Yes sorry John, Warren is correct it was not aimed at you but at various people on some of the big 4x4 forums.

On the subject of what you get for your money, that which can be directly attributable to a single member:



Third Party Liability Insurance £2.10

Membership card approximately £1.00



That's £3.10 then.



Less attributable costs are:



Proportion of National Membership, £25 divided by number of Members (30 at present so about 84p - this will obviously change in time)



Newsletter (free for most as sent online but members without internet access get printed/posted copies - about £1 per member per year)



Postage, packing and printing for membership pack (again less for some as some is sent online and many collect ID cards etc at the monthly meet about £1 per member)



Cost of running our website about £2.99 and Domain name purchase about 27p



So that looks like £9.20.



So it looks like we are making a surplus of 80p per member http://www.4x4response.info/forum/pu...IR#>/blink.gif



But.....



In the near future we will be holding our AGM which requires the hire of a venue (we have outgrown the pub and competing with the Darts team is not ideal!) Cost of that about £1.40



So we are up to £10.60



Then the intention is to give every member a couple of stickers when the become a responder (never been able to afford it before) about £1



Then I have a plan for a comprehensive member's handbook in a ring binder; cost about £4



So we are now up to £15.60 per member



Yet our membership fee is only £10.



And then there are the further plans...



Training? which even at it's most basic level will require the hire of a venue.



Hi Vis vests for members for use in the summer



More uniform e.g. polo shirts, t-shirts



Fundraising equipment (display stands, an E-Z Up, collecting boxes) OK so if we raise money it will help but we will need a lot of these up front. And then they will need insuring against loss.

As a new member I paid £15 to join-no problem with that, I realise there are overheads ,etc,

I would like to see a standardised fee across the country though.

Unless I'm missing something overheads are the same for all groups?

I have also paid £15 for a days off-roading tuition,again I realise overheads are involved and a lot of people volunteered their time to make this happen.

Personally I have no problem with this £30 outlay.

Some people however might think it strange that I have paid out£30 to be a volunteer and all I have to show for it is a dashing hi-viz tabard! http://www.4x4response.info/forum/pu..._e_biggrin.gif

Depends on the individual.

Something that does concern me is our local policeman has never heard of 4x4 response-why not?

Finally,to all the people- anonymous or otherwise- who are making this group happen for the right reasons-thank you.

Mark



Overheads are not necessarily the same, as they may be subject to local conditions. Some groups provide more than others to members and this is down to their individual financial situation.



Some groups have been lucky enough to gain sponsorship or have been awarded grants from lottery funding, others have not.



Whilst we try hard to present the 4x4 Response Network as a unified brand across the British Isles we must remember that it is a network of independently run teams, all with our own ideas but with a common aim i.e. to deliver reliable transport and logistical solutions to emergency responders in any type of emergency or major incident but as a result we will always have local differences.



As to why local Police Officers have never heard of us, this doesn't surprise me in the least. Although as an organisation and as groups we engage regularly with the Police forces, it is often at a relitively high level and it has always been the case that this rarely filters down to the "front line".



Here in Hertfordshire, I am aware that at least three of the Assistant Chief Constable Constables hass heard of us but would doubt if many more Constables know who we are. It is usually only after direct contact with any member of the Emergency Services that they are truly aware of us.



It is likely to be a long time before we are engrained in the public conciousness to such a degree that "everyone" knows what 4x4 Response is and what it does.



Mountain Rescue Teams are often cited as a similar service that is popularly known and we would like to achieve equal levels of recognition amongst the public. However I was surprised recently when talking to some senior colleagues in the NHS, who had never heard of Mountain Rescue. The fact is they don't go into mountainous areas, holidays are spent on a beach and to them, walking is what you do from your front door to the car. Therefore MRTs had never entered their conciousness.



Mind you I once worked with someone who went on holiday to the Lake District for the first time. On his return he was amazed to find it had mountains too, previously he had no idea there were hills in between the lakes http://www.4x4response.info/forum/pu..._e_biggrin.gif

[quote name='Tony Ferrari' date='04 February 2010 - 02:18 PM' timestamp='1265293131' post='11718']

Mind you I once worked with someone who went on holiday to the Lake District for the first time. On his return he was amazed to find it had mountains too, previously he had no idea there were hills in between the lakesÂ*http://www.4x4response.info/forum/pu..._e_biggrin.gif

[/quote]



You could have really confused him and pointed out that although there are many hills and mountains in the lake district, there is actually only one lake ! http://www.4x4response.info/forum/pu...on_mrgreen.gif

Indeed!

Tony

Thanks for clarification.

My perception was different about the group - I saw it as one large group made up of different geographical areas but realise now that groups are quite disparate-to the point that certain areas have funding and others not.

Thanks again for explanation

Mark

No worries



The intention is to give the impression of a seamless organisation, whilst allowing independant running of local groups.



The model for this is the RNLI, that most would think are a single National organisation, whereas in fact they have a high level of local independance. Mind you they have been running a bit longer than us http://www.4x4response.info/forum/pu..._e_biggrin.gif



122 years by my calculation http://www.4x4response.info/forum/pu...IR#>/laugh.gif

[quote name='Mark Brynamman' date='05 February 2010 - 02:35 PM' timestamp='1265380534' post='11734']

Tony

Thanks for clarification.

My perception was different about the group - I saw it as one large group made up of different geographical areas but realise now that groups are quite disparate-to the point that certain areas have funding and others not.

Thanks again for explanation

Mark

[/quote]





Mark



Love the profile Picture.



Sorry Im off marathon again http://www.4x4response.info/forum/pu...n_rolleyes.gif

[quote name='Russ WE15 Wessex' date='05 February 2010 - 04:33 PM' timestamp='1265387633' post='11737']

[quote name='Mark Brynamman' date='05 February 2010 - 02:35 PM' timestamp='1265380534' post='11734']

Tony

Thanks for clarification.

My perception was different about the group - I saw it as one large group made up of different geographical areas but realise now that groups are quite disparate-to the point that certain areas have funding and others not.

Thanks again for explanation

Mark

[/quote]





Mark



Love the profile Picture.



Sorry Im off marathon again http://www.4x4response.info/forum/pu...n_rolleyes.gif

[/quote]