RSL Services Focus Nov - Jan 2021

R S L & S E RV I C E S C LU B S A S S O C I ATI O N N OV – JA N 2021 | E D ITI O N #4

RIVERSIDE H O L I DAY RESORT URUNGA

VISIT A NSW CLUBS RESORT THIS CHRISTMAS & NEW YEAR!

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P R O U D LY S P O N S O R E D B Y

CHAIRM A N’S MESSAGE

DEAN THOMAS

With just over a month till the Christmas-New Year celebrations, it is timely to reflect on the year that we have experienced in 2020 and how we will respond in the year ahead.

RSL & SERVICES CLUBS ASSOCIATION Suite 1103, 109 Pitt St Sydney NSW 2000 Phone: (02) 9233 2624 Email: info@rslservicesclubs.com.au RSLSERVICESCLUBS.COM.AU FOLLOW US

CEO Garrie Gibson Chairman Dean Thomas CHP RSL Directors

At the start of the year, our State and country experienced some of the worst natural disasters seen for generations: a terrible drought that had lasted several years, followed by severe bushfires which killed scores of residents, destroyed massive amounts of our national estate and countless properties and ending with floods in significant areas of the fire zone, compounding the damage and losses.

At the time, it felt to some like the end of the world, as there seemed no escape from death and destruction.

Communities rose to this challenge, providing succour and support wherever they could through their local clubs and the courageous efforts of firefighters and emergency services personnel.

By early March, the threat of COVID-19 started to penetrate our psyche and we realized that our nation could not avoid its terrible impact. Governments acted decisively to limit the spread and to resource our health infrastructure to meet the likely demand for treatment.

Restrictions on people’s movements and behaviour imposed by government were necessary and effective. They came at a huge economic cost but largely achieved the goal of limiting the spread of this highly infectious virus.

We are still not through this pandemic. The northern hemisphere clearly demonstrates that our country must continue to limit social interaction and international visitation to avoid greater rates of infection here. Everyone has a role to play in protecting the most vulnerable at-risk citizens from infection. All of us must continue to accept the restrictions imposed until there is a clear pathway for moving out of the pandemic.

Jeff Caldbeck

Clubs, as major community facilities, will continue to do whatever we can to protect our patrons and local communities. I know that our member clubs are up for this challenge.

John Rafferty

We are a resilient nation and we will get through this crisis and be stronger and better as a result.

Michael Brennan Patsy Edwards Del Gaudry

MEDIA Editor Brad Smith Designer Diana Cascione Daily Press Printing Daily Press

DEAN THOMAS Chairman

H AV E YOU R SAY If you would like to respond to an article, recommend a contributor or even share information please contact the editor of ‘Focus’.

EMAIL THE EDITOR marketing@rslservicesclubs.com.au We invite any information from outside our sector and our industry, to contribute new ideas and approaches to the challenges we face. Please make sure you provide your name, email address and contact phone number so we can get in touch with you!

FOCUS IS ALSO AVAILABLE TO VIEW ON YOUR PHONE, TABLET OR COMPUTER! VISIT RSLSERVICESCLUBS.COM.AU FOR MORE INFORMATION

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PAT I E N C E , PERSISTENCE AND U N D E R S TA N D I N G Many years ago, a wise man said to me “it is a long time looking forward however it is always a shorter time looking back”. On many occasions and examples in my life this has been true for me. For the purpose of this account, I am reflecting on these words and perhaps at the end, you can decide if it is “a short time looking back”?

On Wednesday 30th September 2020, at approximately 2.20pm, I received a call from our bank manager and in his voice was a touch of glee when he said “Congratulations!”. At that point, many years of determined effort had finally come to fruition and our long-term strategic goal had been realised. Ingleburn RSL Sub-Branch Club Limited had settled with the Ingleburn RSL Sub-Branch for the sale of the Sub-Branch property and our ownership of the club premises was at that point a reality.

With a modest mortgage in place, the future of our club is now clearer and unincumbered planning and improvements can take place.

This process would now be free of the burden of what was a challenging lease, that at times, reflected an almost impossible weighted handicap.

This journey for me personally commenced in late 2011, some nine years ago. At that time, there was much to learn and understand about the complexities in place between Ingleburn RSL Club the Sub-Branch, RSL NSW and ‘The Lease’ that existed between the Club and the Sub-Branch. We operated under a ‘model lease’ and the expiry date being 31 December 2018. In those early days, it is fair to say the idea of purchasing our club property was considered, at best, out of the question. Often, I would typically hear the words, “It will never happen”. This common mindset was based on past encounters between the club and the sub-branch where things were often tense, unfriendly and mostly unproductive. In the eyes of the protagonists, there was no club credibility on the table. A bitter legal process some RSLSERVICESCLUBS.COM. AU

years earlier resulted in a lease of 15 years commencing in January 2003. The whole process that occurred at that time, impacted relationships for the years ahead. In my early days at Ingleburn RSL, it was not uncommon, in informal chats with many different stakeholders about a possible sale of the club premises, for members of the sub-branch to strongly criticise club directors’ past and present for any part they may have played in the lease of 2003.

Hindsight is a wonderful thing and, in this case, very true. Many hours of listening and learning laid the foundation for the long, patient and persistent journey ahead towards the end goal – ownership. Building credibility was an essential foundation with stakeholders on all fronts, including the Club Board, Management, Staff and Club members, the Sub-Branch Trustees, Executive and SubBranch Members, the Bank, Solicitors, our community and many other parties. This would underpin the belief that it could be done, it deserved to be done and it would benefit all members and the community.

From day one, trying to buy the property from the sub-branch required patience, persistence, credibility and empathy. Understanding that the sub-branch is unlikely to be a motivated vendor will be helpful, remembering they most likely are in a position where they do not need to sell. With that in mind, there was often a lack of urgency, not out of anything other than the fact in our case the Sub-Branch really had no reason to sell. To add to this situation, the inquiry into RSL NSW was taking place, which resulted in new CEOs, Presidents and officers at RSL NSW Head Office, creating additional layers and challenges.

Hopefully, our shared journey in some small way acts as a guide for others. For us, it was truly a gift. Learning continuously about how key members of the sub-branch thought and operated was essential. A key takeaway from our many meetings was to reflect on the

‘fears’ of the Sub-Branch about the future and the need to maximise efforts to calm those concerns. It is important to remember the property is an asset that is valued in many different ways by all stakeholders. Like any vendor, they naturally want to maximise their asset.

Consistency in messaging, articulated in a considered and respectful tone, underpinned by your ability to smile at all of the objections, comments and at times outlandish, unreasonable and inaccurate comments, is key to building trust to signature. Another lesson for us was to ignore aggression and always act respectfully and professionally – often easier said than done, however well worth it in the end.

Keep a clear eye on the objective - the sale and ownership.

It would be remiss of me not to acknowledge the support of Ingleburn RSL Club Past Chair and current Vice President Ray Williams and current Chair Terry Goldsworthy and the full Board of Directors. Their ongoing support, encouragement, patience, and most importantly faith, underpinned by the trust and delegated authority bestowed upon me was always inspirational, a privilege and an honour.

If you are a club that leases a sub-branch property, there is a path forward built on credibility, reliability, patience, persistence and empathy. All parties have needs and wants and at the end of the day, we all want the members and the community to continue to have an RSL Club that is local, thriving and has a future.

Good luck with your journey, never give up.

Glenn Cushion Chief Executive Officer Ingleburn RSL Sub Branch Club

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I N 2018, A F T E R LOS I N G FA R TO O M A N Y M AT E S TO SUICIDE, MYSELF AND A SM ALL GROUP OF ARMY C O M B AT V E T E R A N S K N E W W E H A D TO G E T ACT I V E A N D FOCUS ALL OF OUR ENERGY O N S O LV I N G T H E V E T E R A N M E N T A L H E A LT H C R I S I S .

The last thing we wanted to do was add another charity to the over crowded ExService Organisation (ESO) space. We started by reaching out to all of the big veterans orginasations and pitched the idea of a proactive mental health app. We believe the answer for our demographic, young veterans, is to engage them before the wheels fall off and offer training in healthy lifestyle routine and habit.

The concept was not picked up by any of the large ESO’s. We get it, technology and change can be daunting to organisations that haven’t yet embraced innovation. So, like all diggers do, we didn’t take no for an answer and set about creating it anyway.

We launched Swiss Technologies Ltd the charity, trading as Swiss 8. Then designed and developed the Swiss 8 app.

The app has now run through two successful pilot programs with over 90% success in improving mood. It has also just received ethics

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approval for a University of Newcastle PhD study. Recruiting for the study begins in early 2021 with an aim to prove the app as an intervention for anxiety and depression.

With 2020 being a rough year for all Australians, not just the veteran community, the team of veterans at swiss 8 have decided to open the app up to the general public.

Using lessons we have all learned through lived experience, the Swiss 8 veterans saw utility in sharing the app with everyone.

Our veterans have experience in overcoming adversity, dealing with isolation and uncertain futures, and the associated anxiety and depression. Now any australians who would like to improve their mental health in a proactive fashion can download the app from the app stores.

Any clubs who would like to offer this tool to their veterans, members and staff can get in touch with Swiss 8 today to discuss corporate or group onboarding.

With the app live, the next step is to start building events that encourage people to physically interact. Human disconnection is deadly. It is the leading cause of depression in the western world.

The first of these events will be Remembrance Day this year. A BBQ To Remember is a campaign created by Swiss 8. The intent is for all Australians to register a BBQ, rally their

mates, pause, remember, and come together.

A BBQ To Remember can be registered at www.bbqtoremeber.com by clubs to host a bbq on Remembrance Day. This is our first major campaign that, with the support of clubs, will help attract younger demographics and younger veterans to the club. The fact that Remembrance Day falls on the night of NRL State of Origin doesn’t hurt either.

Once A BBQ To Remember has rolled out successfully, Swiss 8 will release the event schedule for 2021. This event schedule has been created to hold veteran focused events around the country. It is designed to encourage younger veterans to come together, learn new skills and interact with both veterans and the general public.

The intent for this event series is to partner with RSLs and clubs around the country in order to support and host the events. This allows for re-engagement and membership recruitment on behalf of your club.

Any clubs who would like to partner with Swiss 8 for A BBQ To Remember, App use, or the event series, can get in touch via email info@swiss8.org

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I N N O C L U B I S A U S T R A L I A’ S F I R S T C L U B - B A S E D A C C E L E R AT O R A N D I N C U B AT O R D E S I G N E D F O R T H E DEFENCE FORCE VETERAN.

When you read about the origins of Innoclub, you’d be forgiven for thinking it was the set up to a really good joke: a teacher, a student and a club manager walk into a bar. But that is literally what happened when Colin Farrell, Chris North and Jackson Sobb came together to form the foundations of what is now known as Innoclub.

Innoclub is Australia’s first club-based accelerator and incubator designed for the defence force veteran. Not just designed for, but designed by veterans. Innoclub has partnered with veteran entrepreneurs, businesses, and clubs to build and design the Innoclub ecosystem. As a result, the not for profit charity delivers Australia’s (and quite possibly the world’s) only innovation and entrepreneurship short courses for our defence force veterans.

This is a milestone for the club industry, where suddenly there is a real and tangible way to support the modern day veterans. And now, with the support and foresight of Craig Love, CEO of the Campsie RSL Group, Innoclub has a fully functioning Hub with smart boards, podcast studios, pitch rooms, presentation facilities, mentorship contacts and business support personnel. And it’s all free for Innoclub members.

To understand the Innoclub, it’s important you meet the team. Colin Farrell and Chris North are the Co-Founders of Innoclub. Colin is an experienced executive manager and marketing research/management consultant in the hospitality and gaming sectors. He is also a published academic. Chris is an award winning media creative who, up until recently, RSLSERVICESCLUBS.COM. AU

ran his own consultancy advising charities and not-for-profits on fundraising and engagement strategy. They met through the Masters of Marketing at the University of Sydney, in which Colin mentored Chris to be the top of his cohort at graduation.

Both had identified a space in which innovation and education could come together, especially in the area of clubs. The challenge was to create value by solving community problems that intersect with the Club’s business.

Enter Jackson Sobb. Jackson is the Group Marketing Manager at the Campsie RSL, and he, Colin and Chris would spend the next six months developing the concept and opportunity behind Innoclub.

“To us, speaking as someone inside the RSL space, we passionately believe this is about purpose, tribe and the unique skill sets our veterans can bring to this space”, says Sobb.

“The modern veteran difference is they have a highly skilled career background within the defence force, they’ve worked closely with teams of people, sometimes in life-threatening situations. Too often those skills and experience are overlooked”.

This is what Innoclub is about. Bringing together a cohort, a team that whose similar background reinforces the sense of tribe.

Innoclub has partnered with, and provided financial support to a number of veteran startups and businesses, including mental health charity SWISS 8. From these collaborative relationships came the six day course program, co-created by veterans. Former 1RAR section commander and founder of SWISS 8, Adrian

Sutter, says “if you said ten years ago that an RSL was going to move into this space, and support veterans in business, no one would have believed you”.

For Colin and Chris the exciting part starts now. There are two beneficial outcomes according to Farrell and North. “Firstly, we are developing a business that is designed to solve a local, social, or cultural problem. In other words, social entrepreneurship. As we founded in the RSL Club movement we have a strong passion and focus to work in this area”.

The second is engaging veterans in new entrepreneurial mentorship and business short courses. Farrell and North are building an ecosystem that is part of the veteran’s transition out of the forces. “Our participants are wanting mentorship and guidance from both industry experts and likeminded service personnel”, say Farrell. “Innoclub means we co-create a modern veteran’s innovation training hub and mentorship program” continues North, “our members will have access to short courses, ongoing mentorship and support, and seed funding via club grants and incubation services for new businesses”.

To meet with Colin, Chris or Jackson, contact Innoclub on email: info@innoclub.com.au Web: www.innoclub.com.au Facebook: @innocluboz LinkedIn: @innoclubau

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W H AT ’ S Y O U R S Y S T E M D O I N G F O R YO U R V E N U E ?

W H E N I T CO M ES TO G A M I N G M A N AG E M E N T S Y ST E M S , V E N U E O P E R ATO R S N E E D TO A S K T H E M S E LV E S : “ W H AT I S O U R S Y S T E M D O I N G FOR OUR VENUE?”

• iSolate™ - an intelligent social distancing tool, avoiding the headache and financial loss of switching every other machine off

With a number of gaming management systems available to choose from, venue operators like you, often find it difficult to select the best system for your needs:

• Software upgrade – a new version was rolled out featuring many updates requested by customers

• Which one offers the best value for your investment over the long-term?

• What are the ongoing hidden costs of the initial investment?

• Do you need to pay for upgrades and additional new tech advances every year?

• Is your provider continually investing in and developing updates to ensure future growth and potential?

• Is the support team local, 24x7, and do they understand the unique needs of Australian venues?

So before investing in a gaming management system or looking at changing or paying for yet another upgrade to your existing system, it’s important to ask these questions and also fully investigate and understand the features and benefits of other gaming management systems available in the market.

IGT’s ADVANTAGE CLUB® may not be the cheapest – initially – on the market but over the first few years it becomes much more financially sensible. Not only do you get an enormous amount of functionality – from easy accounting to in-depth reporting and the world’s most advanced marketing tools and intelligent planning tools – but you also get annual updates included with support that has been rated ‘First-class’ or ‘Exceptional’ by many of our customers, large and small.

In fact, we didn’t stop support and ongoing development during the COVID lockdown. The IGT team continued developing and working on the system. While other suppliers went dark, our customers received: RSLSERVICESCLUBS.COM. AU

• M5 - a flexible media tool for Service Window enabling easier and exciting on screen messaging

• Systems-based jackpots prototype - a huge step forward for the industry – enabling systems controlled links. More on this to come.

So – investing in IGT ADVANTAGE CLUB could be advantageous for your venue … it’s a system that keeps growing while the price you pay doesn’t.

To find out more contact David Doyle 0417 798 168 or david.doyle@igt.com

IGT is adapting our games to the current environment, to deliver more certainty when you invest in new games and machines.

Our newest games adapted to today include: • Fortunes Lines™ – the security of hold ‘n’ spin but with traditional lines play • Multistar Brilliant Diamonds™ – 6 games in one – performing at 1.68x floor average • And of course, Fireball® which is a long and strong performer.

To find out more visit www.igt.com.au

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R E B O OT K E N O W I T H YO U R OW N P R O M O

K E N O I S H E L P I N G C LU B S R E B O OT W I T H N E W P RO M O P R I Z ES TO I N S P I R E C U S TO M E R S TO P L AY T H E I R FAV O U R I T E G A M E .

A major challenge for RSL clubs in rebuilding following forced closures and ongoing trading restrictions is how to re-energise customer engagement with their products.

To help reboot Keno, Keno’s marketing team is rolling out a raft of new prizes as part of its Local Area Marketing promotions, designed to increase the fun of playing and gives customers more reasons to play.

Local area marketing allows venues to build their own promotion, including selecting the prize, entry mechanic, promo dates, and point of sale items and print quantities, which it can even co-brand with its own logo.

“Our online marketing product is really simple to use and allows clubs to design their own promotions and schedule them when it suits.

Importantly, it gives you the ability to plan ahead and slot in Keno promotions to fill promo calendar gaps. This has the flip-side benefit of creating less conflict with other supplier promos.”

The variety of prizes means there’s something to appeal to every type of customer and season, with options ranging from an Apple iPad Mini, Delonghi Nespresso Lattisima Touch Coffee Machine, Weber Baby Q, Weber Smokey Mountain, Karcher Steam Iron Kit and

Over the past 12 months, venues purchased almost 1,500 customised promotions, with the average value of prizes around $425.

Keno’s local area marketing solutions are an ideal way to boost player interest thanks to the launch of some exciting new prizes, which include complete prize packs and single prizes, according to Keno’s Head of Trade Engagement and Operations, Ralf Bzdega.

“Local area marketing is available to venues at any time of the year to help them further value-add to the product for their customers, and be alternated with other promos to keep customers switched on to Keno,” says Bzdega.

Samsung Jet Light Stick Vacuum.

“There’s never been a better time to take advantage of Keno’s in-venue promotion solution. Running a Keno promotion will give your club an opportunity to connect with your customers and reward them for coming back to their favourite game after the COVID-19 closure period.

New additions to the suite include the Tradies Dream Pack, inclusive of a Bosch Universal Cordless Drill with 43-piece accessory set, Black and Decker WorkMate Dual Height Workbench, Bosch Cordless Vacuum Cleaner with 18-volt battery and a Stanley FatMax Pro 2000mm Magnetic Box Level, and the

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Plus gift Cards are available for Myer ($250, $500 and $1,000), BCF ($250, $500 and $1,000), Bunnings ($100 and $500), and Hoyts LUX vouchers ($100).

DIY Essential Pack with its 18 Volt XR Li-Ion XRP 3-speed Hammer Drill/Driver, 18 Volt XR Brushless Li-Ion 3-speed Impact Driver, two 5.0Ah Li-Ion Batteries, and an 18 Volt XR Fast Charger.

For the ladies, there’s the Relaxation Pack comprising Apple AirPods with wireless charging case, Homedics Foot Spa, Phillips Daily Collection Airfryer, and Summer Edition Reed Diffuser, and the Delonghi Kettle and Toaster pack featuring the Brillante 1.7 Litre Kettle and 2-slice toaster in white.

Other packs include the Camping Pack featuring a Coleman Instant Up four-person tent, pair of Coleman Deluxe Mesh Event Chairs, two Coleman Mudgee C0 Tall Sleeping bags, and the Coleman 65-litre Ice King cooler.

There’s also the option to choose between Recurring Prize Promotions, which give venues the option to choose from several prize bundles that can be run over four weeks, with one prize is drawn weekly, and Major/Minor Prize Promotions. These allow venues to select from prize bundles that consist of four minor prizes and one major prize run over five weeks, with the four minor prizes given away each week and the major prize given away in the final week.

The most popular prizes selected by venues to date are the Weber BBQ, gift cards, coffee machine, Weber Smokey BBQ, and the recently added Camping Pack, says Bzdega.

Book your club’s promo today by visiting www.kenoconnect.com.au.

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RSL KENO SALES THRIVE WITH PROMOS Quirindi RSL Club has purchased no less than five Keno promos to date, beginning with the Swag Package in August 201, PlayStation in October 2019, Icebox in August 2020, Webber BBQ pack in March 2020, which was postponed due to COVID shutdown but to be launched at a later date, and will kick off the Tradie’s Dream Pack in the first week of November.

Quirindi’s Secretary Manager Tina Allen explains the club has seen an uplift in sales since running them and aims to time promos in conjunction with seasons and choose something that appeals to patrons of all ages.

“We certainly have seen an increase in sales and expenditure, and our Replays also increase, when a promotion is in play, particularly if the prize on offer appeals to the customer’s wish list,” says Allen. “We’ve always had a really good response from our customers, hence why we choose to use the Keno promos regularly.

“Our Christmas promotions are particularly popular. Who wouldn’t like to win a PlayStation? There’s nothing more rewarding than when the winner is drawn, and you see the excitement on their faces. Most of the promotional prizes that we have used have been something that generally can’t be purchased in our small country town.”

Allen reveals that the club puts great effort into clublicising its promos, utilising all marking tools from Keno Connect.

“The posters are printed inhouse and displayed, and we have nightlife throughout the Club, which we use to display all the marketing for Keno and promos. All of our POS systems have advertising screens, plus we use the toolkit for our EGM service screen and Facebook advertising.”

Dubbo RSL Club has had a similarly good experience with Keno’s Local Area Marketing, running three promos this year, back to back

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– the $500 gift card in July, PlayStation in August and Phiilips Air Fryer in October, with the next one, Apple iPad Mini, planned to run from 1 November in the lead up to Christmas.

According to the club’s Gaming Manager, Wayne Hogben, the club had experienced a 5% decrease in Keno sales in June versus the same period in 2019 before deciding to run the promotions one after the other for continual engagement, with prizes often chosen relevant to the season.

“Our first promotion began in July and helped us to a massive 65% increase in sales.”

“Our first promotion began in July and helped us to a massive 65% increase in sales and ranked us number one on Keno sales rankings,” says Hogben.

“August saw sales increase by 24% increase, September was up by 25%, and currently October is at a 27% increase. Average ticket sales have gone from approximately $10 per ticket in 2019 up to over $12 per ticket, so a nice 20% increase per average bet.

Hogben says the promos achieve extra engagement with their patrons. “They have a chance to win an extra prize that is not on the Keno pay table.

“Whether the patron wants to win the prize or not, it’s a great talking point about how much they want to win the prize.

They are also very inquisitive about what prize will be run next.”

The club also promotes its prizes heavily, according to Hogben. “Posters are ordered when purchasing a promotion to make the Point of Sale look professional. Images from Keno Connect also are used for in-house and website advertising,”

MEDIA CONTACT: Megan Channer Imagine Communications P: (07) 3399 2211 M: 0438 003 511 E: megan@imagineco.com.au

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REDUCE KITCHENR E L AT E D OVERHE ADS C L U B O W N E R S A R E A LWAY S I N N O VAT I N G A N D F I N D I N G WAY S TO R E D U C E OVERHEADS AND GROW SALES. C O V I D -1 9 H A S P L A C E D E V E N M O R E P R E SS U R E O N C LU B S TO WO R K S M A R T E R A N D P R O V I D E M O R E VA L U E TO PAT R O N S F O R L E S S .

Making a decent margin on food when you’re running a fully equipped kitchen is tricky at the best of times. The challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic are making it harder yet.

What if there was a way to produce food quickly, easily and cheaply without needing a full kitchen? Well, there is actually a variety of ways to achieve this.

Meris Food Equipment specialises in food equipment solutions that reduce overheads, improve productivity and increase sales via quality food technology that is automated and plug and play.

One of our most versatile equipment solutions is the Perfect Fry, a ventless, automated and completely safe benchtop fryer that can be operated by any staff member. It is possible to generate a whole menu from this single piece of equipment.

Fried food is universally popular. Warm and comforting treats like hot chips, calamari rings, and the pub-favourite, the chicken schnitzel, are strongly associated with being out socialising with friends and family.

The Perfect Fry is capable of producing a whole host of pub favourites and has completely replaced a traditional kitchen in some venues while significantly reducing kitchen-related overheads in others.

Yohan Karunatileke, venue manager at Welcome Stranger in the Melbourne CBD has been using the Perfect Fry instead of a kitchen for the last 15 years, recently adding a second machine to meet the increased demand for food at the venue, “The Perfect Fry machines are incredibly easy for any staff member to use, our roster of up to 26 bar staff utilise the machines on a daily basis. The equipment is competitively priced and has really helped us to grow our food-based revenue. I highly recommend the Perfect Fry.”

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The margins on fried food are incredibly good ranging from 50% 70%+ on a range of popular pre-prepared items that can be bought in such as hot chips, battered fish, calamari rings and chicken schnitzel.

However, there is nothing stopping venues from cooking more premium food offerings that your existing kitchen may pre-prepare. With tweaks to menu selection and food presentation, a menu suitable for any venue can be created.

Craig Mitchell at the Buckingham Arms Hotel in Adelaide has embraced the Perfect Fry recently. The newly purchased machine has helped to reduce kitchen-related overheads during the challenges that Covid-19 has presented.

“Since installing the Perfect Fry, we’re saving $4,500 per week in labour costs by not having the kitchen open for as many hours”, said Craig.

The Perfect Fry has the potential to lower overheads associated with a venue’s current food offering and to assist larger venues to expand their food offering into areas such as sports bars and cafes. For small, volunteer-run clubs, the Perfect Fry can enable to the introduction of a food offer that any volunteer can manage, helping to attract and retain patrons and increase revenue.

To learn more about the Perfect Fry and other benchtop food equipment solutions go to meris.com.au.

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Keno Prize Promotions MOST POPULAR PRIZES

Over the past 12 months 1,462 customised Keno Promotions have been run in venues.

Out of those promotions the most popular prizes ordered by venues were:

SALES IMPACT

In the past 12 months venues that purchased a Keno Promotion saw anaverage 3.66% Keno sales uplift during their promotional period.

Weber BBQ

The average order value for venues to run a Keno Promotion was $425.20

NEW KENO PROMOTION PRIZE OPTIONS NOW AVAILABLE

Gift Cards Coffee Machine

AVERAGE KENO PROMOTION ORDER VALUE

Keno has just launched some exciting new prizes to help get your venue ready for Summer!

Tradies Dream Pack

DIY Essentials Pack

Smoker BBQ Camping Pack

Go to www.kenoconnect.com.au TO ORDER A KENO PRIZE PROMOTION TODAY!

Gamble Responsibly. Think! About your choices. Call Gambler’s Help, ACT Gambling Counselling and Support Service or Gambling Help 1800 858 858 www.gamblinghelp.nsw.gov.au or www.gamblinghelponline.org.au.

No kitchen and no skilled labour required with the Perfect Fry. A whole menu of dishes with one piece of benchtop equipment.

meris.com.au | 1800 265 771

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Our Chairman, Bob (Robert) Humphrys from Coffs Ex Services Club stated:

“Our Board and members regard our membership of the Federation as our most valuable members amenity. Our members love the resorts as do those at Wagga Wagga RSL and Dubbo RSL. C.ex has been a member for many years, and I know that membership of the Federation would be a great asset to all clubs in NSW. We currently have over sixty large and small clubs as members”.

The Federation of Community, Sporting and Workers Clubs is a not for profit organisation which was set up by Clubs to provide affordable family holidays for members of NSW registered clubs. It is run by Clubs for the benefit of members of our Clubs. It was established in 1956 as the Union of Registered Workers Clubs and quickly established a resort on Fingal Bay Beach now known as Seaside Resort Fingal Bay and is set in the beautiful Port Stephens. Following requests from the general club industry the organisation changed its name and constitution to The Federation of Community and Sporting Workers Clubs to allow it to admit all NSW Registered Clubs to Full Membership with the payment of a small annual fee. Our history is available on our web site www.fcswc.org.au Since 1956 two more resorts have been established. The Haven set right on Sussex Inlet and deep inside Conjola National Park was established in 1975 and our Award-Winning Riverside Resort set on the junction of the Kalang and Bellinger River in Urunga on the Coffs Coast. A 4th resort is in the early planning stages and will be in the Hunter Valley Vineyard area.

Its is hoped to begin construction by 2025.

In 2016 our organisation again changed its constitution to become a Company Limited owned by its Member Clubs and run by a Board made up of Club Directors and Managers of some of the largest clubs in NSW to ensure it continues to be run for the benefit of Club members.

OUR VALUES are as follows: We deliver a Great Service. We are a Team. We are Contemporary & Progressive. We are Accountable and we create Sustainability.

OUR MISSION: To create an environment where our members & guests enjoy life and create memories regardless of their abilities.

OUR VISION: We make a positive difference to the quality of people’s lives.

To deliver on our promise to our member clubs we constantly survey opposition prices in each location to ensure our rack rate is lower than the opposition. In addition to this, members of our member clubs get a 20% discount for most of the year and 25% discount during Christmas school holidays.

Our full list of current Club members and Affiliated members is listed on our website. Club Plus is our major sponsor.

We strive to continually update our resorts to keep them current. Riverside Resort Urunga has just had 8 additional apartments added at a cost of over $3.5m and has won the last two NSW Tourism gold awards for best NSW Self Contained Accommodation as well as last years Gold Award for Accessible Accommodation. It also received the 2019 APAC award for best NSW Family Resort.

Next year we commence refurbishing the first architecturally designed apartments, they will be brought up to the standard of the new. At Seaside Resort Fingal Bay, we are just about to complete the refurbishing if the last 15 apartments as part of a 60-unit upgrade which will have cost in excess of $4m. Seaside contains 54 two-bedroom self-contained apartments and 6 three-bedroom apartments when completed this November We have also commenced an upgrade of our 18 two and three-bedroom apartments at The Haven, Sussex Inlet. This refurbishment will cost more than $2m.

We pride ourselves on wheelchair accessible accommodation and cater for guests with a range of access issues at all resorts.

If your club is interested in joining please contact Federation CEO Ken Conway on ken@fcswc.org.au or phone 0412 426 203 to organise a presentation on the resorts.

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5/12/2019 5:48:04 PM

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A C C I D E N TA L COUNSELLOR HEROES The Club BuddyUp programme put over 40 managers who needed some moral support, mentorship and guidance, in touch with a 'Buddy'.

The Buddies are fellow managers, going through similar experiences and, being familiar with the ongoing challenges, are able to act as a listener, advisor and mentor to those needing help.

What emerged from this initial exercise however, was a realisation by its architect and coordinator, Jenny White, of White Now, that there existed a significant need for more widespread, structured and educated counselling services within the industry.

Having recognised and assessed the need, Jenny then set about finding a suitable course for those who want to help friends and colleagues going through tough personal times. She found such a course, run by Lifeline, named the Accidental Counsellor.

Participants in the Lifeline course are not expected to literally become Counsellors, but their compassionate and appropriate response at a time when a colleague, mate or fellow manager may be in crisis and in need of support, can positively affect outcomes for the individuals involved.

Managers in the group were invited to participate, resulting in such an overwhelming response, that 6 sessions conducted via Zoom, were filled to capacity, with 40 participants in each.

W I T H M O R E T H A N 1 ,0 0 0 M E M B E R S , T H E N S W, V I C , A C T & Q L D C L U B MANAGERS SUPPORT AND SHARE G R O U P I S A FA C E B O O K F O R U M O F G R E AT S I G N I F I C A N C E W I T H I N T H E AU ST R A L I A N R EG I ST E R E D C LU B I N D U S T R Y, A N D N E V E R H A S I T P R O V E D M O R E A C T I V E A N D VA L U A B L E , T H A N T H R O U G H T H E C O V I D -1 9 C R I S I S C U R R E N T LY A F F E C T I N G A U S T R A L I A .

The Support and Share Group has been doing just that, supporting managers through the sharing of information about club closures, legislation and interpretations of the restrictions that all venues have been subject to.

Just as importantly though, the Group has in recent months recognised that the support normally given to the community, has actually been needed amongst the members of the Group itself: Some managers have struggled with the challenges that club closures through COVID have brought and, in an effort to address this, the 'Club BuddyUp' programme was conceived, which proved to be a big success.

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A total of 240 completed the two and a half hour course, which was first put forward to them on September 3rd. The first session took place on September 8th, and all 240 participants had completed the course

by October 12th. Jenny instinctively knew that with every hour that was wasted, there could be the chance of death or falling over of one of her industry colleagues. Jenny, who is known throughout the Club industry for ‘getting things done’ and ‘never being afraid to make a fast decision’ turned this idea around, to help the industry within 72 hours.

The level of commitment from managers in the Club Managers Support and Share Group has been outstanding. However, going a step further and in an extraordinary display of support and assistance, no less than 20 Victorian Club Managers had their courses paid for, by their colleagues from Clubs in the ACT and New South Wales to show that cohesiveness and support of each other across the industry no matter what state or territory you are from.

It is often stated that adversity brings out the best in people, and in the case of the Club Managers Support and Share Group, there is ample evidence that COVID has done just that. The Registered Club industry has always been a tight-knit, mutually supportive body, but the assistance shown over the past weeks and months has revealed some truly outstanding ‘Accidental Counselling Heroes’.

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If you’re feeling overwhelmed, Lifeline is here for you.

WHEN THE A C C I D E N TA L COUNSELLOR I S YO U

Call Lifeline on 13 11 14 (24/7) or text Lifeline on 0477 13 11 14 (6pm-midnight).

F E E L C O N F I D E N T W H E N YO U N E E D TO P ROV I D E S U P P O R T Do you ever find yourself in a counselling role by accident? A family member, friend or colleague may have spoken to you in confidence about their problems or mental health. Or you are concerned about someone but do not know how to start a conversation to check that they are OK. Most of us have heard of Lifeline – it is Australia’s leading crisis support service available 24/7 by calling 13 11 14. Lifeline has supported people in crisis for more than 50 years and has developed training workshops to equip participants to recognise crisis, respond appropriately and refer to ongoing support.

“Our training workshops are designed to impart the skills and knowledge to feel confident in providing support,” says Katie Biggs, Training Manager at Lifeline Northern Beaches. “These skills can be used at work and in your personal life to improve listening and communication.”

The ‘Accidental Counsellor’ training workshops are based on the nationally recognised program delivered to Lifeline’s Crisis Supporters, while also explaining the limitations of the role and appropriate boundaries for self-care.

“We know that conversations about mental health or personal issues can feel challenging,” says Katie. “Knowing that you can provide support and having appropriate options to refer someone for ongoing help is essential when you’re involved in a difficult conversation.”

The training from Lifeline Northern Beaches provides practical and effective skills to step into the shoes of an accidental counsellor and be able to respond to and support others when they are distressed or experiencing a personally challenging time.

“The trigger for a personal crisis is different for everyone,” says Katie. “But it’s crucial to understand that you can give the support that’s needed in the moment and that there are many options for further assistance.”

The ‘Accidental Counsellor’ four-hour workshop can give you the foundational skills for when you need to provide emotional support.

Learn to use the three R’s model: • Recognise – signs of distress • Respond – confidently and appropriately • Refer – know where to get professional help Learning outcomes: • Improve communication and skills for active listening • Identify signs when a person may need emotional support • Develop confidence to respond to someone experiencing emotional distress • Develop confidence to ask and respond to someone who is feeling suicidal • Know what professional support is available and how to help others access these • Develop tips and tools for self-care

To show your interest in this training please contact Narelle Kaiser on 0411 366 154 or admin@rslservicesclubs.com.au RSLSERVICESCLUBS.COM. AU

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Accidental Counsellor Do you ever find yourself in a counselling role by accident? Maybe you have a family member, friend or colleague who has spoken to you in confidence about their problems or mental health. Or you are concerned about someone but do not know how to start a conversation to check that they are OK. This training provides practical and effective skills to step into the shoes of a counsellor and be able to respond to and support others when they are distressed or experiencing a personally challenging time.

Learn to use the three R’s model:

Learning outcomes:

• Improve communication and skills for active listening • Identify signs when a person may need emotional support • Develop confidence to respond to someone experiencing emotional distress • Develop confidence to ask and respond to someone who is feeling suicidal • Know what professional support is available and how to help others to access these

The ‘Accidental Counsellor’ four-hour workshop can give you the foundational skills for when you need to provide emotional support.

• Develop tips and tools for self-care

EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST, CONTACT: NARELLE KAISER 154 admin@rslservicesclub.com.au KAISER on on 0411 9233366 2624 ororadmin @rslservicesclubs.com.au services. Our specialised training programmes are designed to equip individuals with the tools to assist others who may be in crisis, improve their own levels of resilience, and know where to turn for help.

For further information contact the training team at Lifeline Northern Beaches Phone 02 9949 5522 Email training@lifelinenb.org.au

www.lifelinenb.org.au