AGM Message from the Club President

President Statement - Solihull Arden Club AGM 31-3-25.

Before we proceed with the scheduled business of the AGM, I am taking the unprecedented step of making a formal statement to the meeting in my capacity of Club President, the statement will also be sent out to all club members after the meeting to ensure that every club member has
received it.

Those of you that have been keeping in touch via members newsletters, bulletins or attended the members development plans briefing held on 26th November 24, you will know that we have achieved a great deal
during 2024 and in fact since the end of the pandemic in 2022.

During this period the club has gone from strength to strength under the superb stewardship of our General Manager Mark Carroll and his team. Whilst I have no intention of going into detail as this will be covered
more fully in both the Chairman's and General Managers report shortly, it is however important to remind ourselves just how far we have come in such a short time and what amazing and remarkable progress the club
has made, so here is a short and not exhaustive summary to be proud of:

* Membership growth from 599 to an astonishing 1860 members resulting in closure of new membership other than via a waiting list.

* Uplifting of squash courts, bar, toilets, reception, studio/function room

* Refurbished gym and equipment

* Direct Debits up from £11k to over £40k per month

* New flood lights on courts 4 – 7 and re-surfaced all 3 Padel courts

* New security access control system introduced for the first time to stop historic facility abuse.

As we look ahead to this year and beyond it is our firm intention not to just consolidate the progress we have made but take this club even further on its journey to being not only the premier club in Solihull but one of the most highly regarded clubs in the UK with facilities to match and which our members can feel proud to say, “I am a member of Solihull Arden Club”. So, again here is a brief summary of the plans and ambitions that lie ahead:

* New Car Park layout increasing parking by over 50%

* Re-surfacing of Tennis Courts

* Sauna & Steam room reconfigurations

* 4th Padel Court

* Squash court additions to enlarge existing provision.

I hope that you will agree that much has been achieved over the last 2 + years which are without doubt a huge cause for celebration and that you are as excited as I am about the plans and ambitions that lie ahead of us
awaiting to be realised. Of course, and as promised we will hold more development plan briefings as the plans take shape and it makes sense to brief you, take your comments and answer any questions that are
relevant.

Needless to say, in order that this superb progress can continue, the club will need the full support and enthusiasm of its members, after all this is our club and every one of us all need to play our part in helping to ensure that this wonderful journey that we are all on will continue and meet our aspirations.

It is with these huge transformational successes in mind that I have to inform you that over the last 12 months a very small number of members have made this progress much more difficult than should have been the case by acting in an aggressive and malevolent way towards our General Manager and some of his staff in particular and on occasions other members of the club’s Management Team. Of course, such behaviour is
frankly reprehensible and unwelcome at any time, but even more so at a time when our club has and is still achieving so very much for the benefit of all concerned at Solihull Arden Club, in fact reaching its best ever position since the inception of the club, including, numerous improvements and developments, strong financial security, a full membership and a balance sheet that we can all be so proud of.

Solihull Arden Club always has and always will welcome suggestions and constructive criticism to help us continually improve.
I know that the vast, vast majority of our membership are thrilled and delighted that the club is doing so fantastically well and like me will be alarmed and upset to learn that despite some of these individuals having left the club due to fully merited disciplinary action, it appears that a tiny number of individuals persist and are still behaving in an unacceptable, aggressive and threatening way to Members of our staff and the MC.

In my pre-Christmas letter to members, I directly appealed to these few remaining individuals as we approached 2025, to cease this behaviour and like the vast majority of members, support the club in a positive
and friendly manner as the vast majority of members have and still do.
It is with great personal sadness that my appeal has not been acted upon by these tiny few. Therefore, I now want to make a formal and final appeal to these individuals who know who they are to stop this
unwelcome and destructive behaviour with immediate effect, and more positively put their efforts into supporting the club in a positive and friendly manner as 99.9% of our members already do so.

It is difficult to understand why these individuals have been and still in some cases still are behaving in such an outrageous way. Or to comprehend what it is that motivates them to act so appallingly, causing
disharmony, unrest and ill feeling. The club has made many changes over the last 2+ years all designed to ensure that we not only keep ahead of
the competition (all of whom are struggling) but importantly to continue forward to cement our goal of being without question the best racquets in club in the south midlands in everything we do, including assured
sustainability and growth.

Its directly because of these successful changes and direction of travel, we can now continue to develop, enhance, maintain without hesitation.
The days when we were unable to afford the replacement of rotting window frames, aging furniture. aging and unfit for purpose lighting and playing surfaces is at last behind us. Even the stuff you never see has
dramatically improved particularly our compliance with all statutory requirements almost certainly for the first time ever.

So, I say directly now to these few individuals, if you are unable to find it within you to cease this behaviour and behave a reasonable and supportive to the club, Management Team, staff and fellow members I suggest you may wish to consider if Solihull Arden Club is the right club for you!!

In closing, I want to make it clear that any further behaviour of this nature will be deemed unacceptable to the club and as such will be regarded and dealt with as a serious misdemeanour.

Yours sincerely,

Richard Dumbleton Club President