The 200 Club is Back!

The 200 Club is dead - long live the 200 Club! (Let's call it 200C in writing so as not to confuse it with the Club - ie PARFC.) Since the lamented financial administration of Albion earlier this year, there has mostly been silence from the organisation that has contributed over £30 000 to our beloved Albion. In common with many aspects of the RFC's activities, this has mostly been due to the enforced transition to the new ownership - but also some important changes within 200C itself.

A little history to start with. Vince Jones single-handedly got the whole gig up and running shortly after the move to PL1 and over the years raised serious amounts of money each year to assist in areas as diverse as player sponsorship, a sizable contribution to the purchase of the new posts, tools for the FAB volunteer maintenance group, ball boy kit as well as many and various other ground/infrastructure projects. On the social side, he also organised the Meet the Players and End of Season events and latterly introduced the successful monthly Supporter and Xmas Lunches. Although retired, but with much other social and commercial support to Albion under his belt, Vince began to look at reducing his wholly unpaid commitments at the Brickfields a couple of years back. He was persuaded by the previous Board to remain in place until this summer. (To be totally blunt, he was NOT jumping from a sinking ship!) Discussions for an ordered transition were well under way when the last financial straw broke the camel's back in the spring.

Here lies the problem - to keep admin to the absolute minimum (one man band, remember?), monies raised through 200C memberships and events were lodged directly with PARFC. When the final crisis hit, all funds for projects and prizes were immediately frozen and instead went to paying off the legally designated creditors. So ironically, 200C was paying off the taxman and others while there were no further prize draws in spite of memberships for the full year being paid in advance! While the dust settled, arrangements were being made to develop a new structure that would prevent a recurrence of this sorry state of affairs. 200C recently met with the new management at the Brickfields and are proceeding to re-launch with their full blessing and cooperation.

The new 200 Club will henceforth have it's own bank account, but will continue to make donations for specific, mutually agreed projects with the aim of assisting Albion and maximising PR. This will inevitably require a higher degree of oversight to ensure safeguarding of the members' hard earned cash. Peter Harrison, an ex-Director from Beacon Park days has agreed to be Chairman, and Simon Franks (supporter since 2004) will serve as Treasurer/Secretary. A third person will be appointed soon to round off the "management" team. Notwithstanding official titles and the need for correct accounting, the aim is to continue Vince's commendable record of keeping red tape to the absolute minimum. No one involved with the new set-up will receive a penny in remuneration, expenses or benefits in kind. An appropriate auditing process will be put in place consistent with future membership numbers and funds raised.

The twin aims of 200C will be as follows: to financially assist PARFC, and to provide a social focus for supporters. It recognises that it is one of a number of voluntary organisations (Albi Travel, SPA, FAB, etc) who work to support the RFC and is committed to working cooperating with them wholeheartedly. Membership will remain at £1.00 per week (£52.00 per year) to be paid in advance by 01 Sep each year. The division of monies raised will be as follows:

 i) donations to PARFC: 2/3 of total. This may be in several tranches according to current spending/PR priorities,

 ii) prize fund: 1/3. Twelve monthly draws will be held (usually at the Supporters Lunch) with the available "pot" split 60/40 (rounded up/down to whole £s as required). Any small surplus accrued will be paid out pro-rata by year end.