GROSVENOR ROWING CLUB

Grosvenor Rowing Club is engaged in one of its most ambitious plans in its history!

We held our very first fundraising meeting on Sunday 14th January and it was encouraging to see the forty or so members and supporters who had taken the time to attend. Thank you for coming!

Three members of the fundraising group – Chris Fawcett, Sarah Armstrong and Karen Hough presented information to explain about the fundraising. The major points raised during that meeting are given in this update. 

The club wants to move forward, currently the income generated is at a level where it will take several years for sufficient money to be raised to purchase new equipment. Certainly it will take many years to generate the level of cash required to fund major projects such as the first floor if we don’t take action. So the club has embarked on a major fund-raising project in order to: 

1. Fit out the first floor

2. Pay for new equipment (boats, blades etc.)

A target of raising £90,000 by August 2008 has been set.

A group of Karen Hough, Sarah Armstrong, Sinead McDonnell and Chris Fawcett has been set up to lead our fundraising. This role of this group is to support and coordinate activities and so it is important that they are kept informed of any fundraising activity/approaches before they take place. This is to prevent the same sponsor being approached twice, to ensure that everything being done in the club’s name is appropriate etc. and where possible to provide help e.g. by helping to draft letters/ sponsorship submissions and to formulate approaches.  

Individuals should not incur any expense without first obtaining authorisation from the fundraising group otherwise they may not be re-imbursed. 

A three-pronged approach will be taken with the fundraising project: club, individual and corporate. 

Club

 Money will be raised through the sponsorship of equipment, advertising on the boathouse, trailer, kit etc. 

Squads/individuals

Somebody, somewhere,

should do something about it 

Please be proactive. Don’t expect someone else to get on with fundraising. It is our club and we all have a contribution to make no matter how small. It was pointed out that anyone who complains that the equipment they use is in need of repair or replacement will be asked the question….What have you done to help?!

          Examples of what individuals might do include sponsored activities (ergothons, bike rides etc.), donating gifts to be raffled, auctioned or sold at car boot sales and identifying potential sponsors/obtaining details of funds that may be available. Why not set yourself a target to reach?  Rewards will be given to those who reach £100, £250, £500 raised. 

Corporate   

A substantial contribution to our fundraising will be through major individual sponsors (£5k +) and obtaining the sponsorship of local   businesses. Potential sponsors include your employer, so if you are willing for an approach to be made to your employer please let the fundraising group know this.

Work needs to be done to develop a portfolio which can be given to sponsors to demonstrate the benefits of being associated with rowing/Grosvenor e.g. guaranteed publicity at certain rowing events, enjoying VIP status/corporate hospitality.

Ideas that the Fundraising Group has generated so far include: 

Members and supporters will be kept up to date with developments through the Club website, newsletters and the Totaliser (on the club wall).

As the meeting attendees though that it had been worthwhile and agreed that they would like to get together at a later date to discuss developments a further so a meeting will be scheduled for later in the year (probably July/August time). 

All those who attended the meeting were asked to complete a card with their details, including any skills that they have that we could utilise, names of their employer (so that we can make an approach for sponsorship) and suggestions for fundraising. Attendees were also asked to make a pledge as to how much money they are going to try and raise. The completed cards that the fundraising group have received have included some fantastic ideas and several potential sponsorship contacts. A summary of all of ideas will be collated and posted on the club website once we’ve had time to go through all of the postcards received. 

There have been plenty of ideas BUT the fundraising group has just 4 members and so cannot possibly implement all of the suggestions that have been made. So your help will be needed to: 

If you can help with any of the above please e-mail grcfund@yahoo.co.uk

or write to Karen Hough/Sarah Armstrong at Grosvenor Rowing Club, The Groves, Chester.

A member of the fundraising group will respond, please be patient we’re really busy but we will do our best to get back to you as soon as we can.

200 Club

We are now running a 200 CLUB to raise funds. If you join the club you will be allocated a number. Each month a draw will take place and if your number is selected you will win 50% of that month’s takings (the remainder will go into club funds). At just £2 per month it’s a great way to help the club and have a chance of winning some cash. To join simply complete an application form and return it with your cheque to Sarah Armstrong.

Click here to download a form