Help the Hatters Review of 2014

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2014 has been a challenging year for the Help the Hatters.
In 2013 we saw John Fitzpatrick and John Gaskin, stand for and win election to the Board of the Supporters Cooperative.


 
John Gaskin.

 Both continue to do a great job,John G is now the Coop Treasurer, whilst Fitzy,  continues to work tremendously hard in the interests of County fans, but has stepped back from Board activity. This does not mean that John G is the lone Help the Hatter on the Board, as long time workaholic Paul Charnock ( the Vicar) is a valued member of that elected body also.


 
The Vicar in action !

Help the Hatters have been as active in 2014 as they have in any year previously- that is to say very active!
Our focus has been on keeping our Club alive and ensuring that supporters have as big a say as possible in any future that the Club may have!


 
Team pic- WP 4
With this in mind we have held the usual pre-season Working Parties at Edgeley Park....cleaning.....tidying....painting....and much much more. In the pre-season Working Parties alone, Help the Hatters put in 677 person hours  in the cause of keeping E.P. looking like we want it to, and in the course of so doing help to save the Club! Thirty two Help the Hatters supporters turned out all told and are to be congratulated on a magnificent job well done!
 
Gate Crew- CB 3

A smaller number turned out for our Car Boot Sales at the Booth Street Car Park, but....organised superbly by Angela Moore, they made a major contribution to keeping us in good trim, raising a prodigious amount of money in the process! Brilliant stuff!



Help the Hatters, holding true to the `Stronger Together’ ethic, have made concerted efforts to consolidate contacts with the Supporters Cooperative, and in 2014, we have seen the organisations work ever closer together on issues directly affecting County supporters, and with noticeable success.



This cooperation has probably shown itself most noticeably  via  the  transformation that is taking place at the Bungalow ,where County supporters now have an embryonic  `supporters club house’ -thanks to the work of numerous Working Parties comprising of Coop and Help the Hatters members. The two organisations have cooperated brilliantly, in support of the Players Fund, ensuring that Saturday and Tuesday pre-match in the Bungalow is a warm & cheery experience for County fans, as well as one that raises valuable funds to aid  Alan Lord`s push for promotion. Absolutely typical of the spirit of those County fans joining the W,P`s, was the effort made by young Lewis Burns, who ,having committed to turning out, walked and ran from his home in Mossley to do his stint- a terrific example of just what young people can and will do if encouraged!
  

 
Lewis Burns with Fitzy.!
Numerous SCAN presentations have been staged, pre-match in the Bung, the latest being that of legend Steve Massey who popped in before the Colwyn Bay game to receive his SCAN certificate.






A second cheque for £5k was handed over for the Players Fund, also pre Colwyn Bay, by Help the Hatters. Nathan Woolfe received this on behalf of the Club.




Help the Hatters are proud to have facilitated this worthy supporters` initiative by providing a ring fenced bank account and solid back up organisation in the management of donations. " The aim is to ensure the survival of our wonderful Club, and the Players Fund is a magnificent start in that respect!" Help the Hatters Treasurer Mike Hopper  enthused.

In addition the Community Bonfire was a great success, possibly the first of many, and there may still be the chance of a Band Night featuring a top line group, but keep an eye on the Updates in this respect!




We have tried to keep our supporters updated as to what is happening around the Club, and have sent out over 50 Updates  which we hope have been of interest. In addition the hedgegrower blog continues to support Help the Hatters generating income via the ads on same .Please keep reading the blog which is nearing 200000 hits now after only 18 months life, averaging 3500 a week!

Unfortunately  there was sad news to take in also in 2014, as the blog and Help the Hatters lost  an author and valued supporter when Pauline Coddington died late in the year- Pauline will be missed!

This has not been intended as a comprehensive account of everything Help the Hatters have done in 2014.....merely a brief sketch of some of the stuff we got up to.

If you would like to be added to the Help the Hatters mailing list please let me know.



Oh......and Finally...........County supporter John in Oz , has again sent us a couple of Xmas type pics....another home made tree , and a beach scene.....

Xmas Tree ( made of flip flops again!)

 Xmas View from John`s place......


Happy 2015, to you all, when it arrives! 

Ian Brown        

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