Welcome to the February 2023 Dons Trust Board newsletter – our monthly collection of news stories and views collected by your elected board representatives about ongoing Dons Trust activities.
Since our last monthly update, the new Dons Trust Board have met up for a strategy day at Plough Lane, to reflect who on the board will be working on specific projects and interacting with the PLC Board.
Dons Trust Special General Meeting
The next Special General Meeting of the Dons Trust will take place from 7.30 pm on Thursday 30th March 2023. Look out for email updates and on the Dons Trust website for important topics for all members to vote on.
Any members wishing to submit resolutions to the DT Secretary for discussion at the SGM should do so in writing to be received no later than noon on Thursday 2nd March. Notice of any resolution is required to be signed by the proposer and 5 other members.
If you do receive communications from the Trust by post, this is costing about twice the standard membership fee.
Please contact usto switch to paperless – we are working our way through members to try to reduce postage and printing costs.
Dons Trust South London Press Column
As chair of the Dons Trust Board Community Group, Kevin Rye has recently started a series of monthly articles that will feature in print and online in the South London Press, which covers the Dons’ activities extensively. His January column can be read here– look out for it in the last week of every month.
Theme Group Updates
Culture & Mission Group update – Now that he has been able to review immediate priorities within the club from his first 100 days, this group will be engaging with Danny Macklin and club chair Mick Buckley to ensure that the football club’s values align with those of the Dons Trust, so that we have a common mission and vision moving forward.
Community Group update – The Community Group’s initial meeting focused on restarting the support for existing activities, including Junior Dons, Women in the Game and our liaison with the AFC Wimbledon Foundation, W.I.S.H. and DLAG.
We would also like to thank all of the volunteers who helped to compile and distribute the recent Junior Dons newsletter.
Member Services & Engagement Group – Member Services & Engagement Group representatives met with Danny Macklin and Bal Srai from the club recently to discuss how to kick start the Junior Dons opportunity and help our younger Dons Trust members understand the importance of becoming ‘club owners’ from the age of 16.
We are also exploring links with both Surrey County Cricket Club and Union Berlin to understand how they have increased their memberships under a similar ‘club owners’ model.
We have also started the process of assessing if the current Dons Trust Kiosk behind the Movers stand is fit for purpose and where would be the best spot for a new Kiosk within the ground, to be as visible and engaging with supporters as possible.
Freddy Flaxman
On 29th January, Freddy Flaxman informed the Dons Trust Board that he wished to step down from the board before his term of duty was up, to avoid a potential conflict of interest. All at the Dons Trust would like to thank Freddy for his contribution since he was elected to the board in December 2021. We wish him well and look forward to his next visit to AFC Wimbledon.
Updates about his replacement on the Dons Trust Board will follow in our March newsletter.
Football Supporters’ Association Board training
As part of their responsibilities, all Dons Trust Board members will be undertaking four online training sessions run by the Football Supporters’ Association, covering all aspects of being a Community Benefit Society Board Member.
These sessions are aimed at any existing or prospective supporters trust board members and are free for all to join. More details can be found here.
Disabled Supporters Association (DSA) event
Our DSA is hosting a meet and greet at Plough Lane on Saturday 4th March (Mansfield fixture) from 1-2 pm, to be held on the 3rd floor mezzanine area.
We look forward to welcoming all our disabled fans, carers, friends and family – with Danny Macklin and Phil Clark as Security Officer planning to join us too.
If you feel you can offer something to the AFC Wimbledon DSA, please feel free to join us and come and talk to Jess Barnes or Mandy Bynon.
DLAG Third Anniversary Celebration
We are approaching three years since the Dons Local Action Group first started helping those in our local community to fight poverty and offer support. Look herefor details of their third anniversary celebrations.
Dons Trust Kiosk
You can meet individual members of the Dons Trust Board in person in advance of every home game, to chat about any DT activities.
DTB members Michele Little and Richard Shepherd will be present at the Dons Trust Kiosk behind the Movers stands on the food concourse from 1 – 2.45 pm ahead of the Hartlepool game this Saturday 18th February to field any questions you may have.
