I am definitely in favour of paid membership to provide a fighting fund for the costs of protests, banners, etc. But I am in the 60 - 65 age range so when I renewed last week I felt I had no option but do a 3 year renewal. I would have preferred to be able to show support by being a lifetime member as I believe the trust is doing a great job. I would have been happy to pay say £20 for that option. So how about 20 quid for 60- 69 and over 70s free. Going forward the new members coming into these categories will be fairly low anyway as most will have done lifetime memberships earlier in their lives. Cheers
Let's hope, in the words oanother of their songs, that as far as the Allams ownership goes it's the last mile of the way.
Good idea, exactly the reason I only took out 3 years again, I'm 70, but wouldn't mind paying say £15 for life membership..
Come on guys, this is so indicative of why things take so long to sort or not get done at all. Of course there are some who don't quite fit one of the boxes but there are three price options just pick one, you could get run over by a bus tomorrow. ( I do hope not though )
I joined of the 3rd of May 3 year option. I got a confirmation from PayPal of the payment by email but haven't heard anything else either via email or post. Does anyone know if you/the trust received my application. (the payment went through). I'm not worried about getting a card or the badges but I'd like to know the trust got the money for your war chest.
Yeah we'll have got it. Apart from anything else I remember the secretary mentioning a membership application had come from Sweden. Maybe our website needs to give more clear confirmations or something because a few people have been unsure on whether it's worked.
Allam will be laughing at some of this - some people want him to spend £10 million / £20 million / £40 million and yet start going on about less than £20 when it comes out of their own pocket - i'm over 60 and paid the full lot - so what, if I die early I don't suppose I'll give two ****ing hoots whether I could have got away with a couple of quid by signing up for a shorter period
Is £40 really such an obstacle to life membership? I fail to see how some seem to be equating it to their life expectancy, surely it is an emotional and supportive gesture, rather than a financial one - asking for it to be reduced by £15 - £20 is a tad tight, are they really that hard up... ...I would totally oppose free life membership without voting rights (partner benefits are unimportant in this context), it would be a flagrant misrepresentation of Trust membership commitment and unity. ... I would hope everyone expects that all members get their badge, etc. in the same way; it's a necessary measure of the Trust's administration efficiency - which seems to be spot on. I get the fact that they are not required by some, so maybe a simple tick-box, opting out of them being posted, would save money for the Trust - an email membership verification should suffice for many.
For some it is purely about cost, if you are reliant on just the government pension then every penny counts, and it maybe a more effective way of getting the older supporter on board if there is a lower cost life membership. £40 to you and me may be not a big amount, but to some it is a lot of money.
A life membership to the Trust, for little more than a ticket to Wednesday away, seems like decent value to me.
I think the total cost is affordable for those who want it (ticket price is?), but the reductions mentioned, £15 - £20, are of very little significance. It's not about you or me, it's about a derisory reduction that would not even amount to 39p/week if saved over a year. I think the suggestion is demeaning to pensioners. It would be interesting looking back at the arguments made for pensioners not needing a concession, or much of one, when it comes to membership and tickets. It really is a nonsense, to be honest.
John, an older supporter living on just the state pension probably won't be thinking about any sort of membership at all. A lot of pensioners are actually better off these days than working folk so £40 to them isn't really a big deal. If there was a way of identifying genuinely hard up pensioners I'd say give them free life membership, but I don't think there is.
Well, we will leave it there, I was just trying to make the point that it might increase the HSCT membership if there was a cheaper life membership price for S.C. I paid for 3 memberships, myself, my son and Grandson, and actually feel a life membership of £40 is good value, but for myself paid for 3 years, as I am the wrong side of 70, and decided to go that way. At the end of the day whatever you decide to do, then it is a great thing to be part of, and whether you pay for one, or three year or go for life membership is a personal decision, but for me the important thing is that you join.