Beveree Chat

This went on the club site last night....

On Sunday 3 September, The Bev will be open to season ticket holders, Hampton & Richmond youth teams and the local community
The club will be open to fans from 11AM to 1PM, allowing the community to meet the manager and his squad, and get involved in our groundbreaking Movember fundraising campaign!

For the first time, fans will take part in the official squad photo, as we launch our partnership with Movember.
The club shop will be open for fans to purchase this seasons Red, White or Blue replica shirt!
Food and beverages will be also be available throughout the day via village grill and the club bars. The club will be recruiting for volunteers for the upcoming season, with a wide range of roles and hours available, from matchday shifts to midweek hours. Come along to find out more!
Space for non season ticket holders and youth teams are limited to 100 tickets. Fans can look to arrive on the day, but are encouraged to secure their space by clicking HERE
secure your space by clicking HERE
Fans can renew Season Tickets by clicking HERE
Fans can purchase new season tickets by clicking HERE

I'm sure I remember we had Open Days in the past, didn't ask for people to sign up for tickets though.

However, I see that there is an appeal for volunteers (!) with a wide range of roles on match day or during the week. Would that include any of the volunteers who were replaced or felt themselves undervalued, or an annoyance and were replaced by the club paying members of the Academy to carry out those roles, particularly on a matchday? Has someone in charge of the club had 'an epiphany moment on the road to Damascus' and woken up to the fact that, at this level, volunteers are the bedrock of a non-league club and are neccessary to make a club sustainable.

Oh if only they hadn’t shat on everyone last season!!
I’m sure the majority would still be there including myself

Would probably help if they listed what they wanted help with! Rather than just ‘a wide range of roles’.

Wow. What a turnaround...such irony.

They never said that they didn’t want volunteers, just that they wanted people who add value to the club and then that led to people leaving. Hasn’t really been a U-turn at all.

Tried to reserve tickets, not possible apparently. Not working. May just rock up with Lesley and see what's what.

Can’t make it, have ordered my season ticket and need to get it for 5\9. Assuming It can be picked up at that game?

BevereeMaster wrote: ↑Fri Aug 25, 2023 10:48 am They never said that they didn’t want volunteers, just that they wanted people who add value to the club and then that led to people leaving. Hasn’t really been a U-turn at all.

"Add value to the club" is a strange turn of phrase. What do you take that to mean, BevereeMaster? Surely, the previous volunteers added value simply by being volunteers.

I'd have been really upset if I'd been volunteering and it was inferred that I hadn't added some value...

Only 100 "tickets" availed to an "open day"

Selling new replica shirts, and no doubt the bar will be open, surely the more the merrier and make some much needed ££££ when there has been no home games.


Regarding the volunteers, trying, trying to give the new regime a bit of a go on this, I can understand if it's seen as long term volunteers being given direction to complete certain tasks or have someone setting a plan rather than just people turning up and doing what they feel like doing, but it's how you handle it.
Why not have had a get together or the existing volunteers, and say they are very much valued and have done amazing service, but maybe want to run more professionally etc. It's about man management really.

There will be roles lots of us don't even know go on. Why not work it as those long term volunteers becoming "mentors", show what they do, what tasks get done, but a guide down on paper to help know exactly what tasks need to be done.

I still deep down think the new owners have good intentions, but have just not handled it well to start with coming from a professional background.
Take off the fancy suits, get in the bar, be open to conversation, and show a bit of humility.

But trying to slip through name changes, club badge changes etc is suicidal to get on side with the existing fan base.

Stef & Raf, if you read this, it isn't too late to make things right, just be approachable and understand the fan base at what a local non league club is about. Most of us know things can be improved in certain ways, but need to work together.

Jamie, you make some very good points though I do wonder how easy it will be to build back the trust lost after so many volunteers decided to leave last season. The obvious value added from volunteers is that you don't have to pay them (I know some did get some level of payment) and that they are strongly dedicated to the club ethos and can become great ambassadors for the club. The trouble is when you start having to pay people to do the volunteer roles then anyone else who is an unpaid is bound to ask why they are not receiving some form of payment. You just ratchet up the cost base. The downside of volunteers as you have rightly pointed out is that they sometimes only want to do the things they want to do and you can't treat them as if they are your employee. This is where you it could be useful to have a volunteer policy which sets out the expectations of both club and volunteer so that there is a clear framework to manage the more difficult issues. But as you say it is down to good management of people and getting them to share the same vision and making them feel valued for their effort whether they are employees or volunteers.

Add Value? I didn’t realise that for thirty plus years I was supposed to add value, I thought as a lover of the club and volunteering not only at games but during the week and definitely during the closed season I was putting something towards the club, I’m sorry I didn’t have that odd £200,00 in my back pocket!
It’s sad, but I won’t be having a season ticket for the first time in years. Obviously not wanted. Might see you at the occasional game.