Happy New Year to all members and Derby County fans!

RamsTrust has provided an independent supporters’ voice for nine years; 2010-11 saw us maintain our community and heritage contribution on behalf of fans and club, and we also represented football supporters at national level.

• Elaine Dean served on the national board of Supporters Direct and Malcolm Turner was elected to the Supporters Direct Football Council for England & Wales. Thanks to them for significant contributions to those bodies. Malcolm has now left the trust board but I wish to record sincere thanks for his contribution to RamsTrust.

• In March, RamsTrust hosted an East Midlands Trusts meeting at Pride Park Stadium with FSF Chair Malcolm Clarke as guest speaker.

• Jim Wheeler submitted an excellent essay to the Department of Culture, Media & Sport, which was accepted as evidence for their inquiry into football governance. The DCMS has since reported on their findings and recommended wide-ranging reforms in football administration, including greater involvement for supporters.

• The Matchday RamsTrust Rendezvous operated during 2010-11 at the DW Soccerdome to keep the trust in the public eye and raise income through merchandise sales.

• RamsTrust published a column throughout 2010-11 in the Ram Magazine matchday programme and the club are looking to arrange a regular RamsTrust column on the DCFC website later this season.

• We maintained links with the Steve Bloomer legacy and the town of his birth by contributing material to a Bloomer chapter in a Cradley heritage DVD box-set release launched in 2011 and we attended the launch event.

• Progress was made in our relationship with the football club, after poor results provoked supporter protests. The club met with RamsTrust at length to hear fans’ feedback direct from the trust.

• We told Mr Glick that RamsTrust members wanted a better team that could achieve success - which required more investment in Nigel Clough’s squad. RamsTrust asked questions about GSE’s long-term commitment to DCFC.

• The club implemented RT’s suggestion to put the season-ticket renewal deadline back a month to mid-May - which showed that the trust could have influence that would benefit all supporters.

• In May, RamsTrust helped at the Ockbrook & Borrowash Cricket Club’s annual fundraiser at The Spot Banqueting Suite. Donations from the dinner and football forum went to the Lewis Mighty Fund.

• RamsTrust  promoted and helped at the Legends vs. TV All-Stars charity matches at Pride Park Stadium and Chesterfield FC in May, which raised some £25,000 for the Lymphoma Association.

• In July, RamsTrust joined forces with Midlands Co-operative Society at a stall at The Big One community event in Chaddesden Park, with proceeds donated to the Motor Neurone Disease Association.

• The 2011 AGM, held at Pride Park Stadium in September, featured an exclusive forum with local football writers Phil Matthews and Gareth Davis, who talked about their new “Derby County Miscellany” book.

• Later in September, RamsTrust took part in Radio Derby’s Derbyshire Day in the grounds of 17^th century Sudbury Hall and shared in another very successful community day.

Members are encouraged to support their trust in any way they are able, to maintain the trust’s efforts on behalf of club heritage and community and to sustain the independent voice for Derby County supporters.

Here’s to 2012!