Author: Andy Roberts

We have just started to send out long service stickers (green for 30 years, red for 40 years) to those of you who have been members for a long time. It is very gratifying to know that we have so many long-standing members; if you are one of them (140 in total – wow) then thank you ever so much for your loyalty! Special thanks – or perhaps it should be commiserations – to the 18 members who have been with us for 40 years or more. If you qualify for a sticker, it will be sent out with your membership card when you renew (we don’t send them out separately in order to save on our ever increasing postage costs). You will get mentioned in the “Order of Service” list in the issue of SIXappeal immediately after your membership is renewed. This may mean that you don’t receive your sticker or see your name in print immediately – but please be patient, your turn will come!

As you may have seen in SIXappeal, and as those who attended the AGM and heard the President talk about finances will know, the Register Board has had to make some very important and difficult decisions of late. Due to the ever increasing cost of materials, printing and in particular postage, the club was starting to run at a financial loss. That situation is obviously not sustainable, so changes were needed. After many hours of discussion the Board decided that membership subscriptions, the club’s main source of income, would have to be increased.

From 1st September 2023, annual membership subscription rates will be:
    • UK                                £35
    • Europe                       £40
    • Rest of the World  £50
Family membership (another member living at the same address) will still be £3 and the joining fee will remain at £6 (this will still be waived if joining or re-joining at one of the shows supported by the Register). There will also be a £4 discount available for taking out a two-year subscription.

For the very first time we will be offering Digital Membership, where you will receive your copy of SIXappeal electronically instead of getting a hard copy in the post. This will cost just £25, wherever in the world you live.

We still believe that membership of the Register is excellent value for money, with our award-winning magazine SIXappeal published six times a year, access to preferential insurance rates and benefits via our preferred broker Cherished Vehicle Insurance Services, discounts at spares suppliers and the National Week every year that is the envy of many other classic car clubs.

This wasn’t an easy decision for the Board to make, but subscription rates have remained the same for many years; the new subscription rates are one of the many ways in which we are trying to improve our financial footing.

New board positions were confirmed after today’s AGM. Sharon Furnell has retired, having served the club for many years – the last six as chairwoman. She will be missed!
Colin Radford is our new chairman, with Alan Chatterton as his deputy. Alan will continue to look after the club’s presence at shows. We welcome Mark and Jo Edgington to the board as our National Rally co-ordinators. Andrew and Christine Cheesman have agreed to look after the regalia and Amanda Radford will be the new advertising editor. Other positions are, for the moment, unchanged.

Several of our key officers, who have generously given some of their time over the years to help run our club, are retiring this year. We are looking for volunteers to do the following jobs:

• • Treasurer
  • Company Secretary
  • Regalia Officer
  • Advertising Editor

Although we have asked many times for volunteers to fill these posts, we have unfortunately had little response. These jobs are important; in particular, the club cannot run without a Treasurer and a Company Secretary. The Register is a limited company, which by law must have a Treasurer and a Secretary; if we cannot fill those posts, then the board would have to consider winding the club up, and that’s something we would obviously rather not have to do. The jobs may sound grand, but in reality do not take up all that much time. So come on, chaps – we have over 500 main members in the UK; surely one of you can spare a little time to help run the club? We’re a friendly bunch of people and it’s a satisfying thing to do. If you think you could help with one of the jobs, then please email the Chairwoman (Sharon) or the President (Andy) to find out more.
 
PLEASE HELP!!

We are disappointed to report that St Audries won’t be able to host our 2022 National as previously planned. We have managed to find a replacement site at Whitehill Country Park in Paignton for the same dates. This is where we held the hugely successful 2018 National. Everyone who booked for the National will receive an email or letter advising them of the change and options. Andy, Maggie, Colin and Amanda are working with Whitehill Park to gather prices and info. We thank members for their patience whilst we get this sorted and look forward to holding an excellent National in 2022.

The website membership shop has been updated. We hope that the new version will be easier to use, clearer and have fewer problems.

If you have a problem with the shop (we hope you won’t!) then please email the Webmaster and we’ll try to resolve it as soon as possible.