The wait is almost over. After the heartbreak of the FIFA World Cup 2026 semi-final we’re sure you can’t wait till the start of the new season. Pre-season friendlies are in the calendar starting tomorrow and the main fixtures for our Men’s and Women’s team are set for the new season. We can’t wait to get behind the teams!
In the newsletter:
- Meet with board members at the season launch
- Get involved with the Dons Trust
- Could you be our next secretary
- Would you like to chair the Elections Steering Group?
- Join the disciplinary panel pool
- New constitution approved
- Win one of two 2026/27 shirts
Meet with board members at the season launch
Drop in to the Dons Trust board area at the season launch event in the 1889 lounge (sponsored by Chesterfield Gordon) at the Cherry Red Records Stadium in Plough Lane on 4th August from 6pm. We will be delighted to answer your questions and chat.
See the club website to claim a free ticket https://www.afcwimbledon.co.uk/
Get involved with the Dons Trust
As a membership organisation, volunteers are at the heart of the Dons Trust and keep the Trust running on a day-to-day basis. We are pleased to announce a number of opportunities to get involved and volunteer for the Dons Trust. This is your chance to get involved as we enter an exciting new chapter in the history of the Trust and AFC Wimbledon. If you have any questions, then please contact info@thedonstrust.org for more information.
If you are interested in any of the below positions, or have any questions, please email a short statement (no more than 250 words) outlining your interest in and relevant experience for the role to info@thedonstrust.org. The deadline for submissions is Monday 27th July at 5pm.
Could you be our next secretary?
After more than two years in the role, George Jones has decided to step down as Dons Trust secretary. Reece Wheeler-Kelly stepped down from the role of assistant secretary in June. We thank both George and Reece for their commitment, support and service to the Trust. During their time in post, they played important roles in supporting the constitutional review process and the implementation of the 50.01 ownership project, as well as the day-to-day governance and administration of the Trust.
Dave Boyle will be performing the role of secretary on an interim basis whilst we recruit for a new permanent secretary.
We are now recruiting a secretary and up to two assistant Secretaries. Ideally, these roles will work closely together to:
- Organise agendas and board papers
- Support statutory meetings and governance processes
- Liaise with the Elections Steering Group
- Manage the publication of minutes and key documents in line with the Dons Trust board’s ways of working
- Help ensure the Trust meets its constitutional and regulatory obligations
The role descriptions and candidate requirements for the secretary and assistant secretary positions are available in PDF format here: Role Profile – Dons Trust secretary, Role Profile – Dons Trust assistant secretary.
Would you like to chair the Elections Steering Group?
The Elections Steering Group (ESG) is responsible for ensuring Trust elections are conducted fairly, effectively and in accordance with the Society’s rules and policies.
The chair is responsible for the organisation and smooth running of the elections to ensure that it remains independent of the Dons Trust board. We are seeking to recruit the 2026 and 2027 ESG Chair as soon as possible. The ESG will be supported by the Secretary, who will provide access to relevant membership information as required.
Members of the ESG must be independent of the election process and cannot be candidates or otherwise involved in the election. The Group will include:
- An Independent Chair
- An Independent Scrutineer
- Additional members to support oversight and administration
You can read more about the recommendations for election governance and democratic renewal in the Independent Review of the 2025 Dons Trust Board Elections: Read the Independent Review.
A role description for the ESG Chair can be found here in PDF format: Role Profile – ESG Chair and the Terms of Reference for the 2026 ESG can be found here: Terms of Reference: ESG
Join the disciplinary panel pool
Following the approval of the Trust’s Disciplinary Policy, we are looking to recruit our pool of independent members available to sit on disciplinary and appeal panels when required. Panel members play an important role in helping ensure Trust processes are fair, transparent and consistent. Training and guidance will be provided where appropriate.
Expressing an interest does not commit you to regular involvement, but it does help ensure the Trust has sufficient capacity when panels need to be convened.
A role description can be found here: Role Profile – Disciplinary panel member.
New constitution approved
We are pleased to announce that the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has accepted the Constitution approved by the membership as part of our SGMs in March and April. We sent these to the FCA for registration but they raised some queries in late April. We suggested some new wording in early May, which was approved by the FCA as acceptable in early June, but the FCA required us to resubmit the documents for approval, which we did. The new Constitution was accepted by the FCA on July 9th 2026.
There were two minor clarifications required to explicitly state some matters which they believed the legislation governing societies required to be present; the changes relate to the wording used to describe how members can inspect our register, and to confirm that Board Members cannot be paid.
A clarification to clause 5.7 relating to a members register: The reference to a member giving 14 days’ notice to inspect the register was removed and replaced with “The board shall ensure that the register of members is maintained in accordance with the Act and that the particulars required by the Act are available for inspection and accessible without the need to disclose other particulars contained in the register”.
Addition of clause 6.19: This states that Directors of the Dons Trust are not entitled to remuneration but may be reimbursed for reasonable expenses. It also clarifies that Officers may be reimbursed as the board deems fit.
Both of these clarifications were required by law, and as they simply codify the current ways of working, they did not amount to a change in substance for the Constitution as agreed by members and therefore, the Secretariat advised that member ratification of these items is not required. The new Constitution can be found here: Dons Trust Constitution.
The board would like to put on the record its thanks to all members of the Constitution Working Group who gave a significant amount of time to the update of the Constitution.
Win one of two 2026/27 shirts
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Want to win a brand-new AFC Wimbledon 2026/27 shirt? Follow the Dons Trust on Instagram by 31 July and you’ll be entered into our free prize draw. On 1 August, we’ll randomly select two followers to win: one supporter will receive a 2026/27 home shirt, and another will receive a 2026/27 away shirt. Follow us today and stay up to date with all the latest Dons Trust news, updates and opportunities to get involved. 💙💛
Instagram: @thedonstrust
Come on you Dons!