Report to the Members of Richmond and Coal River Valley Promotions Inc

10 May 2020

Since the 1st July 2015, your Promotions Group committee has been working hard and smart to promote our glorious Village and the Valley.

Amy from the Richmond Online Access Centre has been producing the member newsletter to keep you up to date with news and activities of members, showcasing individual businesses and  helpful business tips. She has redesigned and launched our website, including links to all member businesses and other complementary organisations, and lifted our monthly site visits into the thousands from all over Australia and the world. We thank her for this great work and enthusiasm but we are sad to say goodbye as she moves to a new position elsewhere in the state. Thanks Amy and good luck.

Our accounting has been totally reorganised by Treasurer Maria, to the complete satisfaction of the auditor, and the committee is kept informed with reconciled monthly results allowing tight management of the financial health of the group.

Secretary and Member Officer Peta is doing a sterling job keeping the minutes of every monthly committee meeting, communicating with Council and members, paying regular visits and delivering Richmond brochures to members.

Simone is assisting with events, the long table dinner, Christmas decorations, and will take on the management of our website in Amy’s absence.

Suzie is representing us on the Richmond Advisory Committee.

Margaret is keeping communication open with local, State and Federal Government, Destination Southern Tasmania, and is applying for tourism grants when appropriate. She is organising a questionnaire of members to find out what ideas members may have for Richmond and our business community.

Mike is sharing his marketing experience, taking advantage of all free promotion opportunities, promoting us to the ABC and commercial community channels wherever possible, and has organised our advertising at the State Cinema for 12 months. He is coordinating a Richmond sleep out fundraiser and Christmas in July for 2017 to raise funds for Richmond charities and St Vincent de Paul. Mike has given guidance for our upcoming TV commercial to run in the off-season, drawing more visitors to Village and Valley businesses.

The Richmond Market is being very well managed by Luisa, averaging 30 stalls in summer and 20 in winter months. The seven volunteer managers are doing a great job making sure customers and stallholders are safe and happy. The support from locals is very encouraging, as many now meet and enjoy local produce and unique artisan products, giving stallholders the opportunity to start and grow their businesses. The Market has fostered four stallholders into businesses who now operate in the village full-time. The Market has generated an income of $24,000, which has covered market expenses and provided the Promotions Group with $9,000 to pay for Richmond Village advertising on radio for a year, State Cinema advertising for the Village and Market, and part-funding for a Richmond Village TV commercial about to go to air. The Market has also raised $1000 through the community stall that will be donated in entirety to a local charity.

The Market has hosted events for the two local schools, including a photo competition, a Classic Motorcycle show and an independent Craft Show during the last year.

Your group has organised the Long Table event last November, generating almost $1000 of which $885 was donated to Oak Lodge for the replacement of the front fence. We have had two Member Social events with guest speakers, but had to cancel one last month owing to a poor take up of members. These events are for members and are held in different member businesses to showcase them to each other.

Council has again given us a grant to pay for 50% of the printing and distribution costs of our Richmond brochure, directing readers to member businesses. The brochures are made available at both airports, the Spirit terminal at Devonport, the east coast, peninsula, Hobart Visitor Centre and many more locations. 60,000 brochures will have been distributed before the end of this year.

As at the end of March 2016, the combined income of the Group is $47,026.80, with expenses of $43,032.87, leaving a net surplus of $3993.93 and 3 months still to go.

Membership income is only $8,846.60, showing the need to continue working hard on other activities. 

A full report will be available after the auditor has verified the figures at the AGM.

Your Promotions Group committee relies on volunteers from our membership to function and drive the initiatives that are yielding benefits for all of us. The committee is currently smaller than allowed for under our constitution, and more volunteers are needed. In particular, we welcome those with different ideas on the advancement of our local business community to step forward. There is a diversity of opinion within our business community that can be most effectively incorporated into Promotions Group activities through the Committee, but only if people volunteer on the Committee to give voice to those opinions. Please consider nominating for your Committee at our upcoming AGM. Temporary Committee positions in these last three months of the membership year are also available by contacting Peta or myself.

Thank you for your confidence and support of your elected committee.

John Pooley

President