john stones 1 - Moderator Posted November 11, 2015 Share Posted November 11, 2015 Meetings are help at field till October, more will turn out if they can fly and have something from chippy, free food's always a winner John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisB Posted November 11, 2015 Share Posted November 11, 2015 A chippy tea at the field now theres an idea! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Former Member Posted November 11, 2015 Share Posted November 11, 2015 [This posting has been removed] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bucksboy Posted November 15, 2015 Share Posted November 15, 2015 ChrisB, We hold monthly meetings at a nearby Social Club, we get 25-35 turn up to these from a membership of 100. The AGM in December goes up to around 50. Three or four of the summer meetings are held at the field where we have a BBQ and members are able to fly electric planes after 7pm, the club provides the food and soft drinks only. The other monthly meetings normally have 'an event' tied to them. We hold indoor pylon races with Vapours which are Club owned, 'Show and Tell' where members are encouraged to bring along their latest project and a guest speaker or two a year. We recently held a chuck glider competition, the club supplied the wood, the members bought along their own glue and knives etc. All this arranging and sorting out is by one of the Committee members with anyone chucking in ideas to keep people interested by having new events. Our once a year Scale Day is dieing on its feet and has been over the last few years. We've tinkered with the various classes to reflect the change in the hobby, foam models and ARTF's have their own class but no-one wants to enter and compete. So, we're likely to scrap the competition element and have the BBQ, invite friends and families but without any formal judging. We are lucky to have a Club Hut which contains a small gas cooker and the club provides tea and coffee with Cup a Soup in the winter. We have a tuck shop with sweets and snacks that is run on a Honesty Box system too. So, we try hard to keep the members happy and make our field as best as it can be. Regarding attendance at club meetings I understand that getting 100 members in the same place at the same time is nigh on impossible. But, as I said earlier, they pay the same subscription as me, so they help pay for everything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Former Member Posted November 15, 2015 Share Posted November 15, 2015 [This posting has been removed] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john stones 1 - Moderator Posted November 16, 2015 Share Posted November 16, 2015 AGM tonight usually a decent turnout, I think we've had a decent year but members will decide that, all positions open to vote on. John Edited By john stones 1 on 16/11/2015 13:24:25 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ken anderson. Posted November 16, 2015 Share Posted November 16, 2015 we(BVRMC)had our AGM last Thurs and it was OK....we have the same committee as last year and the year before...all our committee stood down and were re-elected..your's truly as chairman again.....a post I'm proud to carry out as i hold our club dear to my heart etc.....and I'm surrounded by a bunch of like minded lad's also....who admin/run the club well...bearing in mind we have carried the club forward from the people who set it off....last century..... ken anderson...ne...1...... Club dept. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tomtom39 Posted November 17, 2015 Share Posted November 17, 2015 Have I got my maths wrong 101% ? I'm sure some clever person can explain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leccyflyer Posted November 17, 2015 Share Posted November 17, 2015 Totals are presumably rounded up to the nearest percentage point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john stones 1 - Moderator Posted November 17, 2015 Share Posted November 17, 2015 2 changes this year and members seem happy with things, lost one of old members who wanted a break which is a shame coz he's been a good un, he'll probably still chip in though and do a bit. John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator Posted November 17, 2015 Share Posted November 17, 2015 Something I have noticed that is interesting - an awful lot of the regular posters on here (who have also posted in this thread) are committee members. I wonder why they seem to be over represented on here? I mean committee members are surely, by their nature, in the minority of all flyers - but not on this thread it seems. Is it that they are particularly active, so they are active in posting here and active in their club? Or is it that committee members just show more interest in how the club is run - hence are more likley to respond on this thread? Perhaps its because committee members have so little to do that they can find time to post? I don't know - but looking back through this thread it is surprising how many people say something along the lines; "we have a committee, of which I'm a member.....". Curious. BEB Edited By Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator on 17/11/2015 18:03:35 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ken anderson. Posted November 17, 2015 Share Posted November 17, 2015 interesting...but when i joined the forum here it was nowt to do with the fact i was a committee member etc...purely to read and exchange thought's/view's with like minded people....fellow hobbyist's....its good when you can talk with other's who have the same equipment .. and hear their point of view/experience. ken anderson...ne...1............. comm's dept. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shaunie Posted November 17, 2015 Share Posted November 17, 2015 Just to even the score, I'm not a committee member, at least not my flying club anyway! Shaunie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Bott - Moderator Posted November 17, 2015 Share Posted November 17, 2015 As a general observation, about committees for any sort of hobby type club, do other people find that the description of an "elected committee" doesn't actually fit? An election describes a situation where there's a good choice of candidates, and that the electorate has made a democratic choice, electing the ones from the bunch that will best represent the majority of members. In reality, it's often a case of ending up with a committee consisting of the only members that can be persuaded to fill the posts. Thankfully, in most cases, these volunteers do tend to do a sterling job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Harris - Moderator Posted November 18, 2015 Share Posted November 18, 2015 I have a suspicion that many of the "right" people for committees aren't keen to put themselves forward. Many of the most committed and able members of our committee have been either co-opted or talked into standing for election. Some, in the past, might have stood for the wrong reasons but our present committee are all committed members of the club and regular attenders at the field. Appeals for members to put themselves up for election usually draw a blank (although we did actually have an election last year). I'm not sure whether the scarcity of candidates confirms that the membership are happy with the way the club is run or have just gone beyond caring - I sincerely hope it's the former! I think that active participants in the forum tend to be the keener modellers (we have a large number of members that we may only see a couple of times a year and I don't see any of them posting) - and that keenness often reflects in their willingness to take an active part in the running of their clubs. And yes BEB - I've been a committee member for the last dozen years or so. Edited By Martin Harris on 18/11/2015 00:33:30 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cymaz Posted November 18, 2015 Share Posted November 18, 2015 Of a club member doesn't agree with what the committee is doing, they could put themselves up for election. I would tend to think that there is just a lot of muttering. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denis Watkins Posted January 17, 2016 Share Posted January 17, 2016 You are right BEB. Committee members do take an interest in this site. You can see how the othef half lives. True, it is human nature for most folk to want to turn up and fly, it is a common theme in clubs that there are a small few who get on with club business. The forum offers so much. It often ratifies our private notions, experiences and ideas. The forum can answer any question, and shows the complexity of getting parts and materials airbourne, and demonstrates the thrill when we get it right, and a plan does come together. My greatest thrill is showing someone a way to fly that suits them, and their 1st landing, going back to the pitts, they cannot stop talking, and smiling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisB Posted January 17, 2016 Share Posted January 17, 2016 I think the nature of committee members is that that they take an interest in all things aeromodelling...or is that just me? We're currently looking to replace 3 vacant positions on our committee and we're being underwhelmed with responses from the 70 members of the club. There seems to be an idea that to be on a committee you have to be retired, do very little flying, do a lot of work for nothing and shout and scream at people. Of course that isn't true.I work full time, i'm under 40 and fly every week and other than mowing, the time involved isn't that much really. The newer members don't want anything to do with the club, they want a site to fly from and it just so happens that generally this involves joining a club. I fear this trend will continue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denis Watkins Posted January 17, 2016 Share Posted January 17, 2016 That is the trend Chris B, and from some experience similar to yours, I feel it is normal in life that there are the "doers" and there are those that look on. Every Committee should have plan B. To embrace those interested members and to co-opt likely candidates to posts within the club to nurture for the future. Easy to say I know, but along these lines, the tasks can be broken diwn to lesser posts, so that more Committee individuals do less work. One member will always emerge that does more than the others, but a conscious effort has to be on the agenda at all times, to support each other. I am well aware that with your experience, that you know all this, but it may surprise you that the unlikelyest members respond to being singled out and asked to help the Committee. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Former Member Posted January 17, 2016 Share Posted January 17, 2016 [This posting has been removed] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony F Posted January 17, 2016 Share Posted January 17, 2016 My "club" is run with an iron fist. Horrible to newbies and long timers and is the reason I don't go anymore. Tony Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Harris - Moderator Posted January 17, 2016 Share Posted January 17, 2016 No chance of getting some of the put upon members together and some of you standing for the committee? Even one lone voice can start to change attitudes... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Former Member Posted January 17, 2016 Share Posted January 17, 2016 [This posting has been removed] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony F Posted January 17, 2016 Share Posted January 17, 2016 Hi Percy. The club is run by an old boys clique and nobody and I do mean nobody has a say in ANY matters. I've taken to staying at home. I have 9 models and 2 builds to start but haven't flown for over a year now. I wish I knew of a site near me for lone fliers but not easy in London my confidence is totally shot after the experiences of this "club"TonyEdited By Tony F on 17/01/2016 15:27:23 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erfolg Posted January 17, 2016 Share Posted January 17, 2016 As a committee member, I find it hard to understand having a club club committee that is at odds with the membership. In my case I am the secretary simply because no one else would undertake the task. I reality it does not involve that much as a minimum. It is exactly the same with the treasurer, no one else would undertake the task, which is far more onerous. At present we are looking for a Chairman, which will temporally be undertaken by the Treasurer. The issue for all three posts is that the incumbents would all willingly stand aside for any member who really wants to undertake the role. I guess all clubs are different, in our clubs case the most demanding with respect to holding the club together, by creating and maintaining the club ethos is chairman. The role is also areal challenge as the chairman maintains and manages our relationship with the Farmer and hence indirectly with the NT. A comment has been made with respect that the role is seen as best suited to a retired group of individuals. At first sight this appears to be nonsense, yet on reflection, I know that in my case, it is true. When working, hobbies took second place to my work. Then there is the family being juggled with the priorities of work and family life. Where you know that without work and your role in the place of work, there is possibly no income for the family. Dedicating the time that is necessary to help running a club is a poor forth, As third would be undertaking the hobby. At present my task is to get our club on the Internet map, hopefully via the BMFA club section. Still work in process. Then there is the efforts to further develop our indoor flying, for our area. There is always something else to do. It is a job for the retired. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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