Annual General Meeting (AGM) 2023 Report

AGM REPORT 19th SEPTEMBER 2023

Court Maintenance and Upgrades 2022 - 2023

1. Replaced monitors in main squash corridor – October 2022.

2. Replaced floor in Men’s Changing Room shower area – Completed January 2023.

3. Installed LED lighting in squash corridors – Completed Jan/Feb 2023.

4. TV monitor purchased and installed on Court 1 – Feb 2023 (electronic scoring tablet loaned by Junior section for use on Court 1).

5. Boldon Squash Welcome sign purchased and fitted in glass corridor leading from Men’s Changing room to Courts 3 and 4 – March 2023.

6. New heater purchased and installed on Court 3 – March 2023.

7. Refurbishment of Ladies Changing Room – Almost completed July 2023. Leaking pipe to be replaced/re-sited before new carpet can be laid.

8. Rolling advertisements taking place on Court 3 TV monitor.

9. New trophy purchased for Club Championship 2023.

10. 1973-2023 Commemorative polo shirts in royal blue or grey for sale £15 obtained for Squash 50th Anniversary event on 17th June 2023. Still on sale.

11. Commemorative medals purchased and presented in July 2023 to the 2nd Team players who became Division 3 Champions for the 2022/23 season.

12. Replacement ceiling and new insulation installed on Courts 1 and 2 by Fulwell Ceilings – August 2023.

13. LED panel lights installed in the upstairs corridor behind Courts 1 and 2 – August 2023.

Looking ahead to 2023/2024

14. Tile replacements to improve shower facilities in both the Men’s and Ladies Changing rooms.

15. Repaint squash front door.

16. Improvements to the interior of squash facilities under constant review by the Squash Committee.

17. Exterior work to enhance and improve the overall Club facilities has been identified by the Club Executive Committee, who are looking to prioritise work for 2023/2024.

Squash Section Information and Events 2022 – 2023

1. The Committee unanimously agreed to keep the annual Membership fees the same for the year 2023/2024 beginning 1st September 2023 with the discount applied to existing members who renew in August 2023. See Appendix 4 for numbers of members and amounts paid to the club.

2. Team Shirt Sponsorship is continuing into the 2023/24 season with grateful thanks to Colin Dumble – CD Tiling.

3. Continuing squash section sponsorship is being made by Vertu Motors courtesy of Mark Flynn.

4. Car park and borders continue to be tidied and replanted with grateful thanks to Joe Priestley.

5. Junior Squash Coaching continuing, Friday 7-8pm and Saturday 10-12.15. Groups arranged according to age and ability.

6. Squash Girls Can continuing each Sunday 12.15-1.45pm throughout the year (except for school holiday break) – open to non-members as well as members.

7. Sunday Social regular monthly event September – July, open to non-members as well as members.

8. Free Try-It Sessions offered by in-house qualified England Squash Level 2 coaches (Kevin Forster and Tracey Coats) to attract new members.

9. There were 4 teams entered in the 2022/23 Northumbria Winter Leagues and played well; see Appendix 1 for a breakdown of their performances.

• Boldon 1 – Played 16; Won 14 - Runners-up in Division 2 (Promoted)

• Boldon 2 – Played 14; Won 12 - Winners of Division 3 (Promoted)

• Boldon 3 – Played 14; Won 9 - 6th in Division 3 (Won play-off v Consett 2)

• Boldon 4 – Played 14; Won 11 - Runners-up in Division 5 (Promoted)

10. Summer Leagues remain popular amongst local clubs and well attended by spectators when playing at home; see Appendix 2 for a breakdown of their performances.

11. The Club continues to pay the Squash section’s annual England Squash Affiliation Fee for all registered team players which covers, amongst other attractive benefits, their public liability and personal injury insurance.

• England Squash are attempting to bring in changes in 2024 but the debate is ongoing and is being monitored by the Squash Chairman.

12. Regular members groups continue to meet each Tuesday and Thursday evenings (TERPs and TESPs) to play squash and socialise in the Club Bar.

13. In-house competitions such as Club Handicap and Club Championship and Plate still running and popular.

14. The Handicap Auction in November 2022 was highly successful and the prize money given to the Auction bidders after the final was distributed on a percentage of the total bids:

• Cup Winner bidder received £378.

• Cup Runner up bidder received £189.

• Semi-finalist bidders received £87 each.

• Plate Winner bidder received £162.

• Plate Runner up bidder received £81.

• Semi-finalist bidders received £38 each.

15. World Squash Day held 15th October 2022 (held annually in honour of those squash players who died in the 9/11 tragedy).

16. Women’s Squash Week held 17th-24th September 2022 (held annually to encourage women and girls to take up squash and/or Squash57 (Racketball)).

17. Annual Fun 3 Racket Challenge (Squash/Racketball/Badminton) held 27th December 2022.

18. The Squash club 50th Anniversary event was held on Saturday 17th June 2023 and was well attended by past and present members, including the founding member and architect Bill Kirtley who proudly brought his original key number 001.

• Feedback from past members was very encouraging, the majority believing the squash club is highly maintained and very professional looking.

• Everyone enjoyed a buffet and entertainment was provided by the squash section band ‘The Racket’ who played the number 1 hit from 24th June 1973 - 10cc’s Rubber Bullets.

APPENDIX 1

Boldon Squash Winter Leagues Teams 2022/23

2

4

9

1

6

4

7

6

8

6

8

7

7

6

5

1

APPENDIX 2

Boldon Squash Summer Leagues Teams 2023

APPENDIX 3

Court Bookings

The following table shows the number of bookings made on each court between September 2022 and August 2023.

The following table shows the amounts of money transferred to the club account in respect of court bookings between September 2022 and August 2023.

APPENDIX 4

Memberships

There were 201 squash members at the start of this season renewal. The following table shows the sums of money that were transferred to the club account in respect of memberships received between September 2022 to August 2023.