From the FORAS Steering Committee ...

FORAS New Year Message
Looking forward to 2009, Notice of General Meeting

The steering committee at FORAS would like to wish all members a happy new year.

FORAS has been in existence for less than five months and 2008 was a baptism of fire. In the early part of the year considerable energy and time was spent securing trust status with a view to launching in September, where the focus was to be on building membership. These plans were thrown into disarray when the Arkaga Organisation chose to discontinue their funding of the club resulting in the existence of Cork City Football Club being placed under severe threat. The launch date was immediately brought forward and FORAS was centre stage in the fight for the club’s survival.

During this period FORAS played a key role - being the first independent voice of support to the Examiner and supporting him in putting forward the case for the club to the High Court. FORAS gained national publicity, huge support and engaged in fund raising to ensure that the club could come through the Examinership process. Following the takeover by Tom Coughlan in November the trust entered into discussions with the new owner with a view to establishing the long term plans of the club and establishing a mechanism for supporter input.

It is important to stress that FORAS remains independent of Cork City FC. While we work with the club in order to achieve our common objectives we are conscious that our ultimate responsibility is to those supporters who are members of FORAS. FORAS will advise, support and challenge when required on behalf of its members and ensure that our members concerns and the trust’s objectives are highlighted. To this end the trust was established as a legally based co operative governed by society rules registered with the Registrar of Friendly Societies and bound by Irish Company law.

Our legal status ensures for example that requests for funding from Cork City FC in the future must firstly be in accordance with the objectives of the trust and then is in accordance with agreement by a majority of members in a general meeting.

To date the trust has 240 members and has raised FORAS has raised approximately €60,000 so far with a further €15,000 committed through monthly membership for the coming year, we also intend to aggressively fundraise in 2009. We would at this stage like to reiterate our profound thanks to all those who contributed either by donating money or taking part in the many fund raising events that were organised at that time. There are many stories of sacrifice for the club including those by our magnificent players, staff and supporters that have been well documented. We have been overwhelmed by the generosity of and the passion shown by so many Cork City supporters through the Examinership process and beyond.

In looking forward to 2009 we hope for a more stable season than the previous one. It will be a very significant year for FORAS. The trust has to date been established and governed by seven volunteers who make up the steering committee. We need more involvement and help. We need people to help with administration, publicity and fund raising. We need people with ideas and the commitment to implement them.

It is also time to put FORAS on a proper democratic footing and to bring new people into the organisation in order to harness the skills and commitment available (a key aim of the trust). To this end the Inaugural General Meeting of FORAS is provisionally scheduled for the afternoon of Sunday 8th February 2009 in the Kingsley Hotel, Cork. This will be a very important meeting where decisions will be made on issues such as the composition of the management committee and confirmation of the rules of operation. It will also provide an opportunity for the steering committee to outline in detail the activities to date including the Examinership process and provide members with an opportunity to question and debate the way forward and how we as supporters can play our role in ensuring that we never again experience the trauma of 2008.

Members attending the meeting will also receive their membership pack including FORAS share certificate and other goodies. Full details of this meeting will be posted to members at their supplied home address shortly, please notify us immediately if you have moved since you submitted your membership form. The steering committee would stress at this stage the need for participation and is asking members to consider what role they can play in the active development of FORAS.

We would also ask you to encourage supporters who have not yet joined FORAS to do so, so that they can play their role in the development of the trust (membership costs less than €5 per week). We are less than five months in existence but we have made remarkable strides in this period of time- we need to strengthen the structure of FORAS to play our part and to keep our focus on the long-term survival of the club – we need more members. For anybody considering membership (or who has any questions) FORAS will host an open day following the AGM, in addition if you (or a non-member) have any questions regarding FORAS please contact us directly using the contact details on the letter header.

Regards,
FORAS Steering Committee
Kevin Lynch, Sonya O’Neill, Paul Hartnett, Kevin McCarthy, Jonathan O’Brien, Cathal O’Driscoll, John O’Sullivan