Pool of Life General Meeting – Minutes
Sunday 2nd February 2025
Water Centre – Meeting Room
1.00pm – 3.00pm (we have room from 12.30pm)
Attendance:
Sonia Roberts, June Rice, Maria Dawrant, Kerry Kain, Debbie Croft, Jean Wilson, Gill Chambers,
Julie Lynan, Dee Boardman, Kim Rockliffe, Paula Willis, Dia Osborne, Julie Kelly, Helen Shead,
Ruth Smart, Sue Baker, Heather Ambridge, Sheila Greenwood, Sue Bibby, Sue Tennant, Peter Higgins
Apologises:
Louise Ackerley, Kay Murphy, Carol Bannon
Review of actions from previous minutes from 1st September 2024 – agreed
~ Sonia
Pool of Life documents on the website:
- Constitution Code of practice – Members and Trustees
- Equal opportunities
- Complaints
- Safeguarding
~ Sonia
Training
It has been good to have full boats lately and especially today. If possible, no more the 18 on a boat for balance. This is the reason we need more helms. Paula is finishing her training and Sue has started hers. If anyone else would like to try, please let Peter or Carol know.
It is important we keep up training. Especially, for future events. We all need to put the same effort into training.
Winter Training
When signing in you are agreeing to our rules. A copy, of these are in the lock-up
For safety reasons. Please be quiet in the boat and listen to the helm’s instructions and strokes’ warnings of obstacles ahead.
In the boat ensure the orange bag and yellow bag (mainly for helm’s) are untangled and tied to front seats in case of a rescue.
In winter: It is important to dress in layers and try not to overdress. Always bring a change of clothes and a towel. Leave in your car, or in our lock up. We will purchase new blankets to keep in our BAs. and keep a first aid kit on the boat. With any other items we need in an emergency. For the safety of our members.
Cold water shock:
Make sure BA fits properly
We must always bale the boats in twos.
Try not to kneel to one side to bale out the boats, or when the boat is full. It can tip over.
If we fall into water remember to:
Rest, relax and float, keep mouth shut, try not to gasp.
Stay calm. Lie on back, bring knees up to chest if very cold. This will help you keep warmer. When calm, get back to boat.
~ Peter and Carol
Roles and Responsibilities
Trustees:
CHAIRPERSON: Sonia Roberts
SECRETARY: June Rice
ACCOUNTANT: Sue Tennant
GRANT CO-ORDINATOR: Julie Kelly
SOCIAL EVENTS: Dawn Broderick and Dai Osborne
RACING EVENTS CO-ORDINATOR: Helen Shead
FUNDRAISING: Sue Bibby and Gill Chambers
TRAINING SESSIONS C0-ORDINATOR: Peter Greenwood and Carol Bannon
RECRUITMENT, PR AND PRESENTATION CO-ORDINATOR: Kay Murphy
MEMBERSHIP CO-ORDINATORS: Louise Ackerley and Heather Ambridge
KIT CO-ORDINATOR: Dai Osborne
MEET AND GREET: Heather Ambridge
COACH AND HELMING: Peter Greenwood and Carol Bannon
~ Sonia
Accounts
Please see attached for a breakdown.
[ Pool of Life Accounts 2024 ]
[ Pool of life BREAKDOWN OF FUNDRAISING ACTIVITIES 2024 ]
~ Sue
Fundraising
Clarification is needed about what our fundraising is for. All funds are for the charity. To pay for insurance, kit, race fees and registration, lock up rent. All air fares and hotels we pay for ourselves. If anyone is suffering hardship we can help. Please speak to one of the trustees.
We have been to good venues last year and raised quite a lot for our charity.
Our raffles have been a good success too. We have raised £881 from these.
Sue is discussing with Tesco, Old Swan if we can have a stall there.
Thank you to all the venues who have welcomed us and looked after us so well.
We have also raised money from selling refreshments from our lock up, for dragon boats invited to events by Amathus.
~ Sue and Gill
Kit
Kit badges, Pins and Hoodies
Pin badges are 500 for £476.50.
Luckily, they still have the template from our last order. We usually use a special pink to stand out. Does this matter? Will look at other pinks. These will cost £1.20 each to purchase.
Off water t-shirts are £19 each. Can we use Sue Banner’s money for these? We could use £1,000 and top up ourselves.
Green for off water tops and black for racing tops at £22.
Dai has these designs if anyone would like to see them.
These have been signed off in agreement with members.
The hoodies are similar to what we have now with the same logo.
We have been asking about a pump to help with baling the boats. Dai has looked into their prices and the cost is £31. We will order one and see how we get on with this.
~ Dai
Bradford
This takes place over the whole weekend. For the Mayors charity there is 3 races on Sunday 29th June 2025
Race fees are £600 per boat.
A poll will go up for members wishing to race. If 2 boats x £1200
As with last year we will ask for £20 deposit from members. This will be returned if you attend This event is held in a lovely place called Saltaire. It is a well organised competition to be part of.
Heather will put up the accommodation we usually use, and it is a lovely hotel. Or you can just come up for the day.
~ Hels
Morecambe Bay Walk 2025
I will put up a few dates for this walk and will book.
~ June
Membership
We have 36 paid up members including 4 supporters
We have 52 on our WhatsApp groups
18 have not signed up.
I have been in touch with these members and asked how they are and if they still want to stay members. Members must have health or other good reasons; they can’t take part in training. We must paddle at least 6 times a year. This includes the pink paddles too.
~ Heather
Events/Racing
Salford:
This is a single day event. It might change to 2 days. To enter it is £700 a boat. However, It is the same dates as Barcelona, and you need to be a member of the BDA to enter.
France:
See Sue’s notes.
I will ask for a photo and a letter, from a medical professional, to prove you have had breast cancer. I will request this over the summer.
We are still awaiting information on accommodation. Hotels bookings are not open yet.
4,000 Paddlers take part in this event. Our base will be in Annecy. There is plenty there and buses.
Looking into flights, we might have to fly into Geneva and travel from there.
POL pay half the fees, and we pay the other.
Carol will be helming for us.
We have a reserve list now. However, Paddlers for Life have someone who has dropped out. If anyone would like to take this place, please let me know. You will race with them, but when off the water, you will be with us.
Norwich:
This event uses 10-man boats and a drummer. Depending on weather we can have 8 in the boat. It is a lovely day out, but expensive. 2,000 plastic ducks are released on the water. The event is for charity and fees will be paid to them. Unfortunately, it clashes with the World Championships. Those members who are going to Germany will not be able to attend.
~ Helen
Publicity/Presentations
We attended several events both last year and this. At Tesco, Sainsburys, St Peters, St Mary’, The Capital Building and two at the Family Wellbeing Centre in Kensington
We have 2 talks booked this year and hopefully, Tesco in Old Swan will allow us to staff a desk there.
These events have all been well worth attending. We have spoken to so many people and we have got our name out there. We have had a really good welcome and are all looked after.
~ (Kay)
PoL members
New Leaflets
We need to change a few things and put up new photographs. We will add our QR code too. This will help when people ask how they can donate to our charity.
~ Sonia and Dai
Repairs of Hope
Hope needs further repairs. Two hatches are broken. Birds have damaged were the drum goes. The gunnel needs repairing too.
Peter will order the parts and speak to Dave who did the previous repairs.
Hels said we have been paying since she has been with PoL. It has not repaired properly. It was thought we pay Dave for the repairs and upkeep of boat. Will ask Dave at next meeting.
~ Sonia
AOB
Paula received two Mexican t-shirts for us, from an event she attended.
21st Celebrations – Paula will call into Chung Ku today to sort our arrangements for this.
Return of BAs and paddles. Heather will contact members again who do not want to attend anymore.
Can we put up a list of members and emergency contacts in Lock-up. In case of emergency.
We will also ask, in confidence, any specific medical needs we need to be aware of, on and off the boat. If so, do we need to carry anything needed in our first aid bag.
~ Sonia
Date of next meeting
June 2025
Accounts summary for GM 02/02/2025
Opening Balance 01.01.2024 £12,223.13
Closing Balance 31.12.2024: £18,738.20
Closing Balance 31.01.2025 £19,201.80
Income: £15,491.12
Expenditure: £8,975.05
Increase in funds: £6,516.07
To be paid in 2025:
Subs for H2 24 to Amathus £600.00
Insurance (Trustees) £895.00 approx
Container Rental Fee £1,000.00
Balance of IBCPC registration fees to be paid in June £3,800.00 approx
Sum: £6,295.00
Ring Fenced Funds:
IBCPC refundable deposits if we raise enough funds £1,886.50
Balance of Sue Banner legacy (funds ring fenced for possible painting of Hope) £1,001.20
Sum: £2,887.70
Available funds: £10,019.10
Petty Cash @ 31.01.2024: £360.64
Smartie Tubes: £103.80
Fundraising Events in 2024: £3,587.86
Raffle: £831.00
Pilkington Donation: £2,000.00
Search Donation: £2,882.32
Hire of hall for Duke Street Celebration cost €800 but contributions received were only €720 – made a loss of £80.00
We have received deposits from 22 People for the IBCPC event in France 2026
Balancing payment of €4,345 is due on 16th June 2025.
I have ring fenced the IBCPC funds we have received of £1,886.50 until we see how much more fundraising can be done for France. We then need to decide if these funds can then be returned to people to help with the accommodation and flight costs later on in the year.
It has been brought to our attention that Paddlers for Life Windermere and other BCS teams have changed to a Charitable Incorporated Organisation. We need to understand why they have done this and whether or not it would be suitable to do so for POL. If anyone has any expertise in this area or knows someone that we can ask that would be really helpful. I will be contacting Rowena at Paddlers for Life to find out the reasons why they moved to a Charitable Incorporated Organisation.
We have still not been reimbursed for the safety boat provided for the TV documentary. This needs to be followed up.
I will ask Carol for the an email contact and chase up directly with the BBC.
Attached are two files: (See ‘accounts’, above for links to files)
Breakdown of Receipts/Payments 2024
Breakdown of Fundraising by Event