New Supporters' Association Launched

By Will Warner
April 1 2003

Fans reading this will know that they have the chance to join an organisation at the beginning: we are launching Quins Supporters’ Association or Quinssa! for short

Why another supporters’ club I hear you ask?

Well we do have one and it’s been going for a long while. In that time some people have given a lot of time and effort. But today it exists in name only offering a barely minimal service to fans. Like Monty Python’s Norwegian Blue parrot, it’s dead!

A group of us first met nearly a year ago with the intention of reforming the existing club. We have been unsuccessful, although it’s not through want of trying. So we are starting a fresh. NEC Harlequins are aware of what we are doing, but it is also our expressed intention to remain independent.

So what will be the benefits of joining Quinssa?

The benefits for the rest of this season might be few. We’ve only two home games left. However, when we have our first AGM, which is planned for May we will combine it with a social event (more details later) so new members will at least get the chance too meet other members and to put names to faces. Next season we plan to co-ordinate both domestic and European travel, offering reduced rates to members on our coaches.

Thinking further ahead we are planning to run a variety of events both on our own and in combination with others. Some serious, some more jokey. We are keen to ensure that our membership reflects the fan base so some events may be targeted more at families and others at different groups.

We are keen to get fresh blood involved at the start. At the moment we have three acting officers and a small group who have been offering support and encouraging us to improve our punctuation. If you feel that you have something to offer then don’t just sit back contact me on chairman@quinssa.org.uk  and introduce yourself.

I’m very keen to hear people’s views on a wide variety of topics so download the application form, fill it in to sign up and then send me an e-mail on your views of supporting NEC Harlequins.

In a few years time when our thousandth member has just signed up, you’ll look back on this day and think that I was in at the beginning.

For more details, please visit our site at www.quinssa.org.uk  where you'll find more details about Quinssa, our plans and the sort of club we want it to be. I hope you'll join us, and thanks again for reading this.

Come on you Quinssa!

Will Warner