The BWFCST board would like update its members on various issues and to seek members’ feedback on current matters at the club.

Legends Game

Members are informed that the Supporters’ Trust have now received final settlement of accounts from BWCT (who administered the finances of game) for the receipts generated by the recent Legends Game. It was a very successful fundraiser, proceeds being shared on a 50/50 basis with the BWCT, and proved to be a pleasant distraction to the traumatic events of last season. Our thanks go out to all those involved in the organization of the event, both leading up to the game and on the day itself. Far too many to mention, but you all know who you are!

The welcome revenue from the game and the evening event (in the region of £40k each for the BWCT and the Supporters’ Trust) has given the Trust a firm financial footing and an ability to meet ordinary ongoing expenses like printing, postage and contribution to the Memorial Wall, whilst allowing a development fund to be established.

Members Packs

These will be available for distribution during the next couple of weeks along with membership cards. We are currently awaiting delivery of the membership cards from the printers and they will be sent out to members as soon as we are in receipt and can process.

BWFCST App

The BWFCST app is an ongoing project, but can now be used by app users to obtain various benefits at local retail and food outlets. New offers are about to be added and will be updated and added to on a regular basis. You can download the app here for iOS and here for Android if you haven’t already done so.

AGM
We are awaiting confirmation from Dean Holdsworth that he will be our special guest at the first AGM on 29 September 2016. All members are welcome and you can join on the night. The meeting will be held in the Platinum Suite (West Stand) and you should register for your free ticket here, as numbers will be limited to 400.

Bolton Arena
We are pleased to announce a trial partnership with the Bolton Arena in respect of a new pre-match venue. A room will be available in the Arena for Trust members to meet and have a drink before the match. Entry will be available free of charge to Supporters’ Trust members, with a charge of £1 to non-members accompanied by a member.
We are currently finalising arrangements with the Arena management and together we hope to provide the facility in an attempt to fill some of the void left by the suspension of the Fanzone in the Premier Suite. We will confirm the date of the first scheduled match day when arrangements are finalised.
We would also confirm that entry to the Whites Hotel Pure Bar for match day ticket holders is still available and that our proposed arrangement with the Arena has the full agreement of the Whites Hotel management.

Transfer Window Activity
On behalf of the BWFCST, we would like to welcome the new recruits to the club and congratulate the new management on their efforts to strengthen the squad. In face of the continuing restrictions imposed by the ongoing Football League transfer embargoes, the Supporters’ Trust believe the recruitment efforts of the management have been impressive. However, we hope that the removal of the embargoes and the underlining reasons for their existence remains a priority for the club’s owners in their efforts to restore stability.

Whilst it is unfortunate that we didn’t get to see Kayne Woolery’s potential fulfilled, the Supporters’ Trust would like to wish him all the best in the next stage of his career.

In respect of the other players who have been loaned out, we hope they will benefit from some increased first team game time and subsequently return as better players for their experiences.

Whilst the season has really only just started, the results to date have been very positive and congratulations must go to Phil Parkinson and his team. We are sure the quality of Phil’s recruits will benefit the club and the squad now appears to have more experience on which to call. We should also wish our long-term injured players a speedy recovery and look forward to seeing them back in action as soon as possible.

BWDSA

We have recently opened up a dialogue with the club’s Disabled Supporters Association with a view to developing a partnership along the lines of those we currently have with the BWDA and the BWCT. One of the items on the immediate agenda is to establish a BWDSA page on our website in order to raise awareness of the organization.

Football Supporters Federation (FSF)

We are in contact with the Football Supporters Federation (www.fsf.org.uk) and discussing the BWFCST joining the FSF as an affiliate member. The FSF is currently engaged in several campaigns and we feel that, as a Supporters’ Trust with over 2,500 members, we could make a meaningful contribution.

Current FSF campaigns include Away Fans Matter, Safe Standing Campaign, Fans For Diversity and 20s Plenty. We will keep members informed of progress.

Ongoing Dialogue

The Supporters’ Trust has maintained a position in its dealings with the club that the dialogue and transparency requested earlier in the year should be developed in order to establish a mutual trust between the club and the fans. To this end, we have been maintaining an open dialogue with the owners and as part of this process, three of the Trust board members were invited to the recent Everton Checkatrade Trophy game as guests of Dean Holdsworth.

We also met with Paul Aldridge and John Pelling at the game and lines of communication are open, cordial and continue to be developed.

Feedback

We look forward to seeing as many members as possible at the upcoming AGM, but we would also welcome any feedback in the interim. Please address any queries or comments you may have in the first instance to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and we will make sure your communication is directed to the most appropriate member of the board who will respond as quickly as possible.