Bluebirds Trust Steering Group announcment

[Uncle Peter]

Press release for the announcment of the Bluebirds Trust Steering Group

With the announcement that the takeover of Barrow afc is to go ahead,
a group of fans have come together to form a steering group to explore
the possibility of forming a Supporters Trust to work with the new
owner and represent the views of Barrow AFC fans following the
transfer of the club's assets to Paul Casson.

The steering group, which will eventually form the basis of the
Supporters Trust have met with the government backed organisation
Supporters Direct and are currently finalising a way forward with
them. The group is currently being led by current Barrow AFC director
Pete Garbacz, although once the Trust is set up elections will be held
with members of the proposed trust given the power to elect who they
wish to represent them. The current group consists of Kieran Robson,
John Little, Richard Ingham, Frazer Stewart, Chris Altree, Peter
Greenwood, Ian Rainford, Thomas Pearce, Stephen Story and John Hanley.

The steering group currently has individuals with experience from
various areas, including the Bluebird Development Fund, Commercial
Group, General Maintenance Volunteers, the Unofficial Forum and the
Independent supporters club, as well as working closely with the
National Supporters Club and other interested fans .

It is envisaged that the core aims of the trust will be to support the
new owner, provide a bridge between fans and the board and fund raise
with the ultimate goal of purchasing a share in the club when shares
become available. It is also hoped that the trust will be allowed to
elect a board representative to the new board of Barrow AFC. The
steering group would stress that this is a positive move and the group
will work closely with Paul Casson and his team to drive the club
forward.

There will be a public meeting to be held on Friday the 6th of June,
venue TBC, where anyone interested in finding out about the trusts
plans. However, any enquiries can be emailed in the meantime to
info@bluebirdstrust.co.uk or via social media, links for which can be
found at http://www.bluebirdstrust.co.uk

The steering committee would urge anyone interested in being involved
to get in touch using the details stated previously.

[boyliegladbach]

On the website you put a link on to it says you can donate money now, but as it's only a proposed thing,were would my money be going?
I've donated to BDF ect in the pasy and it's Only my personal opinion but I would rather just give my money straight to the club now, as I see it would now be spent wisely.
Who decides who is in charge of this group?

[Uncle Peter]

On the website you put a link on to it says you can donate money now, but as it's only a proposed thing,were would my money be going?
I've donated to BDF ect in the pasy and it's Only my personal opinion but I would rather just give my money straight to the club now, as I see it would now be spent wisely.
Who decides who is in charge of this group?

Is take your point. The money will be ringfenced and in the very unlikely event of it not happening it would be returned. To be honest, the donations button is just there incase anyone wants to give.

Basically we are at the start of a 3 stage process

The current steering group hold an open meeting to make sure the support is there for a trust

If we get the backing we then register the trust, and hold a launch party where people can sign up as members. At that point people can vote people on or off.

A few months down the line the trust holds an AGM, at which members can again vote people on or off.

[barrowaberdeen]

Quite positive on this, and well done to get this far. I will be interested to see how this trust will work in practice.. At the moment we have the BDF,ISC, NSC, this group and the maintenance, all doing good work in their own way with a fair bit of overlap. There's a debate to be had in the support and with the new regime as to how that gets taken forward.

Do you see this as an umbrella for these organisations?

[Richard Ingham]

At the moment we have the BDF,ISC, NSC, this group and the maintenance, all doing good work in their own way with a fair bit of overlap. There's a debate to be had in the support and with the new regime as to how that gets taken forward.

Do you see this as an umbrella for these organisations?

Yes is certainly the intention to involve all the groups and why we have representation from all of the current groups based locally, and a meeting with the NSC chairman last week.

There is more work to do to work out exactly how it will all work in practice, but it is all going well so far.

[Uncle Peter]

Just to clarify one or two things.

The steering group has come together to lead this, but once it's all up and running the members will have to ratify all committee positions.

Similarly, should Paul Casson ask me to be the fans rep to his board, I will do so on an interim basis, which will then be voted on at the first opportunity we get.

The trust will be entirely democratically elected.

If anyone had any burning issues, please post here or PM and I'll answer as best I can.

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[Bingo]

This all sounds brilliant and it's a great safe guard if things go belly up, not that I think they will.

Good luck with it all and I look forward to seeing how it develops

[OgtheDim]

At some point in the next 15 years, the supporters are going to want a voice in things when something isn't quite like what they want (has anybody seen perfect owners?).

Good idea this.

[Uncle Peter]

Chuffed to be appointed to the new board. I would stress that my focus will remain getting the trust going, and hope the fans at large will get behind this.

A fans rep is only as strong as the fans behind them

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