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The Inverness Caledonian Thistle Supporters Trust Board today (25th April) launched thier new “Quid’s In” membership plan. With immediate effect, the Trusts membership fee has been reduced to £1 and the annual renewal fee set at zero. Membership is open to all fans and the £1 is used to secure the members share in the Trust which entitles them to attend and vote at General Meetings of the Society. Under 16’s are unable to hold a share or vote but are just as welcome to join the Trust. Young fans are the future and we are keen to engage with and include them as much as possible. In addition, we will be introducing a separate Member Benefits Scheme. The above is in line with the inclusive nature of the organisation and, by seperating the two aspects, the cost of member benefits will no longer be a barrier to those who wish to be a part of, and contribute to, the Trust. It also allows us to deliver the member benefits independenly in a way, and at a cost which is of benefit to the fans, the club and the community which it serves. Talks will be taking place with the club over the coming weeks to see how best we can work together on compiling a package of benefits, but we are also interested in hearing from any business or organisation who may wish to partner with us. Trust Members Secretary, Don Johnstone, said “We are constantly evaluating what we do and where we sit within the ICT Community and with some tough times ahead for Scottish Football then it’s more important than ever that the fans pull together and that we are prepared for whatever is around the corner.” Supporters Trusts are often portrayed as being there to wrestle ownership and control of clubs back from private individuals and corporate owners, but that’s not been the case at Inverness Caledonian Thistle. The Supporters Trust do have a 10%+ voting right in the Club and it’s important that as many fans as possible are involved in how that voice is used, however it’s just as important to concentrate on finding ways for club and fans to work together. Support is a two way street and the club have thrown their weight behind the “Quid’s In” plan by including a membership application with every season ticket renewal that goes out this year. Club Chairman, Kenny Cameron said “We have a very close working relationship with the Trust Chairman Peter Murphy and his Board and it is pleasing to see this new initiative come to fruition. We are always keen to develop the links between the Club and the fan base and hopefully in the not too distant future we will see all the fan groups come together under the one umbrella, something that everyone at the club would be keen to see. Strength in depth and continually looking at ways of increasing membership can only add to the voice of the fans in terms of their dialogue with the club. The club are delighted to assist with the distribution of membership application forms, and I am sure Peter and his Board would be only too happy to provide further detail on the operations of the Trust should this be required by any prospective members.” The ICT Supporters Trust was formed back in 2005 when a new, more open and democratic, fans organisation was needed to inherit the protected rights of the fans which had been secured by the previous Members Club following the clubs formation back in 1994. Don Johnstone explains “We are a not-for-profit, fully democratic (one member, one vote) society who operate primarily for community, as opposed to member, benefit...perhaps easier to think of us as a co-operative, where the strength of the group can be greater than the sum of its parts.” However....representing and promoting the interests of the ICT Fans is only one facet of the Supporters Trust. Don Johnstone commented “We also work hard to strengthen the bonds between the club and the community it operates within. That might sound a little boring, but the best way to encourage everyone to work together is to get them playing together. We do that in a variety of ways with the different events we run...and that entails having plenty of fun. It also allows us to raise the funds needed to support the various projects we get involved in.” For those who wish to join the ICT Supporters Trust, a form can be downloaded from the website at www.ictsupporterstrust.co.uk