steve too Posted November 2, 2024 Share Posted November 2, 2024 The BMFA have published accounts and budget at https://agm.bmfa.uk/documents. The budget is not the detailed one that has been published in previous years. The membership continues to drop (27,361 for '24). Proposed adult fees for next year are £49. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john stones 1 - Moderator Posted November 2, 2024 Share Posted November 2, 2024 Had a quick look, would think the £2 increase will get the nod, two parts on accounts (I think) not my strong point, I may be back with questions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cuban8 Posted November 2, 2024 Share Posted November 2, 2024 (edited) My guess will be a rise to £50 would be preferable - it's peanuts in the overall scheme of things..............two fish and chip suppers last night £25...... Should be a very interesting AGM 1.30pm start - got my on line observers ticket. Edited November 2, 2024 by Cuban8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrumpyGnome Posted November 2, 2024 Share Posted November 2, 2024 Looks a lot, but it's less than one months insurance for one of our dogs...... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john stones 1 - Moderator Posted November 2, 2024 Share Posted November 2, 2024 £2 isn't much that's true, issue for some is income stayed the same and the £2 or more, is going on everything, the peanuts add up. Suspect the floor may propose it though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Griff Posted November 2, 2024 Share Posted November 2, 2024 Still, money very well spent....worth every penny, even if only 4 bmfa news digital copy issues per year. Was £10 for 4 hard copies delivered to your door this year....but we did get a free Feb hard copy....🤓 Hope new version hard copy of bmfa handbook etc. delivered to my door along with the insurance certificate, included in the price ? The wife said the bus driver made an announcement this morning, " Halloween has gone now so you can all take your masks off please ! " 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve too Posted November 2, 2024 Author Share Posted November 2, 2024 To put the membership of 27361 into context, the last number that I saw for individual drone/model aircraft operators is 229140 (CAP 3035). As I said last year, increasing the fees in response to a falling membership is suicide. The BMFA should be looking to reduce expenditure and cut fees in order to attract some of the 88% of operators who aren't BMFA members. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john stones 1 - Moderator Posted November 2, 2024 Share Posted November 2, 2024 I think that's an interesting point, they have been doing cost cutting of late, and likely have for a number of years, out of interest where do you think cuts could be made. No idea who the 229140 are, but are they recruitable and if so how ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Griff Posted November 2, 2024 Share Posted November 2, 2024 Do cuts attract new membership ? Reduced membership fees would help to increase membership numbers one would think ? 88 percent of how many ? Maybe caa could give confirmation of total operater numbers as far as they know. We, bmfa members, are 12 percent ? 12 percent at a membership of 27, 361 ? The 88 percent, were do they get insurance from I wonder........and why not from the bmfa ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Lee Posted November 2, 2024 Share Posted November 2, 2024 Well, insurance is not compulsory but there are now alternatives to the BMFA such as: so potentially BMFA Membership numbers are becoming more sensitive to the fees. The BMFA Board took this into account in proposing the £2 fee increase. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john davidson 1 Posted November 2, 2024 Share Posted November 2, 2024 LMA are canvassing members re becoming associated to BMFA . possible saving ot £26,000 in insurance premiums apparently Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Gorham_ Posted November 2, 2024 Share Posted November 2, 2024 2 hours ago, Rich Griff said: Still, money very well spent....worth every penny, even if only 4 bmfa news digital copy issues per year. Was £10 for 4 hard copies delivered to your door this year....but we did get a free Feb hard copy....🤓 Hope new version hard copy of bmfa handbook etc. delivered to my door along with the insurance certificate, included in the price ? The wife said the bus driver made an announcement this morning, " Halloween has gone now so you can all take your masks off please ! " I'd hope that you might be able to save the BMFA some money and time in sending you a printed copy of the handbook, when you can instantly obtain it online, from their website for free. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Gray Posted November 2, 2024 Share Posted November 2, 2024 50 minutes ago, steve too said: increasing the fees in response to a falling membership is suicide Unfortunately I think it will become a fact of life. You can only reduce the core costs by so much then the membership will have to cover what remains. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cuban8 Posted November 2, 2024 Share Posted November 2, 2024 (edited) On the whole I think the BMFA are doing very well indeed in terms of keeping the association afloat and relevent. They've been somewhat conservative in their approach over the years, but that's been changing of late. The madness of posting a very costly regular hard copy magazine to all members has now thankfully stopped, as one example. There is really no need for any hard copy of anything to be sent to members these days. The elephants in the room are the declining membership numbers and the contentious matter of the Buckminster site. I hope Buckminster can survive in the longer term (doubt if I'll use it myself because of the distance) - certainly a wonderful job of work by the looks of things and a very rosy picture is painted of it. Unfortunately, I believe it'll eventually turn into a luxury that'll be unsustainable for the society to manage and fund properly - maybe an even more commercial approach will be needed, but then distancing itself from 'ordinary' members. I really hope not. Raising the BMFA membership fee will have very little worry to those in clubs - the cost of running a club that does its best to provide decent facilities for its members is costly. BMFA and club subs are all part of the deal - Most folks accept that because they see a return for their money in all sorts of ways. Getting those who do their own thing either individually or as a small group on a rough bit of pasture or over the park with minimal financial outlay do regard BMFA as no more than an insurance provider and may well look elsewhere. They are going to be hard to retain or to attract in the first place. No easy solutions. Edited November 2, 2024 by Cuban8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Griff Posted November 2, 2024 Share Posted November 2, 2024 Hi Alan, Quite so. 20p per a4 side print cost in library..... Mobile phone screen tiny along with iffy internet here.... A proper computer at the flying field, laptop, with internet, I do not have. An official bmfa hard copy would be good I feel, £5 per copy for a fully up to date 2025 edition ?? Else it's a library print out for me. Not quite a pocket book edition, rather an A4 folder just like last year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
payneib Posted November 2, 2024 Share Posted November 2, 2024 Our annual Buckminster holiday saves us more than the fees cost anyway. Hopefully I can continue to convince the family it's worth the effort, but I'm guessing they'll want to go somewhere hot eventually. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Gray Posted November 2, 2024 Share Posted November 2, 2024 Strange I thought that Buckminster was supposed to be self funding and not paid for by the membership. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Gray Posted November 2, 2024 Share Posted November 2, 2024 I think that most clubs are facing the same hard cold fact that membership is dwindling and that some time in the future (10 - 20 years) we will be an elite sport / hobby enjoyed by the few, where members are paying probably more than double what they currently pay for club membership. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
payneib Posted November 2, 2024 Share Posted November 2, 2024 10 minutes ago, Ron Gray said: Strange I thought that Buckminster was supposed to be self funding and not paid for by the membership. A week of camping for my family, during school summer holidays would cost £200+ at a "normal" campsite. It only costs us £102 for the same camping trip to Buckminster. Now I can afford a holiday AND membership. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevin b Posted November 2, 2024 Share Posted November 2, 2024 Yet another thread being overpopulated by whingers. "Get real" people ! Look around at other people's hobbies and their associated costs. Golf, Fishing, Football clubs, Photography, Cycling, Sailing, etc, etc, etc. As somebody once said. "air is free, but living is expensive". I am an ardent fan of doing things "economically" and a fully paid up Yorkshireman, with some Scottish ancestry. The fact is that in this day and age everything comes at a financial cost in our "green and pleasant land". It seems a lot of people struggle with their priorities and are not content to budget within their financial resources. It's never their fault ! As far as I am concerned the BMFA fees are worth a lot more than they charge, for the service they provide. Particularly for the insurance cover. Just look at general insurance costs for other things that aren't as potentialy life threatening. With regards to cost cutting. Rather than moan about it, why not contact the BMFA with helpful suggestions (or even non helpful ones). Instead of just being an armchair critic. I was also under the same impression as Ron regarding Buckminster funding. In fact it may be that the centre is now supporting the association, as they have sold Chackfield house and moved into offices at Buckminster ( although they do still rent some other office space for several long term staff ). A lot of people don't comprehend that we have had it "good" for so many years now, we have forgotten what it was like for previous generations. It will be a long time before we are as afluent again, I am sure. Rant over !!! 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RottenRow Posted November 2, 2024 Share Posted November 2, 2024 9 hours ago, steve too said: The BMFA have published accounts and budget at https://agm.bmfa.uk/documents. This link just brings up a password protected page for me. How are others managing to read the accounts? Brian. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Harris - Moderator Posted November 2, 2024 Share Posted November 2, 2024 https://agm.bmfa.uk/agm-documents Fill in your details and the password is emailed instantly. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john stones 1 - Moderator Posted November 2, 2024 Share Posted November 2, 2024 Maybe I need to go to Specsavers, thread looks pretty benign to me. 🥸 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Day Posted November 2, 2024 Share Posted November 2, 2024 Our club is 99% fixed wing with a few drone/quad chaps. The site, old airfield also has some old rough areas that would be great for the off road car/ jeep/truck gang but there's no interest from established members. My thought was offer a site for them, they tend to be younger, theyll hopefully see the flying side and some may be interested while all the time pulling extra funds in for the club. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Gray Posted November 2, 2024 Share Posted November 2, 2024 So do it Frank! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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