Surfing Great Britain. Annual General Meeting. Bristol. Minutes 16 th November 2014

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1 Surfing Great Britain Annual General Meeting Bristol Minutes 16 th November 2014 Present: Mike Cotton, Nick Rees, Sarah Touissa (minutes), Matt Knight, Phil Williams, Rob Tibbles, James Elkington, Hugh Murray, George Stoy, Beth Druce, Vicky Fraser, Nick Hounfield, Adam Hall, Ryan Edwards, Andy Ainscough, Joe Taylor, Isabelle Bromham. 1. Apologies: Nigel Semmens, Bruce Daniel, Alex Williams, Adam Tucker. 2. Operations report: 2014 has been a busy year for the organisations, and although it has been very positive, there are plenty of things that can be learnt from this journey to make sure that plans for next year are effective and maximise resources. 22 surf clubs affiliated in 2014 against a target of 30 and so the target remains at 30 for We recognise that as an organisation this is a particular area in which we can focus more resources next year. The 2014 surf school target was also set at 30, we currently have 28 surf schools signed up and are hoping for a couple more over the winter. For 2015 we will be hoping to achieve 35 affiliated surf schools. With 130 coaches we have exceeded our surf coach target of 120 for 2014; and will be processing more coach memberships over the winter period, as we currently have a back log of 140 applications. This is a result of new coaches who receive an SGB membership as part of completing an ISA/SGB coaching course. SGB s 2014 projects have varied across the year. We successfully ran an ISA judging course in June. This was a first for us but it was an important step for the sport and the development of the judging pathway. A range of coaching course have been delivered throughout the year and the experience of our course presenters means that there is a lot of added value to the courses. As a thank you to those that support us we sent out member packs, which included freebies and discounts. Anyone that has joined since May will be issued with a pack towards the end of this year. Surf schools will have also received packs when they affiliate. An SGB document store has been added to the website. It provides a range of resources for clubs, schools and individuals. The Junior Surf Scheme (JSS) has proven popular with surf clubs in particular, and

2 is now being taken up by surf schools. Saints Boardriders have rolled JSS to over 200 young surfers; and St Ives to over 100 young surfers. A series of two minute How to educational videos can now be accessed via our website, and provides another medium for individuals to learn about the technical aspects of surfing. SGB has also improved the website presence for affiliated surf club and surf schools. At the last AGM we announced our grand plans for the MIS system and since then we have started to use the system on a daily basis. The development of this resource is being funded by Sport England and is a collaborative project between SGB, SLSGB, and British Kite Surfing. There are planned development phases for the project and more and more elements of the system are being made available to us and our membership. This is a free resources that clubs, schools, course presenters (for example) can use. As MIS is rolled out more services will be available online, for example, enrolling on a coaching course and paying for it. Although we are expanding our online services everyone that works for SGB wants to stay in contact with the members. We are available by phone and , and will soon be moving into our first manned office in Braunton. We have teamed up with the British Surf Museum as we have shared organisational goals in terms of the preservation of surfing s heritage, and this presents an amazing opportunity to pool resources so save costs in the long run. We are in the process of confirming sponsorship for 2015 and onwards. Calypso have been a supportive partner of ours since the beginning and we would envisage that this working relationship will continue. When entering discussions with potential sponsors we remain very focused on what our brand values are and only look to work with organisations that can match these. Acer is one of the new sponsors that have come on board in 2014, and we are currently discussion future collaborations The SGB/Surfdome partnership that has developed throughout the year has evolved from them just being a sponsor to now being a key strategic partner. Both SGB and Surfdome have worked hard to ensure that anything done in collaboration adds value to both organisations as well as any common shared goals. Surfdome are now the largest online action sports retailer in Europe, and so far provide weekly SGB posts through all their social media; they have provided event support throughout the year; and now include SGB membership information with every surf related purchase. From 2015, SGB membership will be included with every surf board purchase. Twice yearly they will be able to provide affiliated Surf school with access to discounted equipment. Event delivery was a significant part of the year. The BUCS event which runs at Fistral, Newquay continues to be one of the largest surf events in Europe, with over 300 participants, and 3000 spectators. Organisations, such as the Wave

3 project have continued their good work and now have a greater presence on our website. SGB has supported the Armed forces to attend events. The British National Championship was split into two events this year, seniors and juniors due to the large number of entries. Entries across the events has remained extremely high throughout 2014, and has provided us with the opportunity to produce very unique content for our sponsors. We have progressed with our National Governing Body (NGB) applications and achieved stage 1 in the application process. NGB status remains as a central aim of the organisation; and achieving stage one is a result of all the hard work of the volunteers, all the Directors, along with the continued support of the members. As part of stage two in the application process SGB wants to facilitate the submission of a vision for surfing. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for everyone to engage in the process. The plans for the future should be written by surfers for surfers. As part of this process we met with the surfing federations yesterday. Overall it was a positive meeting, but demonstrated the size of the task ahead and the importance of ensuring our delivery structures are fair across the board. Open and honest communications is the key to use all working effectively together. As an organisation SGB has specific aims, and if it doesn t fit we don t do it. However we do recognise that there is more that we could do to improve our services to the wider surfing family. Only a lucky few live by sea, but this shouldn t stop you from giving surfing a go. SGB wants to ensure that we provide a service for all surfers (or potential surfers) no matter where they might live. So for 2015 we will be going back to our roots and getting out in the community more to engage with all entities of surfing, watch this space. 3. Finance Report: Our membership income has increased, and the monies raised remain at the core of our funding. The total membership income, as shown in the January 2014 accounts is 24, However if you compare this to our membership to date (Feb Nov 14), we have already received 35, The main source of funding currently received into the organisation is event sponsorship, however although this is a significant amount of money it covers the event running costs. Event income and expenditure, as shown in our January 2014 accounts was: Income: 60, Expenditure: 61, As part of our NGB application and also as a good housekeeping exercise a significant amount of time has been spent ensuring that as an organisation we have a sound financial basis and that future budgets are comprehensive and realistic. As part of this process we have brought the bookkeeping role back into

4 the organisation and therefore there has been an increase in staff salaries, however we no longer pay external bookkeeping fees. Already from an operational perspective we are able to go into much greater financial detail on a daily basis if needed. Our charities application will be progressing over the winter months and if achieved will open other revenue streams as well as giving the organisation tax deductions and gift aid opportunities. When have not been able to submit the application sooner due to the paperwork requirements for out stage one NGB application. Overall Surfing GB Ltd made a profit of 5,832 (Jan 2014 accounts) which will go back into the future development/activities of the organisation. However Surfing GB needs to grow so that the organisation can have a greater impact on the development of surfing. 4. Media and communications: Year on year SGB has increased its reach through the website and social media. The website provides a lot of information for coaches, clubs, schools, and events, but has become quite corporate in terms of its appearance. The winter months is when the majority of our website development is done, and a major task this year is to give the website a refresh to bring back the joe blogs surfer and increase membership. The effectiveness of the 2014 event coverage is a major achievement, particularly as it has all been delivered on a shoe string budget. All avenues of communication where utilised and the website statistics helped to inform these decisions. Event teasers proved to be not only popular but also very cost effective as we were able to recycle clip from the previous year; and lessons learnt from previous years meant we were able to maximise our reach prior to events taking place. The SGB message is now traveling beyond the surfing family and into the wider press. The organisation has become a point of reference for national stories, which demonstrates our increase in credibility. Effective communication and a good user friendly website will help draw in new membership. The traffic through the website has increased from an average of 1160 hits a month to We can see which areas on the website are used the most and how long people are accessing the information for. This also tells us which areas aren t being accessed, at which point we can try to determine why, whether it s an issue of finding the information or it not being relevant to the core of individuals accessing the site. All of which will again help to inform the website refresh over the winter. It was suggested that a members area could form part of the website. SGB members could log in to a secure part of the website, were they could access members offers or key development documents. Sharing company documents was previously discussed when we looked at the document store on the site. It

5 was agreed that there is a fine line between providing information to the public but also not giving away information specific to surf delivery that remain hidden to members and/or affiliated bodies. ACTION- Nick & Tibbles to explore the feasibility of a members area as part of the winter development plans. Everyone thanked Rob Tibbles for his contributions over the year and for going that extra mile. 5. Board of directors and committees: The current Directors wish to remain in position, and they are as follows: Nigel semmens- presidents; Bruce Daniel- chairman; Matt Knight- policy/ company secretary; Mike cotton- members services; Alex Williams- media & communications; Adam Tucker- finance; Phil Williams- without portfolio. A full election of Directors is not an annual requirement, and there were no objections from those present at the meeting, therefore all the Directors named above will remain in their current positions for There are three vacancies on the Board of Directors. One specifically relating to federation representation at board level. Applications are welcomed from individuals with a business or legal back ground that feel they can add value to the organisation. An expression of interest would be forwarded to the directors for consideration. Individuals are reminded that there legal obligations involved with becoming a Director. Despite the vacancies we have a strong core of Directors that have been part of SGB since its birth, which demonstrates their commitment to the sport and the organisation. The Director positions are voluntary and so not all directors can attend every meeting; however there is significant attendance at each of the Directors meetings. The Management Committee continues to have a range of individuals working across different task groups. We acknowledge that a volunteer s time is precious and often stretched, so we appreciate any and every contribution that you can make. Whether that is to attend meetings or just input via . Volunteers don t have to be surfers or be involved at a club. If you are interested in getting involved with the management committee visit our website for more information. It was highlighted that there are large pots of European Funding available that would complement this work and that this needs to be monitored by SGB. SGB has been accepted as a partner in one round of funding, however other attempts to engage in EU funding have not been successfully due to other EU partners not being able to engage at that time. Thanks were extended from the Directors to all the supporters of SGB and active volunteers. The organisation and sport couldn t develop without all their valuable work and continued support.

6 6. Why does surfing need an NGB: Operationally there will be a change for SGB in So far there has been a significant emphasise on competition and we have very much driven services forward for competing surfers. Now we want to start to focus on everyone else, but typically this often presents a barrier to the individual surfer as they don t participate to be governed. People go surfing to be free, and not conform. However there is a role for a NGB in surfing and our task for 2015 is getting that message out there as well as continuing to ensure that delivery standards are met to protect the customer; to support surf schools; and create more opportunities for clubs to access resources and funds for much needed facilities etc. If we don t do it someone else will. We can often get bogged down in specific areas of delivery, but it s important to step back and look at the bigger picture, particularly when individuals are asking you why? Attached is a mind map highlighting the different partners involved in delivery and how an NGB is the facilitator to ensure that opportunities are maximised. As has already been touched on SGB are working towards NGB recognition. Although we are a members organisation and currently obtain a membership income, it is not our members that Government is interested in. Central Government look at the overall participation in the sport and that it increases year on year. Therefore it is more important that as an organisation we are able to quantify how many individuals are involved in the wider surfing family and this can be done through resources such as MIS. Once SGB has achieved NGB status and are able to submit a Whole Sport Plan to draw down funding for the sport, membership income could potentially be redirected else were in the path way; however this is just one of the future considerations that need to be made as part of the whole sport plan process. It s through this process that roles and responsibilities for direct delivery and strategy will be agreed with the partners, such as the Federations. 7. The Wave, Bristol: The plans for The Wave, Bristol have developed significantly over the last two years. Planning was granted in September 2014 and now steps can be made to make dreams a reality. Long term the site will be self-sustaining. Food which will be consumed on site will also be grown there. Any waste produced will also be managed onsite and renewable energy will be used to power the facilities. The site will cater for all levels of surfer from beginner to elite. The beginner areas will be focused in the bays at each of the lake and it s this element of delivery that makes the project commercially viable. The wave technology being honed to produce a 1.9 meter. The wave is very technical compared to an ocean wave. Links with universities have also been established to investigate the effects of

7 larger waves on buildings and other structures. This research will inform decision making in areas of the work needing Tsunami defences. During the initial building of the site the will be an environmental impact on the area, however the longer term aspirations of the project will ensure an very ecological site. One step that has been taken towards reducing the carbon footprint of getting to the site is sustainable transport solutions that are currently being developed. The project leaders wanted to demonstrate their commitment to this as part of the planning application and therefore have only catered for an small number of parking spaces. The Making Waves Foundation has been launched as the not for profit arm of the company, and will back local and regional projects to open opportunities for more individuals to access the surfing, our beaches and safety aspects of being in the water. Organisations such as Surfers Against Sewage and SGB have been involved in the planning of the project to ensure that we cater for all aspects of surfing and meet our environmental obligations. The Wave will be delivering across three different agendas: surfing, health, and education and they will be drawing on the good practice that is out. The project has been lucky enough to access grant funding to help develop the site, however a crowd funding page will be launch to specifically raise money for the renewable energy aspects of the project so that they can be built into the initial stages of building rather than added later. Construction is due to start in January The wave technology will be put on site in October This will then be run for 4 months to ensure that it works properly, and the grand opening will take place in March The wave will move in both directions. The site is well sheltered particularly from South Westerly winds, and will be surfable in both off shore and on shore conditions. There will be an onsite surf school but there may be the opportunity for external coaches to book time out at the facilities, however this is the details that is currently being worked out. To try and reduce the number of people wanting to bring their own boards to site they have committed to ensure that good quality and a wide range of equipment will be available onsite. Due to the location it is hoped that the site can be utilised all year around. In total the lake has capacity to hold people at one time. They will predominately be focused in the bay areas. The lake will be 100m wide and 300 meters long and use fresh water from the main Bristol plant. However all the water will be managed onsite to ensure a consistent water quality. The colour of the water will have a green tinge to it but will be very safe. Potentially the wave could become snowboarding s equivalent of the half pipe. It will never replace surfing but will open the sport to greater levels of participation and provide an environment where individuals can perfect specific aspects of

8 their surfing. Thanks was extended to all those that attended the meeting and have supported SGB. The meeting was closed with a reminder that the future for surfing should be based on the individual that wants to participate at their chosen level within the sport, and they should be able to do so in the knowledge that they are receiving a high quality and safe experience. It s the responsibility of the whole surfing family to ensure that this happens.