group membership

[Admin]

Hi all

Did you know that the group membership is dire.

We have tried our best to do everything to improve the group, but sadly the economic climate is having a terrible effect on us.

If you enjoyed the show and are not a member please join.

As I said in our last newsletter. Our Arabians need you.

Arab Horse Society Members £14
Non – AHS Members £16.00
Family (for 2 members)£20.00
Each Additional Family Member £2.00
(N.B. Family members must reside at the same address)


Lets build the ranks and make our Arabian group strong again. In 1965 the group had 105 members. Today we have just 65.

It would be great if we can boost this by just only 40 members up to 105 again.

please help if you can.

www.arab-horses-scotland.co.uk/arab_horse_society_scotland_membership.shtml

;D

[helen11]

Sorry to hear that - especially in view of the quality of the two annual shows. What a shame it would be if the group folded.

[jbarabians]

That is very sad, hope more people join.

Is there anything else we can do? Could we not raise money by doing something?

[buster]

Just filled out a membership form and will post tomorrow, so only 39 to go, seriously though the membership is very cheap, when you compare the cost of BHS membership etc.

[dante]

Agree membership is very reasonable!

Thing is you dont HAVE to be a member to compete at the Group shows, so some people dont bother though you do get reduced entry fees

But there is the Points Championship, and the Annual Lunch & AGM where there are always good speakers, and i think now that there are a couple of clinics being organised a year, it goes to show just what good value it is

Really, i feel that if you have an Arab or PBA in Scotland, you really should join to support the Group

[joycehmelvin]

Maybe we should be like the agricultural shows and force people to be members to attend the show or make so that its worth joining to get a lower entry fee for the shows.

[mamadarcy]

Can we perhaps target the people who we have lost by sending a letter inviting them back?

[lindsay]

I was a member but felt that there was not really much point as I do not show very often - although granted I am going to the northern show this year! But most events, meetings etc take place down in southern scotland which isnt really practical for someone based in morayshire. Yes it may be the most central point but perhaps a few more things up here would help as I know a few people who have not rejoined mainly for this reason. Just my thoughts

[Admin]

Here is a big question. A couple in fact.

What can we do better. ?

What do you want from the group.?

What would bring new members to the group.?


We do care and we want to do our best for everyone.
Thanks Buster for Joining, we are a fantastic group. And I have found out myself that in a short period of time with the group I have made great friends , This goes way beyond any membership fee

I had thought of listing everything we do already, but then I thought. there must be more we can do.

Lindsay, thanks for posting. It shows you are intrested and care about Arabs . Please email me with what you would like in your area.

please help with this everyone, you can email me if you do not want to post something.

yours
Stuart

[e-mail]

[rosebud]

I've been posting about the shows on my facebook and also the facebook page for promoting the browbands. I put a thing on my facebook page the other day actually asking people to support the group and also telling some of my equestrian friends about the northern show schedule being online. I would love to do a bit more to help the group and wouldn't mind doing some advertising for the group, but at this time i don't want to be on a comittee as i simply don't have the time with the baby and trying to get my new buisiness going, but anything i can do to help as far as making up advertising and things, i would be most willing to do It is a great group, i have thoroughly enjoyed my time being a member, and without the hard work of the comittee and of course the members, it wouldn't exist. I think that more should be aware of the group and what it offers noth and south of the border. Before joining up last year before hearing people talking about the group through trusted forums i go on, i was oblivious to the fact that there was such a group in existence. So perhaps awareness of the group is something which really needs to be focussed on and worked on Just my thoughts

[ribrabs]

Like Lindsay, I was a member a few years ago. I tried to help and put idea's forward to the chairwoman at the time and it was constantly ignored or she pulled my ideas apart. One of my idea's was a decent forum site, like you have now which could have been used to inform members of what was happening etc. as it appeared that a lot of events and outings that the committee were trying to organise were not attended by members, but she didn't seem to have quite the vision that the current committee have, so I left.

I'm heartened by what I have read and seen over the last couple of years so will rejoin. As Buster says the membership fee is very reasonable when you look at other societies. Will get my membership off tomorrow. In fact I might just do family membership and add my OH in!!

[jbarabians]

Perhaps we should make it that if you arnt a member you cant use the forum?
At the end of the day people can advertise on here anything they like and not charged for it - so non members can put their horse up for sale where most places you would have to either be a member or pay for the privalege.

I also feel slightly concerned that after the group show I got a facebook message once home from someone that WASNT there saying they heard they hadnt missed much?!!!!
Well if you werent there not sure how you would know that.
The show was in fact a great success with stunning horses competing against each other.

For £16 a year come on it isnt going to break the bank.

I dont think I can afford any time being on the commitee as my uni takes up alot of my free time, however if I could be of any further help with anything else please ask.

[Admin]

Ribrabs, great if you will re join

when I stood up at the AGM , I tried to share my vision of the group. I asked for talented people could come forward and be part of the committee or as part of the sub committee.

The sub committee can cover many things, like helping with adverts, writing articles or offering training to others ,helping arrange days out to a beach ride for example.

A sub committee member can play a very important role but not have to attend meetings, being on email does help.
Lynn Scott Cockle runs the northern show and Joyce does the website and points championship, but they are sub members.

Through having sub committee it helps the group extends our reach to others as Scotland sure is a big beautiful place.

[fee]

I've been a member for two years now and tbh I wouldn't even think of not being one now! Is there a way you can reach out to folks who have pure and part arabs, as maybe they don't know about the group?

I see your point re not letting non members on the forum jb, serc do this, but it's a double edged sword. Many folks may join if they are coming on here and joining in. Maybe send them a membership form after they log in their details?

Well, I have a bit of a cheek to comment at all given I joined the committee and then had to leave! Sorry again I'm now 'getting there' and tentatively poking my head out the rabbit hole. Although I can't commit to meetings I'd love to help in some way via the computer?? Hopefully when I'm fully back I'll get back into it all again as I really want to.

I'd be happy to be on sub committee or just help out in some way. Thanks again Stuart and everyone who keeps it together and helps, we really appreciate it!


Fee

[dante]

I think there needs to be more going on regionally, if possible.

The main problem to me is the large geographical area that the Group covers, as its a long way for members at each end of the country to attend things that put on 'centrally'. Would it be possible to split the groups activities - of course members could go to both if they wanted

I'd be interested in things like clinics and talks - doesnt have to be on a regular basis, but 2 or 3 times a year?

[ribrabs]

Snap Kath, I would totally agree with you! Its a hard one I know with insufficient members, but perhaps we could encourage more members if there was more going on regionally. Perhaps the group should do what RC's do and have it a stipulation of membership that you help at one event each year, that way it doesn't always fall to the same people to have to organise events?

[shanniesgirl]

I will rejoin. I haven't been able to get out and about for various reasons but I have enjoyed watching what I could of the show this year. It's a sight for sore eyes when you see all these horses together and it would be sad to see the group collapse. I don't think you can afford to stop people coming if they are not a member for various reasons which I won't go on about. Perhaps you need to look at doing some different things which might interest other people and also highlight how versatile the arabian can be. I know the main interest of the group seems to be showing but there's a lot of people out there who are not so sure and are put off the initial expense. Finally I must congratulate the organisers and people who have put in so much work particularly over last few shows and clinics. It's been great!

[buster]

I received my newsletters via email over the weekend , and the information in it was great, well done to all those who contributed as it was very interesting and took me a lot longer to read than my RC newsletter

Regional clinic or training days would be great.

I must add that if it wasn't for the forum that I would have had no idea that it was struggling so it is useful way for non members to find out such information. I think Fees idea to let people join the forum but to send out a membership form once the have log on would be a good idea

I hope that people will respond and join now they know the group circumstances

And also thanks for the warm welcome

[rosebud]

Jun 13, 2010 15:49:03 GMT Admin said:

Ribrabs, great if you will re join

when I stood up at the AGM , I tried to share my vision of the group. I asked for talented people could come forward and be part of the committee or as part of the sub committee.

The sub committee can cover many things, like helping with adverts, writing articles or offering training to others ,helping arrange days out to a beach ride for example.

A sub committee member can play a very important role but not have to attend meetings, being on email does help.
Lynn Scott Cockle runs the northern show and Joyce does the website and points championship, but they are sub members.

Through having sub committee it helps the group extends our reach to others as Scotland sure is a big beautiful place.

I wasnt at the AGM to hear that as it was too close to my due date for Holly to risk travelling all that distance on my own.

I would, in that case, like to be part of a sub comittee. I can do things and have a task if it means that i can work on it from home. I have to juggle my house, horses, baby, and business in a managable routine when my OH is offshore which is quite often, especially in the summer so wouldn't be able to fully comitt to meeting and things as a full blown comittee member. But if i can offer something to the group i would like that.

I have put a couple of threads on other forums about the northern show and enticing others to join our group. I hope no one minds, i just thought it might spread the word a bit.

Another thing that sprung to my mind as an idea for gaining support would be if there was any way of having a trade stand at some of the agricultural shows promoting the groups merchandise and offering membership, i would be happy to go on a trade stand all day promoting the group as i think it would be a fine day out, mind you i have no idea how much the stand fee would be at an agricultural show, even if it were horse shows that there was a wee stand at. Likewise, with the browbands i am planning on doing some trade stands in the future so when i do get round to doing that i would gladly promote the group too with fliers and membership forms.

[dante]

Do you have much of an endurance presence? Just a thought - a very good friend of mine does a lot of endurance (though not with an Arab) and i know a lot of the people that are involved with it have pure or part breds, but i'm not sure that the Group does a lot for them...everything seems to be showing-based