March 2025 Newsletter

Dear [[firstname]]

After promising so much on the newsletter front I have managed to deliver so little. It was going to be new year new me, but has turned into end of the first quarter so had better get my finger out and send something!! There will be more consistent communications coming, I promise!

I hope everyone is well and enjoying their squash and racketball as the season rapidly comes to an end. A mixed bag of results, and as with most other clubs challenges with selection due to injury and commitments taking their toll. Overall though, 2 racketball teams and 6 squash teams is no small effort, and there is a lot of thanks to be offered to captains for their tireless organisation.

The AGM back in November highlighted some concern from members on the membership numbers and general lack of strategy from the committee to get the club moving forward again in this regard.

Since then the committee have been actively working to address some of these concerns, after a stabilising year last year and addressing the financial stability. We hope that we can demonstrate in the coming weeks what this might look like. I would like to thank other members of the club, who have offered their input and taken on tasks to help.

I have an overarching vision for the look and feel of the club with more events and activities for members to get involved in. We are working at putting these elements together bit by bit in a manageable way. I hope that this will give the outside world looking in the view that we are the club to come to for sociable inclusive activities across all levels of squash, racketball and tennis.

Some noteable dates for the diary will be as follows and more specific communication around them will follow and an events calendar published;

Friday 28th March – Tag 10’s Event starting at 6pm

Thursday 1st May – Club Comp Draw to be announced with Main, Ladies, Racketball, and Vets draws.

Friday 2nd May – we host the Shropshire County Cup Squash & Racketball Finals

Friday 23rd May – Old vs New Event

Thursday 26th June – Summer league starts

Friday 27th June – Club Competition Finals night

Other areas of activity we are hoping to announce soon, include additional coaching opportunities for members, new club kit, and a new website!

I am pleased to say that membership has continued to increase. From 137 members at the AGM to 178 (slightly below last years figure of 184 at renewal.) Demographic data is attached for those interested. Enquires from the website have been steady which is encouraging.

Bar losses saw a small increase this month but a portion of this is down to the SumUp issues and bar tabs still owing from earlier in the month – again some figures attached.

We are moving our communications across to Microsoft teams for additional security and the better availability of information to the committee and also to members. We hope to be able to offer the ability for members to listen in on committee meetings if they wish, potential join in too. This platform will also provide increased ability to transfer historical information and communications to new committee members when there are any changes in post as well as a wealth of collaborative functions to help with the running of the committee and club. There is still a bit of setup to do but confirmation of email addresses will come through shortly.

As always I would encourage people to please contact me or any other member of the committee if there are items that they believe need to be addressed, or can offer their support with.

Until next month…..