GFTU BGCM 2019 Minutes

achieving as well as the implementation of conference revolutions (sic)--

Resolutions. That was Freudian, but, hey, if it works, I am in favour of it! We

have ongoing aims of further increasing our affiliation to the federation,

increasing participation of young people in the governance of the GFTU,

basically increasing participation of young people in the governance of the

wider trade union movement, maximising the use of our home and

headquarters, Quorn Grange, to assist in sustaining the long term financial

sustainability of the GFTU and the Educational Trust. With the Quorn Grange

expansion and new build close to completion, these aims, though challenging,

are now achievable, but we need the full support of you, our affiliates, including

buy in to Win:Win and the full range of GFTU services which as well as saving

affiliates money will hopefully provide a little surplus to reinvest in the provision

of more free services and education.

In recognition of our duty to deliver on these aims, I am reminded of a story

from John Barnes. John Barnes, as well as being one of our most famous and

talented black footballers, is an incredibly insightful and interesting human

being and if you get the chance to listen he has got a podcast on Spotify talking

about all things football, race, culture. Have a listen to it. He is going to be

encouraged and I am going to encourage him to do more of these, because he

really speaks in a way that people listen and he will get young people to listen.

John told a story in which he was saying that the culture at Liverpool Football

Club when he played there was that they did not coach. They got competent,

experienced, committed people in and said, “This is us, this is our team. You

enter this team” and they did not coach them. What they did is they trained

them. There is a difference. Coaching tends to be a little bit kind of directed.

One of their new signings asked, “What do you want me to do?” and he was

told in no uncertain terms, “We signed you. You have got the authority to make

the right decisions for the good of the team, the good of the club and no one

from the sidelines when you are out there operationally will tell you the right

thing to do, but”, he added, “when you come off the pitch we’ll bloody well tell

you what you did wrong, okay?” (Laughter) Rather like that Liverpool coach,

we expect you to hold us to account in two years’ time for the things we have

done, the things we have not done and the decisions we have made.

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