Due to the fact that money is always an emotive issue, the CIM committee have decided to issue the statement below to clarify a few issues relating to aspects of finance: CIM FUNDS For the record, the committee will NEVER spend CIM funds on sponsorship, racing, scholarships etc. This would be problematic for our pending application to the charities commission and is contrary to what was proposed by John Clayton and agreed by all at the February 2005 AGM. Donations to CIM can be made by sending a cheque to any committee member and a Paypal account is also available (for more info contact Andrew Clark -02380 328193 after 7pm) Donations to CIM are controlled by the committee and the money is used to fund CIM resources or expenditure e.g.             Hospitality kit,              Outreach materials & events             Publicity.             Other communal resources or expenses [We can clearly show that no money given to CIM is used to support any individual]  In the past we have not had enough money to reimburse any expenses e.g. fuel and phone calls but this something we should and must address in the future, as soon as there is some money available. OUTREACH EVENTS N.B. It is fundamental to our outreach events that they piggyback on a competing CIM member’s team, and we rely on CIM drivers to offer us this opportunity.  Pitching a tent in the middle of a paddock (filled with other technicolour attractions) will not pull people in, unless there is a car there as well.  It makes the difference between being a player and a punter in the eyes of the world.  We need this credibility to have a chance of getting our gospel message across, which starts off on the back foot from all manner of negative image problems associated with Christianity. CIM involvement at race meetings, rallies, shows etc. is also fundamental to recruiting new Christian members who are urgently needed to expand our core of active members to a size capable of sustaining and funding CIM events long-term.  While 2005 has seen some outstandingly successful events, these are unsustainable long-term given the major time commitments required to make them happen. To maintain the momentum and to see a CIM affiliated team, driver, or just a stand alone hospitality "unit" at all levels of British motorsport is going to take a huge investment and a huge amount of logistics. We have seen how this can benefit from strategic partnerships with corporate bodies such as United Christian Broadcasters.  However, the core team of 5-8 have –in effect- set up the equivalent of a firm organizing corporate hospitality & promotion, putting in several hundred hours of voluntary work this year alone.  To sustain this long-term a lot more active members to volunteer and strategic partnerships with ethically-compatible firms are essential.   FUNDING DRIVERS the suggestion about sponsoring a car was from a CIM member to other CIM members, not from any of the committee. what Adriano suggested, from his email, was individuals clubbing together to get one or more cars on the grid and to advertise the organisation -whether individuals wish to do this is up to them, as Nick Grahame aptly points out. In fact, if people did want to help a competitor financially, it would be entirely in keeping with our mission statement to do this: 'Practical help and Pastoral ministry to the motorsport community' It would be inappropriate for the CIM committee to step in and prevent this, particularly given all the help that the active members give to other competitors in the sport as a whole. N.B. Adriano was not aware of the conversation on this issue at the meeting in Feb as he was not involved with CIM at the time. DRIVER DEVELOPMENT FUND Adriano’s idea would, we feel, only work in the context of setting up a separate "Driver Development Fund" (DDF), NOT administered by or under the control of the CIM committee, but under the control of trustees.  The trustees would not be recipients of the fund i.e. drivers, and would probably consist of the individual(s) who put money into the fund.  The accounts would, of course, be audited and transparent. That would allow someone to give, for example, £50 per month, knowing that the Trustees of the DDF would give a Christian driver a chance at Motorsport that they may not otherwise get.  I think it fair to say that we would be in-undated with requests for money!     AVOIDING CONFUSION FOR DONORS To avoid people being unclear over the difference between donating to CIM as an organization, and firms sponsoring individual drivers (who happen to be CIM members), the following has been agreed.             Clear demarcation on respective webpages between:            -Page tab: "Donating to the CIM organisation"             Page text: CIM is a non profit-making body and funds are audited regularly.  Donations can be made by posting cheques to any committee member and the money is used to fund CIM resources or expenditure e.g.              Hospitality kit,              Outreach materials              Publicity. E.g. website, purchasing leaflets & decals, putting on display stands (hopefully including members cars) at motorsport shows & subscribing to organisations such as Evangelical Alliance and CVM                           +++++++++++++and ++++++++++   -Page tab: "Strategic Partnerships with competitors"             Page text: Competitors are either self-funded, have strategic partnerships with businesses or a combination of the two, but do not receive funding from CIM itself.  A range of promotional services are offered to companies by the following drivers:             [sub links to individual drivers and/or teams follows]   +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ The CIM organisation can offer website advertising to Christian drivers seeking sponsorship (as above) and could have a ‘Sponsorship Co-ordinator/advisor (as part of our ‘practical help’ to competitors).  However, any deals and money are the sole preserve of the teams/firms concerned and CIM as an organisation will not get involved. Any firm contacting the CIM organisation requesting promotion through motorsport will be referred direct to all drivers advertising on the website to choose who best suits their needs/budget –it will be the firm’s decision as to who they work with. Christian drivers are given equal weighting and promotion on the website - providing they "subscribe" to our basis of faith, none of their other sponsors are incompatible with our values, and they are paid up members.   INDIVIDUAL USE OF MONEY We think it is dangerous for any of us to say what is and what isn’t good use of God-given money. It could be argued that Hector wastes his money on his GT racing. It should be remembered, though, that it is his money and his accountability to God as to how he invests it. If you saw the GT coverage on Channel 4 (prime time national TV) and the interview with Shane Lynch - declaring his conversion, to being a follower of Christ, racing with Christians in Motorsport, and taking a couple of years off from his hectic life, to review where and who he is, we would argue that Hectors investment is actually priceless.  We have been able to invite non-Christian friends along to events that are motorsport based, (but run by the CIM core team) who would never come to church, or a church based activity.   Again, we have Hector and his generosity to thank, and it should be noted that: a)     Due to lack of money, very little high profile stuff was going on before Hector came on the scene and gave us some finance b)     This only occurred because John Clayton was watching Channel 4’s GT race programme and Hector’s Christian liveried car was mentioned by the commentator, so the publicity works. c)      The cost of achieving this level of National TV publicity would be ten-fold what Hector pays to do the racing. If anyone wishes to pay entirely for their own motorsport, that is an individual’s own decision. CIM FUNDS OVERALL The recent debate about allocation of CIM ‘resources’ seems to be from the misconception that there CIM actually has some resources.  CIM has hardly any money.  We inherited a bit from TeamR837 at the start of 2005 and that has pretty much run out with the ongoing website hosting costs.  The events this year were only run because of direct funding from Hector Lester who generously agreed to pick up the substantial bill. Therefore, the recent debate about whether driver sponsorship is an appropriate use of CIM resources is largely academic. IF YOU WOULD LIKE THE EVANGELISTIC WORK OF CIM TO CONTINUE PLEASE GIVE US THE FINANCE TO DO SO While the Gospel is FREE, presenting it to a disinterested audience in the commercial scrum of the 21st Century IS NOT FREE Apart from the 5-8 core members who organize/run the events (and Hector’s funding for specific GT events), there are only 2 CIM members who have financially contributed in 2005.  Clearly, those who contribute have the prerogative to debate where the money goes. MEMBERSHIP FEE & DONATIONS The 25 people present at the Feb AGM unanimously voted in a membership fee of “£9 per person minimum contribution”. People wishing to become full members of CIM (as opposed to just a ‘Smartgroups member’) –or make donations to CIM’s work are invited to post a cheque (payable to 'Christians in Motorsport') to Pete Fryatt (stating if you would prefer it to be 'anonymous' if appropriate) and we will pay it in to the bank account.  Yours, in His service, CIM Committee John Clayton  Chairman Andrew Clark Comms Director Pete Fryatt Executive Officer 6 Wellington Square RAF Waddington Lincoln LN5 9PE                    PeteF@christiansinmotorsport.org.uk 01522 858462                      07921 210646                           Back to About CIM