Search found 85 matches

by Barred1
1 Jul 2021, 3:58pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: What is CUK doing for us?
Replies: 148
Views: 16027

Re: What is CUK doing for us?

mjr wrote: 30 Jun 2021, 11:43pm
"a group of trusted suppliers" sounds a lot like affiliate marketing deals ahead.
I wonder how much CTC/CUK will take as a perecentage from the group of "trusted suppliers"?
by Barred1
1 Jun 2021, 12:18pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: What is CUK doing for us?
Replies: 148
Views: 16027

Re: What is CUK doing for us?

PH wrote: 1 Jun 2021, 11:33am
slowster wrote: 1 Jun 2021, 10:56am
PH wrote: 31 May 2021, 10:14pmIt's a relatively small organisation, with limited funds
If CUK is to be much more effective,
I'm not sure you have a full understanding of the implications of being a charity. I'm not an expert, but the ideas you put forward are exactly what those opposing the conversion were saying wouldn't be possible, in short, that the membership would not be able to direct the trustees.
They can (As thirdcrank demonstrates above) ask for donations for a specific purpose, but that isn't the same as the membership subscription.
Plus - I can't find a source, but I'm sure I've read that in countries where cycling is more popular, a smaller percentage of those cycling are members of any cycling organisation. Most people simply don't see a need for them to be a member, not for £50, not for £10. Just look at all the threads on here, people tend to view their membership in terms of what they get, not what it might do for the good of cycling generally. I do sympathise with those who really can't afford a quid a week, but I don't know any.
Charities absolutely hate "restricted funds" - i.e. funds raised for a specific purpose . . arguing that it is potentially inefficient (for examples at either end of the spectrum : they don't raise enough and can't finish the target task OR they raise too much and can't reallocate the surplus cash)
I've had some involvement with national cancer related charities and they get "local committees" (volunteer branches) demanding that the funds they raise are spent in their area . . . clearly unrealistic.
For a small outfit like CTC to have restricted funding would be unproductive.
by Barred1
31 May 2021, 7:34pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: What is CUK doing for us?
Replies: 148
Views: 16027

Re: What is CUK doing for us?

Psamathe wrote: 31 May 2021, 4:15pm
Mick F wrote: 31 May 2021, 3:14pm I've become tired of CUK and will not be renewing my membership this year.

Been on direct debit of years and years but since the demise of CTC and the birth of CUK, I've become more and more disillusioned by the organisation.

Changed to annual renewal instead of "automatic" and when they send me a renewal form, I'll be ignoring it.

Here's a strange thing.
My membership expires on 1st July 2022 as I have a card to prove it.
We haven't reached 1st July 2021 yet, so how does my membership ............. that I haven't paid for since July 2020 ............... actually work?

Wot's goin' on?
Why not briefly send them an e-mail saying you wont be renewing and your reasons. It'll only take you a few moments and might hlep them identify aspects they are overlooking (or might be completely ignored in which case you'll only have wasted a few minutes).

Even with companies that make such a mess of something that I'll never do business with them again, I'll normally still tell them why (e.g. a brief e-mail). When working we always welcomed complaints as no company gets everything right and most customers where you go wrong just silently go elsewhere so somebody telling you what is wrong, pointing out where you need to improve should be taken as helping you to avoid the same mistakes again (and silently losing more customers).

Ian
I think that horse has bolted - CTC/CUK hasn't taken any notice of the thoughts or feelings of the paying membership for about 15 years (my membership ceased in about 2014 when the CTC group I belonged to opted out and went to a normal cycling club model)
by Barred1
26 May 2021, 7:57pm
Forum: Lands End to John O'Groats
Topic: End to End book, out Thurs 1 April
Replies: 44
Views: 6560

Re: End to End book, out Thurs 1 April

philvantwo wrote: 25 May 2021, 1:48pm Bit of a confusing book, first you're writing about riders on penny farthings, then you've set off from Lands end to Bristol and next you've gone back 100 years!
I've bought a few books in my time and only kept a few, one of the best was Alan Sugar's book.
Agreed, disappointing - especially when compared with other E2E tomes - glad I didn't pay for the copy I read.
by Barred1
26 May 2021, 7:54pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: What is CUK doing for us?
Replies: 148
Views: 16027

Re: What is CUK doing for us?

With you 100% Chris

BUT in today's information age it's not too difficult to think of/plan/organise/participate in cycle touring without the stuff that CTC used to publish.

Which gets to the question : Does a cycle tourist benefit from or need CTC/CUK? - I don't.
by Barred1
3 Oct 2020, 8:21am
Forum: Lands End to John O'Groats
Topic: Want to do LEJOG for charity - wife has cancer
Replies: 49
Views: 5434

Re: Want to do LEJOG for charity - wife has cancer

I don't want to sound harsh but I really don't think you're on a starter here - for many of the reasons and more that have been expressed - and the (as I type) increasing risk of a wider lockdown hoving into view.

Reality to me would suggest spending the winter planning and training to then ride in, say, late April 2021 when the weather will potentially be better, you'll be more likely to be capable of meeting the challenge - and, hopefully, we'll be in whatever the "new normal" will be.

Out of curiosity, where do you live? As a recovered, pretty serious, cancer patient the NHS was beyond reproach for me . . . .

B
by Barred1
8 Jul 2017, 7:10am
Forum: Cycling UK Member Groups and Affiliates
Topic: Redditch & Bromsgrove or Bromsgrove & Redditch
Replies: 12
Views: 17876

Re: Redditch & Bromsgrove or Bromsgrove & Redditch

gaz wrote:
gaz wrote:As to the raison d'être, we could all speculate but if you really want to know drop them an e-mail and ask.


Done - no response

B1
by Barred1
7 Jul 2017, 9:10pm
Forum: Cycling UK Member Groups and Affiliates
Topic: Redditch & Bromsgrove or Bromsgrove & Redditch
Replies: 12
Views: 17876

Re: Redditch & Bromsgrove or Bromsgrove & Redditch

Yes - I know all that and the most of the thread replies are just going over old ground.

The original question in this thread was why an established group of whatever variety was dissolved and then within a couple of months replaced by another group that covered the same geographic territory with the same contact person.

My interest is because I am not that far away (to the SW) from the apparent catchment area and while I've been a bit of a lone cyclist I am now considering riding with a group - hence the research, and question.

B1
by Barred1
7 Jul 2017, 4:22pm
Forum: Cycling UK Member Groups and Affiliates
Topic: Redditch & Bromsgrove or Bromsgrove & Redditch
Replies: 12
Views: 17876

Re: Redditch & Bromsgrove or Bromsgrove & Redditch

PH wrote:
Barred1 wrote:The terminology gets confusing - presumably the new enterprise is not an "affiliated club"

B1

It is an affiliated group
http://www.cyclinguk.org/local-groups/bromsgrove

I don't find it confusing at all, are you looking for an explanation, or looking to find something to be critical of?
Member group = Cycling UK makes the rules about who can participate
Affiliated group = Cycling UK say participants have to be members of that group, but they don't tell them what conditions the AG put on their members. An AG might decide everyone needs third party insurance, or needs to be a CUK member of some sort, or has to wear club kit, or anything else they decide. An AG can also offer their members individual affiliated cycling UK membership, which is considerably cheaper than standard CUK membership.


No criticism - just curiosity ... my question (quote) "The real question is what prompted a change ?" - for what appeared to have been an established group.

B1
by Barred1
7 Jul 2017, 8:35am
Forum: Cycling UK Member Groups and Affiliates
Topic: Redditch & Bromsgrove or Bromsgrove & Redditch
Replies: 12
Views: 17876

Re: Redditch & Bromsgrove or Bromsgrove & Redditch

PH wrote:
Barred1 wrote:So why the change - all seems very strange - if it was a commercial business it could be a tax dodge :shock:
B1

I think you've misunderstood Gaz's comprehensive explanation - one was a Member Group the other is an Affiliated Group, different structure,different rules. The biggest difference is who can participate, most Member Groups activities are aimed at Cycling UK members, Affiliated Groups get to decide for themselves who can participate.
Nothing dodgy about it, in the commercial world it might be the same as a sole trader changing the status of their business to a Limited company.


That was a tongue in cheek comment! The real question is what prompted a change - the text for the new Affiliated Group says "We welcome all Cycling UK members (and guests in accordance with Cycling UK rules)" - that seems to still be just for "CUK members"rather than a wider club so what's the difference for prospective riders?

The terminology gets confusing - presumably the new enterprise is not an "affiliated club"

B1
by Barred1
7 Jul 2017, 7:44am
Forum: Cycling UK Member Groups and Affiliates
Topic: Redditch & Bromsgrove or Bromsgrove & Redditch
Replies: 12
Views: 17876

Re: Redditch & Bromsgrove or Bromsgrove & Redditch

gaz wrote:From the Cycling UK group page:
Bromsgrove & Redditch Affiliated Group (BRAG) are a Cycling UK affiliated group. We are the successors to the dissolved Redditch & Bromsgrove Member Group.

The AG page appears to have been in place since June 2016.

The group page contains an e-mail link to Alan Head, presumably the same one as appears on the November 2015 MG contact list (Nov 2016 contact list too, long after the dissolution).

At a glance the main contact hasn't changed.


I think you'll find that Redditch & Bromsgrove group was dissolved in March 2017 (there's a post somewhere on here about it) and disappeared from the list in the magazine - but a new group Bromsgrove & Redditch has been formed (same towns, just reversed in the name) and now appears in the CUK group listings. The contact name is the same?

So why the change - all seems very strange - if it was a commercial business it could be a tax dodge :shock:

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by Barred1
6 Jul 2017, 6:06pm
Forum: Cycling UK Member Groups and Affiliates
Topic: Redditch & Bromsgrove or Bromsgrove & Redditch
Replies: 12
Views: 17876

Redditch & Bromsgrove or Bromsgrove & Redditch

Redditch & Bromsgrove CUK group dissolved in March 2017 but Bromsgrove & Redditch now appears to be a new CUK group? What's happening/happened? Is it the same people?

B1
by Barred1
2 Jun 2017, 3:48pm
Forum: Cycling UK Topics and Discussions
Topic: CTC Member Benefits
Replies: 45
Views: 41662

Re: CTC Member Benefits

Paulatic wrote:
BecclesBoy44 wrote:Today I went to my local branch of Halfords (Lowestoft) to claim my 10% off a cycle carrier. I presented my membership card and neither the cashier or the manager knew anything about the discount and refused to give me it. Needless to say I left empty handed. Members please be aware and print off a copy of the offer from the Cycling UK site

You should have asked for Ocean :P
IMG_0238.JPG


Chain Reaction/Wiggle or other suppliers would doubtless have the same item at lower cost even after the (possible) "member discount" and delivered free.

And an anecdote that sums up Halfords : I went to the local brand and bought a pair of wipers for my car . . . Cashier: Would you like them fitted? Me ( Wearing helmet and with the bike I had taken into the shop as there is no secure lock-up facility): Probably not.

Priceless.

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by Barred1
30 Mar 2017, 5:13pm
Forum: Cycling UK Topics and Discussions
Topic: Another MG seems to have gone
Replies: 1
Views: 10611

Another MG seems to have gone

The website for Redditch & Bromsgrove CTC has closed - presumably as a result of the EGM on Tuesday 28 March with a proposal to dissolve the group.

Does anyone know if it's continuing under another name outside CTC?

B1
by Barred1
29 Mar 2017, 10:40am
Forum: Cycling UK Topics and Discussions
Topic: Cycling UK AGM : 13th May 2017 : London
Replies: 111
Views: 61268

Re: Cycling UK AGM : 13th May 2017 : London

Graham wrote:
. . . . . . as space is limited at the venue.


Not an unreasonable request ?


That's fine to ask who is coming BUT there should be no limit on numbers which is the implication - everyone has the right to be there.

B1