Niall CouperDons Trust Programme notes – Barrow 27/8/22

We often get asked what exactly does the Dons Trust Board do. It is really simple. We represent the majority owners of the club – the near 4,500-plus Dons Trust members. We also appoint directors of the club and operate the Trust itself.

We set the culture, mission, and strategic direction of the club, in conjunction with members. It is the job of the club’s operational board, the PLC Board, to deliver them.

The Dons Trust AFC Wimbledon Club Owners

We represent the views of Dons Trust members and look to deliver on the promises we made when we were elected. Naturally all of us have different opinions, so to ensure we develop a strong consensus, and move forward, the Dons Trust Board has formed four new working groups:

 

  • Oversight: The purpose of the Oversight group is to focus on governance and oversight of financial matters concerning both the DT Board and the PLC. The members are Charlie Talbot, Graeme Price, Kris Stewart, Luke Mackenzieand Michele Little.

 

  • Community: To strengthen our ties and support with our communities and also liaise with the Foundation, WiSH, DLAG and AFC Women. On the group are Anne-Marie Godfrey; Freddie Flaxman; Graham Stacey; Hannah Kitcherand Niall Couper.

 

  • Culture & mission: Reset and articulate the mission of the Dons Trust Board and provide cultural norms for reference. The group is made up of: Anne-Marie Godfrey; Charlie Talbot; Graeme Price; Kris Stewartand Niall Couper.

 

  • Member services & engagement: Ensure Dons Trust members are well-informed and engaged and have the support they need. Sitting on this are: Freddie Flaxman, Graham Stacey, Hannah Kitcher, Luke Mackenzieand Michele Little.

 

We are fan-owned and fan-controlled – and proud of it – and we must always look to improve. We welcome ideas and worked-up solutions from everywhere. Check out the Dons Trust website to find out how you can contact any of the Board members. You can also head to the Dons Trust kiosk on matchdays and log in to ProBoards to ask question.

If you want a full say on the decisions of this club, become one of the thousands of Dons Trust members – it costs just £25 a year. And you can even go one step further and stand to become one of the elected Dons Trust Board members. Current Dons Trust Board chair Kris Stewart will explain more on that process in the next programme.

Niall Couper

Finally, welcome to today’s visitors from Barrow. On a personal level, I have a lot of respect for the area. I went to university just down the road in Lancaster and the county is a hot-bed of support for Fair Game and the changes needed to improve football – the county council is one of eight nationally to endorse Fair Game and three of their MPs are big supporters (Conservatives Simon Fell and Mark Hodgkinson, and former Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron). And we’d love Barrow to join the Fair Game fold too. That said I still want the Dons to win today!