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2023 Meeting - 29 August

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Category: Committee
Published on Monday, 04 September 2023 07:38
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BRITISH FENCING

ENGLAND FENCING

SUSSEX FENCING UNION

COMMITTEE MEETING

The Dorset, Lewes

29 August 2023 7.00pm

Minutes

Present: Brian Causton (BC), Gordon Mankelow (GM), Jim Whelan (JW), Will Miller (WM), Cheryl Deamer (CD), Maggie Maynard (MM), Della Bowley (DB) Kerem Tohma (KT)

  1. Apologies for absence - None

  1. Minutes of last meeting and matters arising

    1. CD will check with Ian Lichfield what present would be appropriate to thank Dave Lichfield for his services to Sussex fencing. (Action CD)

    2. BC is in the process of arranging dual signatories for DB: NatWest should have sent a signatory form via email. (Action: BC, DB)

    3. DK will take a look at the Sussex website and assess possible changes: upgrade, move, refresh etc WM would provide access and documentation. (Action: DK, WM)

    4. BC noted that AllEntries had paid over competition income and that there was a £60 loss on the 2023 Sussex Teams event. The committee considered this acceptable.

    5. JW asked that 'Competition Manager' not be added to his formal committee role of 'Awards Manager'.

  1. 2023 Sussex Open – Planning

    1. CD related how she had contacted many venues concerning the preferred weekend of 11-12 November; most had no availability, though she was waiting on several to respond, including Sussex University and BACA. BC would forward contact details for BACA to CD. (Action: BC) A size of 8 badminton courts is required over an entire weekend, so this rules out many venues.

    2. A Committee Zoom meeting would be arranged once a venue and date can be confirmed to further organise the event (Action: WM)

  1. Calendar Planning

    1. Given school term dates, other competitions and holidays, the following dates and venues were preferred:

Competition

Likely Venue

Size

Preferred date

Sussex Open

BACA, Chichester

(Action: CD)

8 courts

8-16 pistes

11-12 Nov 2023

Junior Teams (U14 and U16 epee and foil)

Novice foil

Longhill

(Action: BC)

4 courts

<8 pistes

17 December 2023

SE Region Epee

Longhill

(Action: BC)

4 courts

8 pistes

09 March 2024

Senior County individuals

Triangle

(Action: CD)

4 courts

8 pistes

18 May 2024

Junior Foil and Epee (U10/12/14/16)

Triangle

(Action: CD)

4 courts

8 pistes

19 May 2024

Senior Teams (6W) plus AGM

Longhill

(Action: BC)

4 courts

<8 pistes

22-23 June 2024

    1. The committee noted the need to provide sufficient referees and competition managers for more complex events, especially junior competitions where self-refereeing is not practical. (Action: All)

    2. Venue dates and times to be confirmed at the abovementioned Zoom meeting (3.b).

    3. The Novice Foil would be held at the same time as the junior teams.

    4. BC to check with SE Fencing that they are happy for Sussex to run the SE Epee (Action: BC)

  1. Equipment issues – performance, purchases, repairs

    1. GM noted trouble with box controllers and the committee agreed that batteries should be removed from controllers after every competition. Also, 2 new Favero controllers be bought as spares. (Action: BC, DB)

    2. GM noted that one of the pistes had a lot of dead patches. The committee agreed to purchase another piste. BC to get quotes for a piste. (Action: BC)

  1. Cadet/Junior pathway explained...

    1. WM noted that an explanatory guide is needed to distribute to parents and club explaining cadet/junior competitions: the ranking points system, the age groupings and opportunities. He volunteered to write such a guide. (Action: WM)

    2. MM offered to asked Marc Chapman, who also has issues with recognition of dual nationalities at Kings School (Action: MM)

    3. CD offered to discuss with Ian Lichfield who is working in this area with BF, to gain BF's policies and insights (Action: CD)

  1. Any Other Business

    1. BC asked to buy a cage to store Sussex gear in his garage; the committee noting that two cages might be more practical, rather than one very large one. GM offered to lend BC a small cage from Lewes Club, noting that it was donated by Waitrose. The committee agreed BC should purchase a cages or cages as best suits his garage in addition to the cage lent by Lewes. (Action: BC, GM)

    2. JM noted that the County Colours badges appear to be missing. BC would look in amongst his medals, otherwise new badges would need to be ordered. (Action: BC)

    3. GM noted that there are insufficient coaching and referee courses in Sussex. Coaching courses especially are too far away to be of practical use.

      • CD noted that L1 coaching could be done online.

      • CD would also investigate whether Luke, Sarah and/or Chiara could do a referee course to coincide with one or more of the Sussex fencing competitions over the coming year (Action: CD)

      • DB suggested that Sussex might financially support coach development, which was considered positively. Also, MM would reach out to Peter Howse of England fencing who might offer financial support for coaching courses. (Action: MM)

Meeting adjourned: 8pm

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PROGRESS AGAINST ACTIONS (Completed events are shaded. Older completions are deleted.)

Date

Action

Progress

5/4/22

CD to consult with Ian Lichfield about a “thank you” for Dave Lichfield (CD)

29 Aug 23: CD would speak to IL in the coming week.

2 Aug 22: CD noted that IL hasn't been to Crawley Club very frequently.

29/08/23

Venue details and dates to be confirmed for the 23-24 season

29/08/23: BC to pass BACA contact details to CD

29/08/23: CD to try to confirm venue dates for the Sussex Open and the Senior County and Junior events

29 Aug 23: BC to confirm Longhill venue for the SE epee, the Senior Teams

29/08/23

Equipment

29/08/23: BC to get quotes for a new piste

29 Aug 23: BC to purchase two Favero controllers as spares.

29 Aug 23: If necessary, BC to buy a cage to store Sussex gear in his garage.

29 Aug 23: Batteries are to be removed from controllers post competition. All.

29/08/23

Junior fencing guide

29 Aug 23: WM to produce a guide to cadet/junior fencing, including ages groups, rankings, selection and weapon sizes.

29 Aug 23: CD to speak to Ian Lichfield about BF's approach to organising cadet/junior events

29 Aug 23: MM to speak to Marc Chapman about his experiences with junior fencing

29/08/23

Coaching and refereeing in Sussex

29 Aug 23: CD to investigate whether Luke, Sarah and/or Chiara could do a referee course to coincide with one or more of the Sussex fencing competitions over the coming year

29 Aug 23: MM would reach out to Peter Howse of England fencing who might offer financial support for coaching courses

29/08/23

County Colours

29 Aug 23: Missing colours badges. BC to check medals box. If not, more County Colours would need to be ordered.

30 Jul 23: Colours to be awarded to:

  • Harry Gray;

  • Jamie Briggs

  • Isaac Jolley;

  • Chiara McDermot;

  • Rosie Whitacker; and

  • Brian Causton

  • Cheryl Deamer

19/5/19

Arrange an online account with dual signatories (BC)

29 Aug 23: BC contacted NatWest who sent out online signatories forms. However DB did not receive one. This is to be followed up.

30 Jul 23: Della Bowley is elected Treasurer

2 Aug 22: BC to forward forms to DF

21 Jul 2021: BC to forward correct forms to DF

8 Jun 2021: Online account completed. DF is to become second signatory.

9 Jul 2020: the committees agrees to remain with Natwest.

30 Nov 2019: Committee agrees to change banks to the Metrobank.

22 Dec 2020: Action reopened. BC to arrange additional signatories for a NatWest online account.

ROLLING

A fixture list should be prepared and presented to the AGM. (DF/CD)

21 Jul 2021: DF and CD would produce a fixture list before the next AGM.

23 Jul 2019: Fixture list to be discussed at Committee meeting.

9/4/19

The website would be upgraded. (WM)

29 Aug 23: DK offered to take on a refurb of the website. WM to pass on administrative access and documentation (Action: WM)

21 Jul 2021: WM noted it was a big job, but it needed to be done.

30 June 2019: Entry system taken out of website. Menu used to link to Sport80/AllEntries. Key factor is to keep emails, which is linked to the entry system – MailChimp has some.

Apr 2019: BC provided a link to Allentries, showing how the Vet’s website had integrated.

Apr 2019: WM consulted with a Wordpress developer.

24/10/18

Present a profit/loss analysis of each competition to the next AGM (BC)

28 Sep 2021: BC to provide options to the next committee for reporting competitions

21 Jul 2021: to be incorporated into BAU

9 Jul 2020: Few county competitions were held due to Covid.

9 Apr 19: BC explained that it would be difficult to unpick the profit/loss of past competitions, but would do so on a rolling basis after the 2019 AGM.

ROLLING

Produce a PDF of competitions and calendar. This would be put onto the website (JW and WM)

9 Jul 2020: Competitions Manager position is vacant.

9 Apr 19: this task now comes under the remit of the Competitions Manager.

ROLLING

Send the competition calendar as mailshot (WM)

9 Apr 2019: A link would be sent to a fixture/info list.