Club Secretary Lola Armitstead joined Crook YFC in Cumbria when she was 10 years old and after 10 years in the club, she wanted to give back to its 46 members after all she had achieved.
As Club Secretary, I have been tasked with many different responsibilities however the main ones have been keeping up to date with emails, writing agendas for meetings, keeping the club informed of upcoming events/meetings and liaising with parents.
Throughout my year as Secretary, I have always made sure that I keep some time at the weekend free to catch up on emails/paperwork etc.
If there have been any points where I’ve been struggling as there has been so much on, it’s been great to work with our Chair who has lent a helping hand when it was needed as well.
Club Secretary has definitely helped with my organisation and time management. There are lots of different deadlines to work to throughout the year which means I’ve been much more organised and kept on top of what’s happening that month.
Our club is made up of a mixture of juniors, inters and seniors who meet most Tuesdays at our local village hall.
At the start of each year, we host a ‘New Members' Roadshow’ which is an opportunity for anyone interested in joining YFC to come along and meet the current members whilst enjoying some games and ice-breaker challenges.
We also like to attend lots of community events throughout the year to help spread the word about our club.
Our club has a designated Programme Secretary, who oversees planning the meetings, booking the venues and liaising with guest speakers.
One of our best meetings this year has been a visit to Lakes Laser Tag. All our members absolutely loved this visit and it was a great opportunity to work as a team.
When I first took on the role, the admin side was quite overwhelming, especially whilst doing everything alongside a full-time job. With the support of my committee it became much more manageable and I was able to rely on them for help if I needed it.
Enjoy it while you’re in role! Our club only has a short while until our AGM where we will all be passing on our roles to other members.
Being Club Secretary has brought so many new opportunities and experiences and I’d 100% recommend taking them on if they are thrown your way as they have been some of the most memorable moments of my time in YFC!
Some points of the year may seem challenging but if you communicate with your committee, they are there to help and will support you with any issues along the way.
If you would like to be featured in NFYFC's club officer check in, email media@nfyfc.org.uk. Find more information and guidance for club officers in the YFC Handbook.
