Proposers: Graeme Price and David Rey
About Me
I first got the itch for Wimbledon in February 1989 in the FA Cup where we beat Grimsby 3-1. I never looked back. My only complaint was the toilets, which even at Selhurst weren’t a great improvement! Football has always been my joy. I was the only girl in my primary school class collecting Panini stickers – I’m sure my grandad secretly wished I was a boy. That never deterred me and years later, with my sons starting school, I convinced the local footie coaching place to set up a five-a-side tournament. Starting with two teams it now has over 100. I never say never.
I was appointed Treasurer of the Dons Trust in June 2020 and I’m also a member of the Dons Trust Finance Committee. I have implemented new and improved finance systems. Both the Dons Trust and Plough Lane bondholders are now getting their statements and interest payments on time, and I produce quarterly management accounts for the DT Board.
My background is as a chartered accountant and tax advisor. I’m on the Board of two London charities, one as Treasurer (a mental health charity) and the other as Chair and Treasurer (a charity offering complementary therapies to the elderly, carers and hard to reach groups in society). Therefore, I come to the Dons Trust Board with a solid foundation/grounding in finance and I’m also skilled in Board collaboration, governance, HR, and overseeing operations and staff teams. I bring compassion to understand the mental health issues we all face and also an awareness of what is needed to help individuals build resilience and live fulfilled lives.
Why do I want to join the Board?
- To bring continuity on the finance side. With the £4m MSP debt secured on our ground we must make sure we refinance it successfully in early 2022. I also want to support the Club in delivering on the five-year Business Plan which I worked on as part of the Finance Committee
- To bring strong finance, governance and oversight skills to the Board
- A big motivation for me is to ensure we never have to go through the dramas of 2019, when we so nearly handed over the club, again. That must never happen!
I’ve been attending the DT Board since I became Treasurer. I therefore am very aware of the issues that concern the Board and you as members. I’m passionate about what I do, what I can bring, and I can’t think of any better thing to do in my life right now than help the Club and the Trust move forward and be even more amazing.
We all know there are challenges we face. Recent issues with the reopening of the ground and ticketing have been tough to watch as I know everyone in the staff team and the DT Board want the best for the fans and members. We have a very tight budget – we would prefer to have a bigger staff team and at the same time we also want to plough as much as we can into the playing budget. There is so much potential for non-match day revenues which will take time to develop – let’s make it work and both increase the staff resources and the playing budget.
How will I represent you on the Board?
- I deliver. We need a Board that represents you and gets things done. I am not someone who needs to be chased. Look at my record as Treasurer and if you give me the mandate, I’ll do more of the same.
- I’m here to listen to your views and act on them. I won’t be afraid to say what I think to ensure the Board make the right decisions in overseeing the Club and representing members.
- I have the time and passion to do this. I’m fortunate to be at a stage in my life where I don’t need to work full time, so my commitments now are all voluntary. I’m happy to give at least one day a week on top of the time I already spend as Treasurer on DT business.
I’m so proud of the never say die attitude of the fans and now we see the same being played out on the pitch – what an exciting time again to be a Dons fan.
Hair or Flair?
He’s got no hair but we don’t care. Alan, Alan Cork.
A strange end? Surely not. After all, I may not be the most flamboyant campaigner – you may find numbers and finance a bit dull. I hope you agree however that my skills and my passion for the Club make me a good choice for the Board.
She may be square but we don’t care……