Chairperson, Andy Thorne, provides an annual review of a shortened hockey season

Lindum Hockey Club Chairman’s Report 2019-20

With the abrupt end to our season through the extraordinary events brought about by COVID19 means this season finale of final games, End of Season Ball and summer league have not happened. This has been a great shame for us all.

It is true that most important at this time is that everyone within our club and those close to us are all safe and well and I sincerely do hope this is the case with you all.

We should however not let this diminish the progress our Lindum Hockey Club has made this season.

Further consolidation of the the league positions of the the club’s two elite teams, Mens and Ladies 1s is no small achievement for our club. Our representation at North League Premier and Division One respectively brings our club into play at many of the northern region’s best hockey clubs.

The Yorkshire league failed to finish all the fixtures for the season but notably within the club the Mens 4s had an outstanding season and will be promoted next season as a result. Our development team also had an exceptional season and came out top of their league and show us all that the youth of our club show great promise.

Within our own weekly business the coaching at the club is improving all the time and we are investing the extra time we have now to make further preparations assuming the beginning of the new season in August with pre season training.

This season saw the completion of the Sports Bar at the Lindum Sports Association, down to the hard work of many volunteers. The results speak for themselves and the attendance at the last social before the lockdown, the curry night was a real success and testament to the work of all those who have made the venue as it is and the social committee for their organisation.

Lindum Sports Association

On a financial footing the accounts for the year show a small surplus for the second year running. This is a key focus of the Lindum Hockey Club Committee, to maintain a sustainable hockey club run for the members by the members. The result has been in large part possible through the hard work of a core group of club volunteers and the members in helping in paying their membership and match fees promptly. Please note however there are numbers within the accounts which do not represent a normal full season of costs but rather reflect the sudden end of the season in March.

The key note here is the underlying position of the finances of Lindum Hockey Club remain sound and in surplus, and as such enable a recommendation to the Annual General Meeting (AGM) that all membership and match fees remain unchanged for the forthcoming season.

On the subject of the AGM clearly a physical meeting at the Lindum Sports Association will not be possible on the 28th of May as we originally planned. In its place the agenda will be posted online on the Lindum Hockey Club website. Here there are a number of matters that will require votes of club members. It is proposed that these votes are submitted online to the club along with any questions to the Chair. Votes will be collated and the results posted along with answers to the questions posed as soon as possible after the 28th of May.

The club as you know is a volunteer-run amateur sports club and as such nominations for the various positions within the club are required by the 25th May, before the AGM date. Details of how to make nominations are already posted on the club website.

Finally, at the time of writing this report, there is uncertainty about the new season. The club is preparing for business as normal but in the event that guidance given means we must make changes we will of course keep you fully updated on the club’s website. Let us hope we can start as normal and let’s plan to open the new season with a suitable social event to help celebrate getting back to hockey, our club and our friends.

Andrew Thorne
Lindum Hockey Club Chair
May 2020