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Applied to join an RSPB Local Members Group (1 Viewer)

IAN JAMES THOMPSON

IAN JAMES THOMPSON

Well-known member
As I'm a member of the RSPB, I've just applied to one of there local members groups and I'm going to join one in Newcastle in Tyne And Wear. Is anyone else on these forums a member of an RSPB Local Members Group.
Ian.
 
IAN JAMES THOMPSON said:
As I'm a member of the RSPB, I've just applied to one of there local members groups and I'm going to join one in Newcastle in Tyne And Wear. Is anyone else on these forums a member of an RSPB Local Members Group.
Ian.
Click to expand...

The RSPB closed down our local Members' Group some years ago because we weren't making enough money on sales of cards, badges etc.!! :C It was a flourishing group of many people.

We joined the local Field Naturalists' Society

Sandra
 
I was a member from the start of my birding until I got into regular twitching and then I just wasn't around when they had trips.

Coffee mornings just didn't work for me - still don't.

John
 
I've been a local group member but not now: the nearest is too far away and I'm too idle to start one.
They vary, I think: the best are good fund-raisers for RSPB, and have regular meetings with talks, walks, etc that can be good fun, allow you to meet like-minded people and learn a lot.
Hope you enjoy it.
 
davercox said:
I've been a local group member but not now: the nearest is too far away and I'm too idle to start one.
They vary, I think: the best are good fund-raisers for RSPB, and have regular meetings with talks, walks, etc that can be good fun, allow you to meet like-minded people and learn a lot.
Hope you enjoy it.
Click to expand...

I've just sent my money for membership of the Local Group on Thursday just gone and I've applied for a 3 year membership which you get as well as a one year membership and it works out per year slightly cheaper. The indoor meeting are held in the centre of Newcastle, which means I can the local Metro Train service to get there and it runs regularly in the evening every 5 minutes until very late. So I'm quite lucky by that.;);)
Ian.
 
Last edited:
I'm a member of the Newcastle group too :t:

I first joined years ago when it was a monthly meeting in the Civic Centre and my hubby loved those meetings - he still talks about the slide show about Extremadura!
Sadly since moving up to Northumberland I haven't been able to get to many meetings - first of all through my late work shifts and now, not working, because I'm broke :-C
Once we escape the cesspit that is Alnwick and return to Tyneside I fully intend to get along to ALL the meetings once more o:)

Have you ever been on any of the field trips yet Ian? Definitely well worth doing as everyone is really friendly and helpful.
 
Gill Osborne said:
I'm a member of the Newcastle group too :t:

I first joined years ago when it was a monthly meeting in the Civic Centre and my hubby loved those meetings - he still talks about the slide show about Extremadura!
Sadly since moving up to Northumberland I haven't been able to get to many meetings - first of all through my late work shifts and now, not working, because I'm broke :-C
Once we escape the cesspit that is Alnwick and return to Tyneside I fully intend to get along to ALL the meetings once more o:)

Have you ever been on any of the field trips yet Ian? Definitely well worth doing as everyone is really friendly and helpful.
Click to expand...
Why where the meetings reduced to quarterly instead of monthly, because it seems as though most local groups have monthly indoor meetings but not Newcastle.
Ian.
 
I'm not sure. When they were monthly they were organised by a lovely guy and his wife but they retired and since then they've been quarterly :smoke: I think it's probably because it's hard to find folks who'll help out on the commitee or at meetings on a regular basis. If I lived closer I'd help out but living up here and, these past few years, working six/seven days a week totally snookered me getting to meetings :-C
Hopefully in the next year or two I'll move house and will be closer.

Have you seen the website? http://www.rspb.org.uk/groups/newcastle
 
Gill Osborne said:
I'm not sure. When they were monthly they were organised by a lovely guy and his wife but they retired and since then they've been quarterly :smoke: I think it's probably because it's hard to find folks who'll help out on the commitee or at meetings on a regular basis. If I lived closer I'd help out but living up here and, these past few years, working six/seven days a week totally snookered me getting to meetings :-C
Hopefully in the next year or two I'll move house and will be closer.

Have you seen the website? http://www.rspb.org.uk/groups/newcastle
Click to expand...

Yes I knew they existed and I asked for further detail via email using that site. I doubt ill be able to go on many of the field trips as I'm disabled and on benefit and I don't have alot of money. But I will certainly go to the indoor meetings. Just waiting to hear from them, but it will probably be after Tuesday with the Easter bank holiday weekend.
Ian.
 
Whilst not an active member of our local RSPB members group, I can answer the question on frequency of meetings from my own experience as chairman of my professional body's local group.
There are a number of points that impact on the frequency of meetings,
  1. The size of the committee as organising speakers/slide presentations takes time and effort. One person alone can only do so much.
  2. The availability of GOOD speakers and slide shows.
  3. The availability of decent venues- from both cost and convenience points of view.
In our case we have a 4 person committee and find it hard enough to properly organise 4 meetings per annum, given more bodies on the committee the possibility of more meetings would be available.
 
Sandra (Taylor) said:
The RSPB closed down our local Members' Group some years ago because we weren't making enough money on sales of cards, badges etc.!! :C It was a flourishing group of many people.

We joined the local Field Naturalists' Society

Sandra
Click to expand...

I'm sorry Sandra but this is anti-RSPB tosh. I was a local committee member for a number of years and raising money through sales was never an issue.

Getting volunteers to help was!!!

I suggest your group closed down because the people who did volunteer decided enough was enough and closed it because they were fed up with the thankless tasks they had to manage all by themselves without any 'new blood' willing to help.

They give up their time, pay for the venues, pay for guest speakers etc. If they're not paying their way by selling enough raffle tickets etc. they close.
 
redeyedvideo said:
I'm sorry Sandra but this is anti-RSPB tosh. I was a local committee member for a number of years and raising money through sales was never an issue.

Getting volunteers to help was!!!

I suggest your group closed down because the people who did volunteer decided enough was enough and closed it because they were fed up with the thankless tasks they had to manage all by themselves without any 'new blood' willing to help.

They give up their time, pay for the venues, pay for guest speakers etc. If they're not paying their way by selling enough raffle tickets etc. they close.
Click to expand...

Sorry Dave - you're wrong in this instance. We had a big group of members and there was no shortage of volunteers for all tasks. I spoke to the RSPB guy who was present that last evening and the reasons for closure was as I have stated.

.... and I really am not anti-RSPB. That evening was the only time I didn't really like the way they went about things. All forgotten now!

Sandra
 
Sandra
I surprised about your locak group closure, was it in West Yorkshire? I was curious as which had closed so I've just checked the RSPB website and it appears that there are still 4 RSPB local groups in West Yorkshire.
My local group meets in Huddersfield but regret I'm not a member.
 
Sandra (Taylor) said:
Sorry Dave - you're wrong in this instance.
Sandra
Click to expand...

Sandra, please accept my apology, it must have been different in my local group as we were autonomous and operated as a service to other RSPB members in the area. Any excess from the sales of nuts, seed or Christmas cards etc. was given to the RSPB and we were thanked heartily for our contribution.

If your local group operated in another way and was costing the RSPB to run it then that must have been the reason for its closure as the members' fees should go to conservation.

Once again, apologies if I'm out of line here, I'm no longer a member but intend to re-join soon.
 
If your local group operated in another way and was costing the RSPB to run it then that must have been the reason for its closure as the members' fees should go to conservation.

~~~~~~

Perhaps the RSPB paid the cost of the meeting room in which case it would have been a chunk out of the profits of seed, card, books etc. But there must have been 30 odd regular members attending meetings so we were saddened that it closed.

No need for an apology Dave but thanks all the same.

We have a great deal to thank that closure for, as we met some great friends at the Field Naturalists group we joined instead.

Sandra
 
Robert Wallace said:
Sandra
I surprised about your locak group closure, was it in West Yorkshire? I was curious as which had closed so I've just checked the RSPB website and it appears that there are still 4 RSPB local groups in West Yorkshire.
My local group meets in Huddersfield but regret I'm not a member.
Click to expand...

No Robert - not a Yorkshire group. I think the title was Rochdale RSPB Members' Group or may have been Rochdale & Bury Members' Group. We were closer to this Lancashire group than the nearest Yorkshire one which I suppose would be Halifax, living just half a mile from the Lancashire border.
 
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