[quote name="nigel leyland"]Do membership fees put off prospective members?[/quote]
As a new member who only paid the membership fee two days ago, and in a past life having been the recuiting officer for a TA squadron, I'm probably qualified to comment
The short answer I believe is No, it doesn't.
It's lots of things. It's not just a payment for the purchase of hi-vis vest and other items. It's a commitment, almost a rite of passage. Time is money. You're asking people to give up many hours of their leisure or working time to do productive work unpaid. As well as that, if they're going to do it well, then most will spend something on the extra bits of kit that will help them in the job that they wouldn't normally otherwise purchased. With the sort of organisation we are, with members spread out all over the place, we're always going to have to fork out a few bob here and there for fuel whenever we meet up for non-operational reasons like training as well. If someone isn't prepared to give a little to help others, then they probably aren't the right sort of person for this sort of organisation.
I'm not rolling in dosh myself, but for the price of a slab of beer it's not going to break the bank. Charities don't have endless resources of cash or manpower, and getting new applicants from initial contact to being working members doesn't just cost money but also diverts time from operations. I'd like to feel that everyone in the team is here not just for the jollies, but to provide a service that we can all be proud of. If it puts a few off, then so be it, but it's far better to have one committed person, than 10 who are only here for what they can get, rather than what they can give.
(The above is just a 'brain dump' so read the gist and not the detail.)
