SUPPORT THE TRUST

This was to have been printed in the Marlow league match programme but unsurprisingly the game was postponed due to the weather, and you start to wonder just when will we see our next game.


After a recent ‘home’ game one of our supporters asked me why the Slough Town Supporters Trust are still doing a bucket collection after games. With the club on the up, is the Trust needed any more? Personally, I think that Football Trusts are needed more than ever, and should be a welcome addition to any club. Already this season we have seen a big non league club Kings Lynn go to the wall, while in the Conference any number of clubs from Lewes to Weymouth to Chester City are sailing close to the wind. Surely it’s better for clubs to embrace supporters and have as many income streams as possible rather than relying on one person promising the earth?
I spoke to Mike Lightfoot, chair of the Supporters Trust and a Slough supporter for 30 years. Who else is on the Trust board?
Mike: “Alan Harding (travel and fund raising). Colin Atkins (Treasurer) Mark Hunter (Membership), Charlie Kirby, Sue Shiel, Gary House and Lional Chandler.”
What role do the Trust’s play in helping S.T.F.C ?
Mike “Me and Alan Harding are both members of the football clubs Management Committee, Sue Shiel is club shop manager and Lional Chandler is the main programme seller (Dave might dispute that!). Other Trust member’s also assist the club on match days doing the stewarding, looking after match day mascots, selling Golden Goal Tickets. The trust run the Golden goal and the 500 club on behalf of the football club, the money raised goes to support the running of the club. The trust also makes a contribution towards the cost of the training facilities at the Polish Association and has paid the fees so our Under 18 teams can play at Beaconsfield. We are also sponsors of the Slough Primary Schools Football League and have donated new football kit to two schools in Slough one of which, Marish Primary, made a successful visit to us a few weeks ago in their new kit. We also organise the annual sponsored walk which has raised £6740 over the last 3 years for the special care baby unit and the blood cancer unit both at Wexham Park Hospital. The last walk was in aid of Slough Age Concern. We hope to be making this donation at today’s game. The money for these walks is split between the three charities and the Trust.”
Where does the Trust get its money from?
Mike “The trust raises money in various ways, such as bucket collections, raffles, and Race Nights etc.”
So what are the benefits of being a Trust member?
Mike “Some of the benefits are subsidised coach travel which the trust organizes on behalf of those that wish to travel by coach to away matches and this includes free match postponement and accident insurance. A chance to have a say in how the trust is run. An opportunity to become an elected board member. We currently have 76 members and 5 Junior members.”
All Supporters Trust have a pivotal role to play in the health and success of their club, so get yourself along to the Trust hut at our next home game and become a member – and don’t forget to keep throwing your loose change into the collecting buckets on the way out. You will be supporting the long term future of Slough Town Football Club.