Aims and Objectives
Written by Administrator Sunday, 15 March 2009 17:35
WednesdayiteMission Statement:
To act as responsible custodians over a meaningful shareholding in Sheffield Wednesday in order to develop and maintain a democratic, effective and influencial role for Sheffield Wednesday fans in the running of the football club; and to strengthen the bonds between the club and it's community.
Aims and Objectives
We believe the supporters have an important role to play in many aspects of the Club, its policy and its future well being.
As Sheffield Wednesday supporters, we want to do our bit to help the club regain and thereafter maintain its rightful position amongst the elite clubs of the English game. We believe that Sheffield Wednesday enjoys one of the top twenty followings in the country in terms of supporter numbers, loyalty and passion.
Properly mobilised, there is no reason why that level of support, loyalty and passion should not translate into real advantage to the club in ensuring that both on and off-field success is at least commensurate with this top twenty support status. We believe that the fans should enjoy an effective and influential role in the running of the club which in turn can only strengthen the bonds between the club and its community and bring about ongoing mutual benefit.
Our aim is to develop and maintain a democratic organisation for all Sheffield Wednesday supporters, dedicated to the furtherance of the club’s on-field progress and to act as responsible custodians of a meaningful shareholding in the club for as long as our members deem that it remains in the club’s best interests to do so.
In stating our belief that Sheffield Wednesday fans should enjoy “an effective and influential role in the running of the club”, that doesn’t mean that we either want or expect to run the club, it simply means that we believe that the fans should have some sort of say and some sort of involvement. After all, we fans are the club. Players come and go; Managers come and go; Chairmen and Boards come and go. But we fans are the one constant and we believe that fact alone should count for something. This doesn’t mean that all the fans are going to agree on all of the issues all of the time. But with an effective, open and democratic supporters’ organization it does mean that there is a channel through which the democratic views of the membership can be conveyed to the club. And with greater membership numbers comes a louder, more representative voice of the fans which the club would surely be unwise to ignore.
Of course, we are where we are in terms of the club’s current financial position and clearly the relationship between WEDNESDAYITE and the club’s Board has been far from effective or influential. Does this mean therefore that the fans should give up wanting to help the club? Not in our book – that’s like suggesting that we go and support another team. Our motives are genuine and driven by the same fanaticism that sees us spending hundreds of pounds and traveling thousands of miles a season in support of the team. And when individual supporters are keen and able to do even more in support of their club, then we believe that they should be encouraged to do so.
WEDNESDAYITE seeks to represent its members’ views in an open and democratic fashion. Our members are consulted more frequently, on issues affecting the club, than any other supporters’ trust. We are a members’ organization and we represent and articulate the democratic view of our members on the issues which are important to them. Sheffield Wednesday is our club. WEDNESDAYITE is your voice.
MembershipThe bigger the membership, the louder the voice. Sheffield Wednesday fans join WEDNESDAYITE for a variety of reasons. The WEDNESDAYITE car park, Lounge and away coach service are all examples of the fans doing for the fans. And the only criteria for membership of WEDNESDAYITE is that you support Sheffield Wednesday. As a member, you have a voice. As a membership, we have a louder voice. And as an organized group of committed and passionate Wednesday fans, we have the desire and ability to mobilise efforts towards lending added advantage to Sheffield Wednesday Football Club and its community.
DemocracyEvery Wednesday fan wants footballing success for Sheffield Wednesday. We may have different ideas as to how best that is achieved and indeed as to what level of input and influence the fans, both individually and collectively, should enjoy.
WEDNESDAYITE’s policy is determined by its members. We undertake half yearly surveys seeking members’ views on a wide variety of matters affecting the club and encourage members to get involved in our Events and Policy groups. Whilst the WEDNESDAYITE board of directors is elected to run the organisation’s affairs on behalf of its members, no material decisions affecting the shareholding or any similarly important issues will be taken without the democratic mandate of the members.
WEDNESDAYITE’s policy is determined by its members. We undertake half yearly surveys seeking members’ views on a wide variety of matters affecting the club and encourage members to get involved in our Events and Policy groups. Whilst the WEDNESDAYITE board of directors is elected to run the organisation’s affairs on behalf of its members, no material decisions affecting the shareholding or any similarly important issues will be taken without the democratic mandate of the members.
SharesThe current shareholding of 10.07% affords WEDNESDAYITE the right to call an EGM if and when the members deem it appropriate to do so. A minimum shareholding of 5% is required in order to propose resolutions at the club’s AGM. Currently, WEDNESDAYITE is the only shareholder not on the club’s board with sufficient shareholding to undertake either of these options. As a shareholder – and as a fans’ group – we should have the right to ask questions of the club’s board. However we believe there is little point in using the power of these tools to simply highlight problems we all know exist - on the contrary - our shareholding should be used to drive through effective solutions wherever possible.
Relationship with SWFCWEDNESDAYITE’s ability to generate meaningful contribution to the club – particularly financial – is to most intents and purposes dependent upon there being a positive and constructive relationship with the club. Sadly this has not been the case over recent years and the club has suffered the consequential loss of many thousands of pounds lost fund-raising revenue which it has ill been able to afford. Indeed it was less than twelve months ago that the club was unable to bring in a loan striker for just one month to cover a severe injury crisis, eventually necessitating the club chairman having to dip into his own pocket and loan the club money.
With the cooperation of the club and the motivation of a passionate and well organized fans’ organisation, we believe that the club’s fans would willingly contribute significant funds towards good causes such as the Academy, the kop toilets and even players’ wages. The size of fan base enjoyed by Sheffield Wednesday should bring advantage to the club in such situations – there is no good reason why the club should turn away free money in favour of additional debt or going without.
With the cooperation of the club and the motivation of a passionate and well organized fans’ organisation, we believe that the club’s fans would willingly contribute significant funds towards good causes such as the Academy, the kop toilets and even players’ wages. The size of fan base enjoyed by Sheffield Wednesday should bring advantage to the club in such situations – there is no good reason why the club should turn away free money in favour of additional debt or going without.
CommunicationEffective communication of our core values, our policies and our activities is absolutely key if we are to retain existing members and enthuse and gain new members. We produce and distribute a printed newsletter every two months throughout the season for members and subsequent hand-out to fans generally outside Hillsborough on match days. Our web site will be updated on a much more regular basis than hitherto and we plan to have greater inter-active capability including new membership and membership renewal facility, away coach booking service and much more. We also need to make it easier for members and non-members alike to get in touch with us.
Marketing and PRWEDNESDAYITE has not always received a fair press in the local media but this is changing for the better over recent months and we intend to maintain and build upon this momentum. Our core values and objectives centre around the furtherance of the club’s on-field progress and the part that the fans can play in helping achieve this. All of our fund raising efforts ultimately benefit the club whether directly (for example through Smile Tickets and direct donations) or indirectly through the SWFC community (such as sponsoring SWFC Ladies).
The very size of the fan base enjoyed by Sheffield Wednesday should in itself bring financial advantage to the club and even more so if that fan base is capable of mobilising to generate further funds over and above that which it spends on official club products and services. With everybody pulling in the same direction, it is our belief that the fans can get a real momentum going both on and off the pitch.
In addition to promoting the club’s own products and services, WEDNESDAYITE will develop its own income streams to further its aims of greater fan involvement and enjoyment in supporting the club. WEDNESDAYITE had already commenced a thorough review of its patrons and the role(s) which they can play to assist in achieving our objectives. We hope that the appointment of a recognised SWFC personality will lend credibility to our cause, attract new members and assist in our fund raising efforts.
The very size of the fan base enjoyed by Sheffield Wednesday should in itself bring financial advantage to the club and even more so if that fan base is capable of mobilising to generate further funds over and above that which it spends on official club products and services. With everybody pulling in the same direction, it is our belief that the fans can get a real momentum going both on and off the pitch.
In addition to promoting the club’s own products and services, WEDNESDAYITE will develop its own income streams to further its aims of greater fan involvement and enjoyment in supporting the club. WEDNESDAYITE had already commenced a thorough review of its patrons and the role(s) which they can play to assist in achieving our objectives. We hope that the appointment of a recognised SWFC personality will lend credibility to our cause, attract new members and assist in our fund raising efforts.
CommunityOur Wednesdayite community initiatives take the Sheffield Wednesday brand into the heart of the community. Smile tickets enable deserving children and adults to attend matches at Hillsborough where they might not otherwise be able to do so. And the club benefits from the full ticket income. The Primary Schools Coaching Scheme reaches literally thousands of the city’s youngsters at an age when football allegiances can be determined for life. And aside from promoting the use of sport – football in particular – as an integral part of a healthy lifestyle, who knows we may even uncover the next David Hirst!
WEDNESDAYITE will continue to champion the cause for all SWFC fans to be able to attend home matches, presenting ideas and initiatives to the club to attract all identified fan concessionary groups, i.e. families, university students, OAP’s, children and those on social benefits. We will continue to play an active part in the Owls Against Racism (OAR) Steering Group and provide practical support, wherever possible, to the aims of Sheffield Owls Disabled Association (SODA).
WEDNESDAYITE will continue to champion the cause for all SWFC fans to be able to attend home matches, presenting ideas and initiatives to the club to attract all identified fan concessionary groups, i.e. families, university students, OAP’s, children and those on social benefits. We will continue to play an active part in the Owls Against Racism (OAR) Steering Group and provide practical support, wherever possible, to the aims of Sheffield Owls Disabled Association (SODA).
FundraisingWe need to be able to raise a healthy level of funding to be able to fund all of our activities. Our community initiatives all rely on a regular source of funding and if we are to help the club, then we need all the fans to do their bit. There are a number of ways we can all help - from organising or participating in sponsored events, through to collecting spare change in our tin cans. You can let us have your used ink cartridges or old mobile phones or support our activities through buying tickets to our events or raffles.
We really do need everyone to keep contributing as much as they are able and we are grateful for the donations we often receive from members - none of the money we receive is used for admin costs as we are all volunteers.
Through a range of new and dynamic ideas, opportunities and events we believe that once we have the support of the club's Board of Directors, we can increase enormously the levels of funds raised by a supporters organisation of a club with such a large and loyal fanbase.
Through our 4 funds - Squadbuilder, Shares, Facilities and Community we ensure that Individual members have the freedom to decide which areas and for which purpose they would like their funds to go.
Some Promises you can hold us toWe really do need everyone to keep contributing as much as they are able and we are grateful for the donations we often receive from members - none of the money we receive is used for admin costs as we are all volunteers.
Through a range of new and dynamic ideas, opportunities and events we believe that once we have the support of the club's Board of Directors, we can increase enormously the levels of funds raised by a supporters organisation of a club with such a large and loyal fanbase.
Through our 4 funds - Squadbuilder, Shares, Facilities and Community we ensure that Individual members have the freedom to decide which areas and for which purpose they would like their funds to go.
- As Directors of Wednesdayite we promise to be accountable to our members and transparent in our dealings. Our board minutes are published on the website for all to see and contact numbers or e-mail addresses of all Directors are made available so communication at all levels is not only possible but encouraged.
- As Directors of Wednesdayite,we promise to consult and communicate with our members through regular meetings on all matters relevant to Wednesdayite, our policies and our relationship with the Club.
- As Directors,we promise that on key issues Wednesdayite will always be run in a democratic fashion with the democratic vote both absolute and final.
- As Directors of Wednesdayite we promise to encourage the Club to take proper account of the interests of its supporters and of the community it serves in its decisions, so protecting the Club for future generations.
- As Directors, we aim to encourage and promote the passion and enjoyment of being a Wednesdayite through encouraging inclusivity. It’s high time that the club spirit, that sense of belonging, the sense of being valued returned and is once again experienced by the massed ranks of loyal supporters.
