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The Engine Room of the Club

COMMITTED - DEDICATED - MOTIVATED

The committee at Ashton Bears is made up of volunteers that are always thinking about how they can improve the club. Working together to implement plans that are both strategic and costed, the role of the committee is solely to improve the playing experience for every player that joins out wonderful club. With the club growing year on year, it's a commitment that involves much work behind the scenes, but which we hope that all our members can see the work that is going on. Now is your chance to meet the committee, and the roles which they carry out within the club.

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Stephen Jones

Chairman

• Chair meetings and act as senior club officer throughout the year, by making decisions whenever the need arises, in consultation with other club officers when appropriate. • Attend meetings in a neutral and uncommitted capacity and enable the group to have a meaningful discussion with a neutral person in the chair. • Provide direction for the club by effective leadership and management. • Monitor and evaluate the progress of agreed actions – both short term and strategic. • Ensure that succession and forward planning are integral and ongoing in the club. • Constitute and resource any special working groups and ensure that their activities are reported to the Executive. • Manage other Club Officers to ensure the delivery of their responsibilities. • Ensure that the Club structure and responsibilities are transparent and available to the membership. • The Chairman must work in close liaison with the Club Secretary and Treasurer. • The Chairman must also set the agenda for meetings and ensure it is in line with the club, Branch and RFL policies. • Act as a mediator in the event that disagreements arise between particular committee members or sections. • Ensure that the safety statement is reviewed regularly and its operation monitored.
Our chairman lives, breathes and eats Ashton Bears. Always around the club or the Open Age fixtures, he wants nothing more than to offer the best experience that Rugby League players can have, while keeping costs to the players as low as possible, keeping the game open to those that can most benefit from being involved in the sport. Arker is responsible for for the ultimate achievement of the strategic ambitions of the club as well as the overall management of its operational activities.

Contact

07794 212535

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Mark Webster

Secretary

• Responsible for the day to day business and administration of the club. • Maintain records of all members and former members of the club. • Provide such club details as required by the RFL/Branch. • Manage and ensure action on club correspondence including legal and insurance matters. • Organise AGM, Executive Committee and club meetings. • Responsible for the accurate record keeping and circulation of the minutes from meetings. • Record and deal with disciplinary matters. • Ensure all relevant forms and publications are with the responsible club officers and make the system available to members. • Attend such meetings as required by the Executive Committee. • The Safety Statement is circulated to the appropriate personnel and that it is widely available in the club through notice boards, team managers, etc.
Mark has been at the club, firstly as a parent, then as a coach, for almost 10 years now. Dipping his toe in as Team manager, he quickly became the coach for his daughter's girl's U14s team, and took then through each age group, through to the new Open Age team in the women's section. Mark is also a member of our Masters team at Bears.

Contact

07795 101260

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Beth Hughes

Child Welfare Officer

• Act at all times in the best interests of Age Grade Players. • Be fully familiar with the provisions of the Code and Policy and with such further information and requirements as may be provided or put in place by the RFL. • Communicate with the appropriate Branch Child Welfare Officer considers it necessary to do so, or any matter in relation to Age Grade Players on which the advice or directions of the Rugby League are required. • Receive from the Branch Child Welfare Officer advise, information and directions from the RFL concerning Age Grade Players and act accordingly. • Inform their club of requirements made by the RFL concerning Age Grade Players. • Ensure that they are in a position to respond accurately and promptly to queries from the RFL as to the welfare of Age Grade Players in their club generally or in relation to any specific incident which may occur. • Be the contact person in the club for the Statutory Authorities regarding the welfare of Age Grade Players who are members of the club.
Having watched all of her 3 children come through Ashton Bears, and playing for the Women's Touch team as well, Beth has brought her experience in social care to providing for the welfare of our under 18s players. Beth implements the directions of the National and Branch Child Welfare Officers and to follow the policy for Age Grade Players of the RFL.

Contact

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Lisa McCulough

Community Liaison Officer

• Plan and co-ordinate the implementation of a programme of social events for the club and its supporters. • Work with local Super League teams to deliver community based incentives that promote both Rugby League and Ashton Bears. • Co-opt appropriately skilled volunteers to assist in the organisation/running of an event. • Encourage sponsorship to be brought into the club, enhancing the experiences the club can offer for its players. • Work with our partner brands to both promote Ashton Bears, and to improve the member experience e.g. club merchandising. • Motivate members to attend club events.
Lisa has been a stalwart at the club, becoming involved when her eldest son (now a successful member of the Open Age team) was merely a little nipper. Coming from a family steeped in rugby league heritage, she is always thinking about how she can improve things for Ashton Bears, and rugby league in general. Lisa is responsible for creating and implementing a cost effective social programme for the club, its players, members and supporters in order to enhance relationships.

Contact

07940 314911

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Wayne Haselden

Funding Manager

• Responsible for identifying sources of revenue for the club • Creating bids to apply for alternative funding streams • Liaising with local and national organisations responsible for community funding projects • Reporting the successful implementation of funding as required during the bid process
Wayne played at Ashton Bears as a junior, leaving to join Thatto Heath as his Bears team unfortunately folded. He went on to captain the Thatto U18s team to both league and cup wins, whilst playing alongside James Graham and Kevin Brown. Wayne played in both the Challenge Cup and the National Conference League for Thatto, before coming back to his rightful home at Bears, playing for the Open Age team. He has since move up to becoming the assistant coach and the team manager of the Open age since 2016.

Contact

07803 782717

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Kevin Haselden

Treasurer

• Responsible for the management of the club finances in accordance with the decisions of the executive committee. • Recommend action on financial matters to the committee. • Collect subscriptions and all money due to the club. • Pay bills on behalf of club and record the information. • Keep up to date records of all financial transactions. • Ensure all cash and cheques are promptly lodged to club’s account(s). • Ensure funds are spent properly. • Report regularly to the committee on the financial position of the club. • Prepare and present accounts for the end-of-year financial report and audit. • Financial planning including producing an annual budget and monitoring it throughout the year. • To help prepare and submit any statutory documents that are required (e.g. VAT returns, PAYE and tax returns). • Ensure club pays all affiliation and competition fees.
Kev is an ex-player at Ashton Bears, and also assistant coach and Team manager for our club's successful Under 8s team. Kev is the chief financial manager of the club; he maintains the integrity and accurate recording of the club’s financial position.

Contact

07785 328704

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John Stirrup

Player Secretary

• Keep the database of member’s names and address up to date. • Ensure all registration forms are completed on time. • Review and rearrange fixtures list as necessary.
John has been a coach at Bears for over 15 years now, and has moved from coaching junior rugby through to coach the senior A Team, which have just won the championship in the 2022 season. John also played for Ashton Bears at a younger age, and is an experienced committee member to provide guidance to the club.

Contact

07795 974051

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Kieron Spruce

Coach Co-Ordinator

Ensuring that all of the clubs coaches are aware of their responsibilities which are :- • Selecting and preparing the team for matches. • Planning and preparing for training sessions and activities. • Ensuring all players get equal opportunity to take part in all club/team activities. • Setting the right example for players on and off the field. • Educating players in the ethos of rugby (and Ashton Bears) and the values of being a true sportsman. • Be fair in the treatment of all players at all times. • Conforming to all club and/or RFL policies on young children in sport. • Attending coaching courses. • Ensuring all activities are safe and supervised at all times. • Specialist equipment such as tackle bags, tackle shields, agility poles etc are used only if there are qualified supervisors present, and equipment is respected and cleared away correctly. • Equipment needed for individual team's training is ordered and used correctly. • Medical kits are immediately available for both training and matches.
Kieron has been at Bears since day 1, playing for the very first junior team, and has been part of the set up every since; either playing for the Open Age team, or coaching through from cubs to the current U15s team, Kieron has been there, seen it, done it! As coach co-ordinator, Kieron has the difficult task of wrangling all of the coaches, at all levels, and ensuring that they conform to the club's high standards at all times.

Contact

07746 817340

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Richie Taylor

Volunteer Co-Ordinator

• Provide a focal point for volunteers and volunteering within the club. • Facilitate the recruitment, retention, recognition, and reward of volunteers within the club. • Determine each year the various tasks that are need for the club to operate efficiently and effectively and match volunteer skills and interests to those positions. • Ensure that new volunteers are welcomed appropriately and are clear on their role/ responsibilities including whom to approach if any difficulties are encountered. Each year arrange orientation and appropriate briefings for each volunteer. • Issue documentation that clearly sets out each volunteer’s role and commitments; make any adjustments as necessary. • Ensure individual volunteers are given appropriate support and guidance to maintain their enthusiasm. • Identify means of recognising and rewarding volunteers. • Attend club events, matches, and social evenings to promote and encourage new volunteers.
Archie is another member of the committee that is a long standing member of the club, having both played for them, and taken a team from cubs right through to U18s. Until recently Archie was our coach co-ordinator, but now as an integral member of the setup at Wigan Warriors, he has had to take a step back from the day-to-day involvement, now managing our volunteers and pitch allocations on a game day.

Contact

07786 866837

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