Dear SJ Members
Salaamun Alaikum
In line with the country’s sports landscape resuming activities, SJ has opened its gates to a summer season filled with enthusiasm and anticipation.
Whilst the operational delivery is being refreshed and reinvigorated, the HQ has immersed itself in building strategies and structures.
As you will be aware from the last AGM (December 2020), one of the main priorities for the Stanmore Jafferys EC has been to progress the SJ restructure work, ensuring it is fit for purpose for the long-term. CIO has been the recent buzzword and I would like to update you on the significant progress we have made towards this reorganisation.
The CIO journey has over the past 6 months been intensive and extensive alike, including the following milestones:
- Engaging the membership over 2 open Shura meetings
- Running over 10 focus groups
- Numerous sessions with various members and stakeholders
- Engaging Hujjat EC ongoing, including 4 in-depth meetings
- Engaging the SJ EC ongoing, including 3 in-depth meetings
- Engaging the SJ Sports co-ordinators ongoing, including 2 in-depth meetings
Reflecting over the process during the last six months, I am truly heartened to see the width and volume of members positively engaged. It has been a refreshing consultative process and we have received overwhelming support from the membership including constructive feedback. With regards to concerns raised, solutions were found upon reviewing the matters whilst keeping them in line with the mandate given.
Following a long and rich history from the early 1960s, with its predecessor Ithnashari Union, Stanmore Jafferys has progressed over the years to ensure provision of the required services to its members at the five-star level they deserve. Furthermore, requirements of the club’s governance have evolved over time and therefore it is imperative that our structures are wrapped in a suitable and befitting framework ensuring it is relevant and appropriate, allowing club and community alike to prosper and progress.
Following extensive deliberations and detailed review of the required documents, I am hereby pleased to inform the membership that we have reached a final position with Brabners, the firm of lawyers advising SJ on this entire process and executing the application on our behalf. The application will now embark on the official Charity Commission journey, ultimately establishing SJ as a formally incorporated organisation.
The timeline of how long the application will take is purely dependant on the Charity Commission and could take anything between 3 to 6 months depending on their own internal processes and the delays caused by the pandemic. Once the application has been approved, there will be a series of legal processes to be conducted immediately thereafter with the support from Brabners.
At this point, I will be calling the inaugural AGM under the CIO umbrella where the first set of elections will take place to elect the Board of Trustees and Management Teams.
As we have boarded the last leg of this long journey – on behalf of myself, my predecessors, and our teams – I would like to extend my sincere appreciation and gratitude to those who have been engaged on this journey as we write a new chapter in the history of SJ.
Within this context, I would like to highlight the following:
- The entire SJ membership – for its active engagement in this process, taking valuable time out to partake in the consultation stage. This clearly demonstrates the dedication of our members.
- The CIO Taskforce – aptly chaired by Brother Abbas Merali, leading the way in this transition where the work has been delivered meticulously and with patience. Options have been explored at length with the aim of ascertaining the most optimal model fitting the mandate given to SJ by its membership whilst staying true to the ethos and values of SJ. Their work has been remarkable throughout the journey ensuring a seamless decision-making process for the HQ.
Following members formed the CIO Task Force:
- Abbas Merali
- Munir Chandoo
- Altaf Daya
- Shabbar Dhalla
- Sibtain Alibhai (Hujjat)
- Imran Gulamhusein (Hujjat)
- Sabiha Chagpar (SJ Ladies)
- Shaneabbas Merali (SJ EC)
The taskforce’s duty is now concluded and complete following the submission of the final document and SJ HQ will henceforth pursue the next steps.
We will keep the community abreast of the progress and will share the developments as they unfold.
Please join me in praying for the next SJ historical milestone to be reached in a smooth manner.
With Salaams & Duas
Shafique Govani
Chairman, Stanmore Jafferys
