The ‘Warriors Trust' is registered with the
Financial Services Agency as a not-for-profit Industrial and Provident Society.
It 
is a democratic organisation based on one vote per person, and its committee
is elected every year by the members. Its aims are to:
-
Become a major shareholder in
the club through the acquisition of shares, thus ensuring that no individual(s)
can wrest the control of the club away from its supporters;
-
When necessary, obtain proxies from
shareholders to vote at a club AGM against any motions not in the interest of
the supporters;
-
Have a democratically-elected representative on
the Stenhousemuir FC Board to relay supporter's ideas and wishes;
-
To work with the Board and
Supporters Club to develop a more successful football club.
The annual membership subscription is £5 but
Trust members who so wished can take out either a ‘silver' membership of £5 a
month, or a ‘gold' membership of £10 a month. This gold/ silver type of
membership is entirely voluntary, but any money collected will be used to buy
shares the football club has for sale, and hence the club will directly benefit
financially e.g. the covering of the terracing.
Contact Details
To contact the Trust please contact
Don Wallace at:
Warriors Trust
Ochilview Park
Stenhousemuir
Scotland, FK5 4QL
Tel - 01324 557233
Email - billwhyte@blueyonder.co.uk
The Committee
| Chairman: |
Bill Whyte |
|
|
| Secretary: |
Don Wallace |
|
|
| Treasurer: |
Jenny Hutchison |
|
|
| Committee Members: |
Jim Bell |
|
John Duffy |
|
John Laing |
|
Harry Larkin |
|
Pat Reid |
|
Colin Richardson |
|
Donald Smillie |
Membership Form
Download a copy of the membership form :
A Guide to the Warriors Trust
The history of the
Warriors stretches back 120 years. Throughout that period there have
been highs and lows, but there has always been a club. A supporters'
trust cannot guarantee greater success but works to ensure the club
continues for the benefit of the community and the next generation of
fans. The Trust seeks to safeguard the club's long term future.
Over the few years
Supporters' Trusts have been formed in most Scottish and English
Clubs. Some of these have been in response to a financial crisis at
their clubs, where the very existence of the club has been at stake,
but others have been set up to help ensure that the club remains
democratic and community-run. Most of these organisations have been
formed with the assistance of a public funded body - 'Supporters'
Direct in Scotland ' - set up to support the creation and continuance
of these grass roots societies.
It is generally
accepted that Stenhousemuir FC has a strong community emphasis, with a
Board from the community. However, since the Stenhousemuir FC has been
placed on share basis, it is easy to see how a few determined
individuals could rest this structure away. A Supporters Trust works
to ensure that this does not occur.
A Supporters' Trust is
an organization formed by fans to strengthen the bonds between the
club and the community, and to represent the interests of the
community in the running of the club. It is a non-profit making
Industrial & Provident Society and is answerable in law, thereby
ensuring it is run in a legally responsible manner. For legal reasons
it is called the Warriors Sport Society, but we all know it as the
Warriors Trust. It already holds shares in the club donated by
shareholders, and will work to becoming the major shareholder. It can
also hold shareholder's proxies for the AGM of the club, should any
motion be proposed that is against the benefit of the fans and
community.
Although the trust is
independent of the Supporters Club we work together with their Chair
on our committee. There is also no conflict with the Board, and they
see it as a safeguard to their activities and endorse the setting up
of a Trust. It was the Board who proposed at the AGM a change in the
club's rules of association so that shareholders can directly transfer
shares to the Trust.
The Trust will be owned
and run by YOU, the members. Each person has one vote and they elect a
Board to manage the Trusts affairs. Important decisions are taken at
General Meetings where every member has a single vote regardless of
how much they have given to the Trust. Any member can stand for
election to the Society Board at the AGM.
Every Trust has a set
of rules that it must follow and will be under the guidance off the
Government sponsored body ‘Supporters Direct in Scotland '. The
rules make it clear that the Trust must be run for the benefit of the
community and that no individual can outvote any other. Nobody is
paid, or receives expenses, from Trust funds.
A £5 annual fee will
be charged for joining the trust, but supporters can also subscribe
either £5 or £10 a month to purchase shares and help the football
club.
By joining the Trust
you'll show that you agree that the Warriors future needs to be
safeguarded and believe that supporters can play a responsible role in
the running of the club. You'll show that you believe that the club is
an important asset that should be run for the benefit of the
community. You will jointly own shares in the club and your financial
contribution will be used to buy shares and benefit the club e.g. in
the building of the terracing. Like over 100 sets of supporters
throughout the UK , you'll be agreeing that collectively we can ensure
that the club is run democratically.
