Search found 47 matches

by Bazza55
24 Dec 2022, 7:34pm
Forum: Cycling UK Topics and Discussions
Topic: Did anybody attend the CTC/CUK AGM?
Replies: 25
Views: 6963

Re: Did anybody attend the CTC/CUK AGM?

AndyK wrote: 4 Oct 2022, 11:11pm
Bazza55 wrote: 3 Oct 2022, 8:25pm Cycling UK don't really want members to show an interest in how the charity is run, which is why the AGM is held on a weekday when many people are at work. When it was the CTC, members were encouraged to attend the AGM and get involved, it was held over a weekend with organised rides, presentations and awards and moved around the country, as a result the attendance was far higher than now. The last thing the Trustees need is members trying to block, object, or interfere with anything they intend to do. Members are an inconvenient necessity they could do without, but they need the revenue from subscriptions.
You are muddling up cause and effect there. The vast majority of members drifted away long ago because most of them no longer had any interest in club formal dinners and awards and speeches (and blazers? I bet there used to be blazers) and people posturing in a conference room. They decided they had better things to do with their weekends.
That's not how I see it. I have attended three AGMs and helped host the 2012 AGM with Sue Cherry. We visited four different potential venues looking for somewhere large enough to cope with the numbers. Every attempt was made by the CTC to attract members to the event and the result was that on the Sunday we had to arrange four rides to cater for the numbers staying over the weekend. The truth is that once it changed to a charity and the new CEO was in place, the members were viewed as an irritant, so why should they want them at an AGM? It has nothing at all to do with blazers and posturing, more to do with the change to a top down driven organisation where money matters more than the members.
by Bazza55
3 Oct 2022, 8:25pm
Forum: Cycling UK Topics and Discussions
Topic: Did anybody attend the CTC/CUK AGM?
Replies: 25
Views: 6963

Re: Did anybody attend the CTC/CUK AGM?

Cycling UK don't really want members to show an interest in how the charity is run, which is why the AGM is held on a weekday when many people are at work. When it was the CTC, members were encouraged to attend the AGM and get involved, it was held over a weekend with organised rides, presentations and awards and moved around the country, as a result the attendance was far higher than now. The last thing the Trustees need is members trying to block, object, or interfere with anything they intend to do. Members are an inconvenient necessity they could do without, but they need the revenue from subscriptions.
by Bazza55
3 Jan 2022, 10:28pm
Forum: Cycling UK Topics and Discussions
Topic: Cycling events 2022
Replies: 4
Views: 4466

Re: Cycling events 2022

York Rally up and running for 2022, maintained and promoted by enthusiastic volunteers. https://yorkrally.org/
by Bazza55
21 Dec 2021, 9:42pm
Forum: Proposed Membership Changes - Discussion
Topic: Membership rates
Replies: 241
Views: 58669

Re: Membership rates

The membership has been bobbing around at the 50k to 75k for years now. I hear proclamations from the Trustees and staff that they intend to boost the membership to record breaking levels, yet it still stagnates. Compare this with British Cycling, an organisation that had a membership less that CUK before the 2012 AGM in Sheffield. Now British Cycling has a membership that is more than DOUBLE CUK's existing membership, boosted in part by many disillusioned ex CUK members. In reality, CUK has distanced itself from the members and is losing them as fast as it can recruit, what else did they expect? Is it just British Cycling that CUK members have converted to? NO- many other clubs have seen an increase in members, RSF and the National Clarion and others have also seen increases. I left the CUK in September this year and have joined the National Clarion, a club similar to the CTC as it was when I joined 1979, For £20 I get third party insurance, free legal representation, a magazine twice a year (that is not used for propaganda purposes to influence AGM votes) and membership discount at certain retailers. The Clarion is more apolitical these days and has 24 local groups, two years ago it had just 9 local groups so this gives you an indication of how fast the club is growing. Oh! and you don't have to wear a helmet. It is also democratic, anyone can put themselves forward as a committee member, you are not vetted to ascertain if you are 'suitable' to be forwarded for the ballot.
by Bazza55
21 Dec 2021, 8:16pm
Forum: Proposed Membership Changes - Discussion
Topic: Your Cycling UK membership expires today.
Replies: 34
Views: 17760

Re: Your Cycling UK membership expires today.

After 41 years membership, I have not renewed. I nearly took out life membership in 2005, thank goodness I didn't or I would have been trapped with them now. The Trustees and staff have no interest in the members and see them purely as a source of finance, which isn't really surprising when you have a CEO on a six figure salary, and treat senior members appallingly. I am now a member of the National Clarion, membership costs £20 per year, much cheaper than both BC and CUK and they don't insist I wear a helmet too. So many of us have left CUK that we are in the process of setting up our own local Clarion group, which is now starting to thrive.
by Bazza55
15 Aug 2021, 11:39pm
Forum: Cycling UK Topics and Discussions
Topic: Do you feel valued
Replies: 14
Views: 7143

Re: Do you feel valued

I think we WERE the club. The organisation is ran for money now and the members come well down the list of priorities. I always thought that the club could have valued and utilised the membership better when it was the CTC before it became a charity. Sadly it now views members as a source of revenue and at times treats them with contempt, hence the changes to subscription rates for older members and the cessation of CTC Holidays and Tours. So after 42 years of membership, being awarded volunteer of the year for Yorkshire and Humber in 2009 for the work I did for CTC and cycling in general, it is good bye from me, I will not be renewing my membership at the end of this month. I have now joined the National Clarion, membership costs me £20 instead of £48, I still receive 3rd party insurance and free legal representation. We are now in the process of setting up a local Clarion group and many of my friends who also feel betrayed are making the jump with me. Enjoy your Cycling UK.
by Bazza55
26 Apr 2021, 7:28pm
Forum: Cycling UK Topics and Discussions
Topic: Do you feel valued
Replies: 14
Views: 7143

Do you feel valued

"Do you feel 'valued' as a Cycling UK member?" If so, please say why, similarly if you feel CUK do not value you, also state the reason(s)?
by Bazza55
26 Dec 2020, 8:14pm
Forum: Does anyone know … ?
Topic: Booze cruises
Replies: 31
Views: 2897

Re: Booze cruises

In the past, our CTC group have cycled from Sheffield to Hull, via the north bank of the Humber and caught the ferry to Zeebrugge. After a day riding around Flanders, returned to Zeebrugge caught the same ferry back to Hull then crossed the Humber Bridge and cycled back to Sheffield on the south bank. Unfortunately, P and O Ferries announced a few weeks ago that the Hull to Zeebrugge ferry is to be discontinued, only the Rotterdam service will remain.
by Bazza55
9 Oct 2020, 7:27pm
Forum: Cycling UK Topics and Discussions
Topic: Cycle mag
Replies: 62
Views: 16861

Re: Cycle mag

I rarely read the magazine nowadays and I used to read it avidly, from cover to cover. The reason why is because it is being used as a political tool to influence voting and opinions and does not give balanced or contrary opinions on matters the Trustees want to see pushed through. For example: On page 14 of the August/September issue was an article explaining why Cycling UK needed to abolish the concessionary membership rate for over 65 year olds. They included a comment from a 72 year old West Sussex member who thought this was a great idea, despite this costing him £16 a year. Did the magazine carry a comment from another member who was against this increase to balance the debate? - No chance. Then to top it all, the October/November article on page 14 had an article named 'A vote for change' where Dan Howard and others had the opportunity to 'brag' about their success in getting the motion through to the detriment of long standing, senior members, totally insensitive and insulting. I used to pass my magazine on to my dentist for his waiting room, they now go in the bin where they belong.
by Bazza55
13 Aug 2020, 8:57pm
Forum: Proposed Membership Changes - Discussion
Topic: The age concession: a crisis of conscience
Replies: 80
Views: 18796

Re: The age concession: a crisis of conscience

Despite the fact that Cycling UK claim they researched members in the Bristol and Chester and N Wales areas regarding these changes, the evidence shows that they have created a storm.(How good was the research?) It is accepted fact that at a time when cycling is growing and membership of other national cycling organisation is seeing increases, Cycling UK figures have been stagnating along for 8 years or more (Since it became a charity actually) Not that Cycling UK are attracting new members, they are, but they can't keep them. Especially when the members wake up and realise that they are being treated as a necessary inconvenience. If these membership changes get through the AGM, the stagnation will cease at last, it will become a reversal over the next 12 months as members refuse to renew their membership, this may also include members under 65 who don't agree with the changes.
by Bazza55
10 Aug 2020, 9:38pm
Forum: Proposed Membership Changes - Discussion
Topic: The age concession: a crisis of conscience
Replies: 80
Views: 18796

Re: The age concession: a crisis of conscience

I have also voted against the membership charge revision, to me it isn't about money, it is about loyalty and recognition. I have been a fully paid member since 1980 and have paid the full subscription amount for 40 years. I have also volunteered and put my own time and money in trying to increase membership in my city, I was awarded a region volunteer of the year at the Chester AGM awards around 2009. To me it is about appreciation and valuing loyalty, to them it is about money. Before we talk of huge subscription increases, maybe we should start looking at the wages, perks and bonuses of Cycling UK staff? Don't forget at one time we had a Secretary, now we have a CEO.
by Bazza55
7 Aug 2020, 12:23pm
Forum: Proposed Membership Changes - Discussion
Topic: Membership changes suggest poor strategic management
Replies: 13
Views: 6944

Re: Membership changes suggest poor strategic management

The CTC membership has remained stagnant for a number of years now. The organisation loses members as fast as it recruits them and as far as I am aware, it is the only national cycling organisation that has not seen a growth.(BC, RSF, Clarion, Audax UK etc) The Trustees need to research the reasons why this is so, but I can offer them some help. Next year take a trip up to the York Cycle Rally and mingle with some of the cyclists on the knavesmire and talk to them, they will soon discover that many continue their membership, but reluctantly and others will say that they stopped renewing their membership in the last 8 years. They will quote two reasons for this 1) They can obtain cheaper third party insurance elsewhere 2) Since changing to a charity, the organisation have distanced themselves from the membership. I have met plenty of ex members that have since joined BC, but have yet to meet someone who has left BC to join the CTC. The membership subscription review and the increase of full subscription to 65 will see an exodus from the CTC and force even more members to seek alternative services with more membership friendly organisations.
by Bazza55
2 Apr 2020, 2:47pm
Forum: The Tea Shop
Topic: Obituaries
Replies: 7
Views: 662

Re: Obituaries

Have to agree totally with "Carpetcleaner". The decision to exclude obituaries from the magazine was another nail in the coffin (excuse the pun) of the CTC's (Cycling UK) reputation in the eyes of many of the members. It is also further evidence that the organisation treats members as a necessary inconvenience.
by Bazza55
1 Apr 2020, 8:49pm
Forum: Cycling UK Member Groups and Affiliates
Topic: Returning subscription allocation to HQ
Replies: 29
Views: 15558

Re: Returning subscription allocation to HQ

I trust that "in these very tough times" " return our subscription allocation asap" "so we can urgently deploy the funds elsewhere".
that things are so tough that bonuses are not being paid to the CEO and staff at CTC Head Office in Guildford?
by Bazza55
13 Mar 2020, 5:38pm
Forum: Cycling UK Topics and Discussions
Topic: Anybody going to apply?
Replies: 4
Views: 1482

Re: Anybody going to apply?

Reading through this, one crucial word has been missed by both Dan Howard and Paul Tuohy and that word is "Members". Other than Paul Tuohy claiming he "increased the membership" which is questionable, members or membership is missing and there lies the problem.
Bye Paul, shut the door on your way out.