, raising funds for the club by shopping online (it costs absolutely nothing). 7 people raised £117.82 in 6 weeks just by doing their regular shopping! Here’s the link to find out more and sign up: https://www.easyfundraising.org.uk/causes/hythecsc

Please encourage family and friends to sign up and enable the EasyFundraising browser extension on their PC, laptop or phone. This really is money for the club for nothing!

Logo and Signage Update

Thank you to the 82 people from all sections of the Club who completed our survey at the end of last year. There were no logo designs submitted that met the criteria (although thank you to Reagan and Claire D for a lovely idea we can use in other ways.) However, the survey responses and further research are guiding the next steps:

  • 72% of people said that sharing one logo is very or fairly important to club identity
  • 63% of people prefer a symbol rather than a picture
  • Colours most strongly associated with the club (by both club members and people from the wider community) are blue and green
  • Hythe Squash is by far the most recognised of our existing logos used online

So, we are working on a blue/green colour scheme, with a new ‘whole club’ version of the existing squash logo for entrance signage, the website and social media accounts. The blue Hythe Squash logo will remain as is, with a new green Hythe Cricket logo gradually introduced. The Grovellers have a really strong team ethos and identity around their existing colours and logo, so it makes no sense to change, but if football expands in future, there is capacity to adopt a football section logo reflecting the squash and cricket designs.

A very big thank you to Bill Lightfoot and Hobbs Parker for their support with professional design advice through this process.

As part of the survey we asked you to choose some words to describe the Club. ‘ Welcoming, friendly, sporting and inclusive ’ topped the poll by a long way. Perhaps this is the closest we have yet got to describing our club ‘values’.

And…more updates to follow...

While bigger club development plans progress and we build up club reserves to fund them, in the short-term we need to make the best of what we have, as cost effectively as possible, so there will be a fresh coat of paint and some exterior cleaning in progress shortly. Updates to follow!

11/02/2024

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