April Smith Made Redundant

[Mr Browns Ghost]

In all seriousness these are the life blood of the club and exactly the kind of people that shouldn’t be made redundant .. I would hope there is a swift turn around here … the club are seriously backing the wrong horse if this is their quest to break even … a huge loss and an underserved loss …

I assume we will be setting up a. Go fund me page for her ? We’ve done one for everyone else this season ?

 

[Yer Blues]

Weird given Mr Lockett was so keen to extol the virtues of Southend in the community at the meet the consortium night.

 

[Crowstone Crevette]

I wonder if Justin etc., is aware?

 

[Holy Joe]

Weird given Mr Lockett was so keen to extol the virtues of Southend in the community at the meet the consortium night.

He also seemed rather proud that it's the best community group no one has heard of - odd boast given his involvement

 

[OldBlueLady]

I wonder if Justin etc., is aware?

Yes, he is.

 

[Supershrimper]

How they can make redundant the most recognised member of the community and educational trust (aside from Gary Lockett, and Michael Markscheffel) I dont know.

Looking through the team I don't think I'd recognise Dale or the rest of them if they literally bumped into me.

Our Team - SUFC Community & Educational Trust

window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; function gtag(){dataLayer.push(arguments);} gtag('js', new Date()); gtag('config', 'UA-114833825-1');

www.sufccommunity.co.uk

Says a lot about the organisation when they decide to make redundant the Matchday and Community Liasion Officer from a Community organisation.

As the saying goes as one door closes another opens.

 

[Strykr]

What a load of bollocks.

Flies in the face of everything we are trying to become.

Im sure justin will step in and rectify this.

 

[Fitz]

Only met April once when my son was mascot at the Oldham game at the start of the season. She was lovely and clearly very passionate about her job and the club. I am sure there is more to this, as doesn't make any sense, but hope the club does the right thing and the consortium step in

 

[fbm]

Awful decision obviously, but no-one on here knows the rationale behind it and Trusts are covered by different rules and laws to companies. It is not the same.

Any objection or objection must be dealt with professionally and not personally, as I'm sure that having to make a decision like this would have been extremely difficult. From a legal point of view, there may even have been no choice (I don't know and have no inside knowledge, but am just saying).

 

[Realist]

I’m aware he reads this forums. I don’t think anyone should be insulting him and using ice insults. It won’t help April in anyway tbh. If everyone is going to be nasty towards him I doubt he will change his mind especially if he is still around when the new owners are on board.

 

[Mick]

Awful decision obviously, but no-one on here knows the rationale behind it and Trusts are covered by different rules and laws to companies. It is not the same.

Any objection or objection must be dealt with professionally and not personally, as I'm sure that having to make a decision like this would have been extremely difficult. From a legal point of view, there may even have been no choice (I don't know and have no inside knowledge, but am just saying).

Charities have the same obligations, responsibilities and duties to their employees, as any other business when it comes to employment law.

 

[ian_the_girth]

Apes is quite possibly the single hardest working employee for SUCET and associated with SUFC.

From putting up the nets at the beginnings of the girls team, the before & after school clubs, and literally driving the mini bus for the days out for OAP's & children. Giving up her time for a handful who would attend or 100s on other occasions. And then the match day experience with mascots too.

To many it's just a job, and to echo what others have said to her it's her life. I saw it for myself...

 

[Whispering Bob]

April is devastated to say the least but was told it was purely a business decision and this has nothing to do with the club.

My heart is breaking for her at this time as, above everything else when she was told she said loves her job and still does.

After 10 years in her role here I am afraid her time is coming to an end but she started here at the club firstly working in the tea bar before then moving onto the club shop and when she returned from America obtained a post in the community trust as a coach. But she does so much more than that now.

She stayed through the bad times and sadly just when things are beginning to turn for the better she won’t be around to see all the changes and all the ideas she had.

Very sadly this Saturday will be her last game working as she is working her notice, so I am expecting some emotions from her but I know she will be humbled by the comments of which I thank you all and as I have said to her as one door closes another will open.

WTF Tinks ?!?!?

 

[Streaky]

This will give our new owners a test to see if they walk the walk or just talk…

On the face of it seems a very odd decision as she seems to one of the most visible / well known faces at the club.

 

[fbm]

Charities have the same obligations, responsibilities and duties to their employees, as any other business when it comes to employment law.

I know. Thats not what I said though.

The structure and strategy of running a company is completely different to running trusts and charities and so decisions are often made for completely different reasons.

I'm not defending the decision, I'm just saying that keep in mind that it's a probably a professional rather than personal act and may be something he was instructed to do by the trustees (whoever they are). I think we've had enough of personal vitriol on here over the last year or so to last a lifetime and I was just trying to take the heat out of a situation before someone organised a protest outside this blokes house for making a decision that no one knows the rationale behind.

 

[Firestorm]

On to practicalities of moving forward

Brentford FC appear to be looking for engagement staff (closing date 28/4)

Can those of us on Linkedin get her out there a bit ?

 

[duncan bulgaria]

I understand emotions are high on this but I don’t feel putting an email address up to incite negativity towards an individual is the way forward - this decision won’t of been made lightly and I can say that Dale is a reasonable person but is in a position where tough and sometimes unpopular choices have to be made

As CEO he will have set targets for individuals to meet and I’m not for one minute saying this is the case but if said target is not being met then a decision has to be made regarding the club , at the end of the day it’s a money making organisation and there are clear objectives around what needs to be done to maintain this .

I’ve had dealings with her and is a lovely individual so stating the above is harsh but I’m afraid it’s a reality in the business world

I wish her all the best and I really hope the club can find a role for her in some capacity

 

[Swiss Tony]

**** poor decision in my opinon, someone somewhere be advised we are a friendly family club and this action against Apes is awful.

 

[defender05]

I hope there is someone on this board who has employment law background who may be able to advise here as I cannot, for the life of me, work out how they have managed to make the ONLY female full time member of staff redundant, nor how Spiby can have talked about her matchday role being redundant in one paragraph, then talk about someone else doing it in another. I understand that some of the academy coaching staff will also be taken on under the SUCF umbrella.

As bad as it is, and we don't know the full reason why this has happened, there is no reason to make out this a sexist decision.

For all we know this is down to budget reasons and this is the only way to make things work.

As people have said she has turned down work before so hopefully she will have no problems getting another one.

 

[OldBlueLady]

As bad as it is, and we don't know the full reason why this has happened, there is no reason to make out this a sexist decision.

For all we know this is down to budget reasons and this is the only way to make things work.

As people have said she has turned down work before so hopefully she will have no problems getting another one.

When you are involved with working with the elderly, the young and the vulnerable it pays to have at least one member of female staff. There is a lot that cannot be said publicly but I remain convinced in my beliefs on this.