Magpies’ fans set to launch a Trust

8:20am Saturday 18th October 2008

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DORCHESTER Town fans will have the opportunity to start their own supporters’ trust on Monday night.

The meeting, at the Colliton Club in Dorchester (7.30pm), sees the introduction of the supporters’ trust movement to the Magpies’ faithful with the help of guest speakers from the Supporters Direct organisation.

Volunteers will then be sought to help take the idea further with a formal launch hoped to be staged later in the year.

Dave Ring, who is leading the co-ordination of the trust, said: “The purpose of this meeting is to introduce the supporters’ trust movement to the fans of Dorchester Town Football Club. During the meeting we will ask those present to vote for the formation of a supporters’ trust.

“A positive vote will trigger the next steps in the process.

“Initially, we will be looking for a group of volunteers at the meeting to help form the steering group to take the supporters’ trust initiative forward.

“This would involve establishing the trust roles, debating our constitution, developing our strategy, initiating a membership drive, registering the trust as an Independent Provident Society (IPS) and registering the trust with the Financial Services Authority (FSA).”

Short-term aims of the trust include working alongside club officials to develop links between the Magpies and the local community, and to engage with club officials on all issues that affect the county town supporters.

The longer-term objectives involve electing a representative onto the Dorchester Town board, as well as raising funds to buy a shareholding in the club.

Also present at the meeting will be James Mathie from Supporters Direct, who assist fans with the formation of independent supporters’ trusts.

Ring added: “I would like to make it perfectly clear that the proposed Dorchester Town Supporters’ Trust will be a democratic, non-profit making organisation owned and controlled by the fans themselves.

“It will be open, accountable, affordable, actively inclusive and representative of all its members.”

Visit magpiestrust.co.uk for more details on the proposed supporters’ trust.