Membership rates

Summer 2020 - Cycle Magazine announcement about membership changes
parlick
Posts: 4
Joined: 6 May 2015, 11:26am

Re: Membership rates

Post by parlick »

I feel that you have hit the wrong button in discontinuing the senior rate of membership.
I for one am continually getting information from several charity based organizations upping the rate for senior members, several have fallen by the wayside because of this.
What has happened with the rest is that we have stopped buying the Xmas cards and tickets for the winter raffle prize draw and such have been stopped. In other words the outgoings to these organizations as actually fallen.
You may well have had lots of extra members benefits in the pipeline pre Covid, but surely it would have been better to have announced this as an all in package rather than promising things that people can't see.
We appreciate the hard work that the organization is doing but there is a limit to the ever-increasing demands on people with fixed incomes. Come renewal time next year we will need to see what is left in the pot.
JohnW
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Joined: 6 Jan 2007, 9:12pm
Location: Yorkshire

Re: Membership rates

Post by JohnW »

I'm getting the feeling that I've not been taking notice, and that I've missed something here.
Does CUK plan to change membership rates?
Is there a plan to remove reduced 'membership' fees for the non-waged and the seniors?
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gaz
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Joined: 9 Mar 2007, 12:09pm
Location: Kent

Re: Membership rates

Post by gaz »

JohnW wrote:I'm getting the feeling that I've not been taking notice, and that I've missed something here.
Does CUK plan to change membership rates?
Is there a plan to remove reduced 'membership' fees for the non-waged and the seniors?

Plans are indeed afoot, and that is part of them: https://www.cyclinguk.org/membershipchanges

Announcement also in Aug/Sept Cycle (which hasn't reached me yet). 2020 AGM motion 4.
High on a cocktail of flossy teacakes and marmalade
Oldjohnw
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Joined: 16 Oct 2018, 4:23am
Location: South Warwickshire

Re: Membership rates

Post by Oldjohnw »

Automatic reduction for seniors to be abolished but not the unwaged subject to a vote.
John
Carlton green
Posts: 3645
Joined: 22 Jun 2019, 12:27pm

Re: Membership rates

Post by Carlton green »

I just watched the video and it seems fair enough to me. Being 65 or over doesn’t automatically get anyone cheaper electricity or food so to my mind there isn’t a case for it getting cheaper Cycling U.K. membership. Being retired also doesn’t necessarily mean that someone is on a low income either so it’s not a targeted approach to ensuring affordability. I’d like to see a reduced rate for long-standing members and I think that the organisation would benefit from delayed voting rights too (if you’ve stayed a few years then you’ve shown commitment and deserve a voice, but otherwise it’s here today, change something on a whim and gone tomorrow).

Edit. Of course for those on a retire at 60 pension the age of (roughly) 65 brings added income in the form of a State Pension, so for some pensioners their ability to pay is increased with advancing years. Poor pensioners? There certainly are many but being on a pension or of pensionable age is (IMHO) no longer a reliable indication of low disposable income.
Last edited by Carlton green on 3 Aug 2020, 8:47am, edited 1 time in total.
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thirdcrank
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Joined: 9 Jan 2007, 2:44pm

Re: Membership rates

Post by thirdcrank »

There was a discussion about the meaning of "unwaged" on here - it seems like only yesterday, so probably a decade ago.

If it's just a euphemism for unemployed, then it includes a fair few people like me on a decent income. I don't know if it still applies, but once upon a time all the CTC wanted to see was a P45. The BBC has tried to get round this in respect of free TV licences for over 75s by latching onto official means testing in the form of Pension Credit entitlement.

It seems to me that any problem is caused by trying to be both an organisation which sells benefits to its members and a charity which should be based on altruism. Listing the benefits almost inevitably leads to people doing a cost/benefit analysis when the overriding benefit should be the warm glow of giving to others.

IIRC, I've used the example of the RNLI now Lifeboats. A lot of people contribute their hard-earned in all sorts of ways because they want to help save lives. Generally, they get nothing in return but that warm glow. Make a bigger contribution and you get something like a special tie in recognition. Really big money means you can name a lifeboat. But, when Kate Winslet starts to sing and the lifeboat crews demonstrate real altruism, even if your name is on the lifeboat you are the same as everybody else.
PH
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Joined: 21 Jan 2007, 12:31am
Location: Derby
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Re: Membership rates

Post by PH »

thirdcrank wrote:It seems to me that any problem is caused by trying to be both an organisation which sells benefits to its members and a charity which should be based on altruism. Listing the benefits almost inevitably leads to people doing a cost/benefit analysis when the overriding benefit should be the warm glow of giving to others.

It isn't uncommon though, the National Trust and YHA are the two that immediately spring to mind, I'm sure there are many others.
The problems arise when people have some rose tinted idea that in the past the CTC existed solely for the benefit of it's members, yet I've seen nothing that suggests such a time ever existed.
I'm a member for three reasons:
The local Member Group, which has over the last couple of decades been a large part of my leisure cycling.
The direct benefits, insurance, legal helpline, magazine (Which was always better ten years past)
The promotion of cycling generally.
If those things were only available from three different providers, I'd join all three and I doubt I could get it for £4 a month. But there's so much overlap, I don't see any problem in them being parts of the same organisation.
MattHodges
Posts: 11
Joined: 11 Aug 2009, 2:23pm

Re: Membership rates

Post by MattHodges »

I have just read the proposed changes to membership which amounts to a kick in the teeth to the hard working core of members who run our local groups and campaign at grass roots level.

This appalling proposal addresses senior members as follows "As a senior member you are likely to have been with Cycling UK for many years, and we thank you for your loyal and valued support.” then goes on to thank those loyal and valued cash cows with a 57% increase in their membership fee. SOME THANK YOU!

Ever since we made the mistake of allowing CTC to become a charity the so called “Trustees” have lost interest in the core membership and local groups.

If this proposal goes through I will probably not renew my membership and will be encouraging my local group members to do likewise. 90% of us are over 65. I have supported CTC both locally and in campaigning for more years than I care to mention but sadly I can’t support the present “Trustees” who have manipulated the rules so we can no longer vote for local members of our choice but can only vote for trustees hand picked by the existing trustees. (A bit like the Chinese elections.)

It’s time for us all to talk to our local group members and ensure we vote down this outrageous proposal.
thirdcrank
Posts: 36776
Joined: 9 Jan 2007, 2:44pm

Re: Membership rates

Post by thirdcrank »

There are plenty of organisations which have historically used charity laws to subsidise personal benefits, "public" schools and private health care being two obvious ones and it's one of the things governments have tried to tame.

Going back to when it was the CTC, for anybody who wasn't involved in their DA, member group, whatever, apart from the third party insurance, the benefits were not huge, especially when the mag went down the tubes (IMO, of course.) IIRC, at one time and before "no win, no fee" the CTC used to offer some sort of legal aid to members; something that I believe quite a lot of people didn't know had been dropped, or at least replaced by the new arrangement.

Looking at this the other way round, quite a lot of people many of them elderly, stump up a few quid to a charity by direct debit every month. Indeed, that got out of hand and was reined in by the watchdoggies. No matter what people say when they are surveyed, I think that the number of people who would make regular charitable donations purely to promote cycling is small. OTOH, a lot of generous people digged deep to fund the now largely forgotten mats.
emmbee
Posts: 8
Joined: 7 Feb 2018, 11:15am

Re: Membership rates

Post by emmbee »

Agree completely with Rod Goodfellow. I am 69,have been a member of the CTC on & off since 1980, I still ride a fair amount & tour. The only reason that I maintain my membership is for the CUK 3rd party insurance. I have no interest in CUK group activities or politics.
I find the magazine uninteresting, overladen with advertising both inside and with added flyers to such an extent that the whole lot usually goes to garbage unread perhaps an option to only access the magazine on-line would allow you to offer a substantially discounted membership fee (The Camping & Caravanning Club give me this choice). For myself I find a lot of more interesting & relevant information on-line.
Should the proposed removal of seniors discount be removed I shall seek alternative 3rd party insurance and I will terminate my membership.
Oldjohnw
Posts: 7764
Joined: 16 Oct 2018, 4:23am
Location: South Warwickshire

Re: Membership rates

Post by Oldjohnw »

I'm afraid I have jumped before I was pushed. £1.50 a month for a magazine I get every two months but which I don't really want anyway.

Insurance is easy to get.
John
roberts8
Posts: 547
Joined: 20 May 2011, 9:14pm
Location: Surrey

Re: Membership rates

Post by roberts8 »

I feel that heading for a recession to impose a massive increase on senior members is unacceptable. I would like to see the demographic breakdown in membership but I guess the bulk are the group who are being hit hardest. I really enjoy my local group activity but would move if they regrouped under another name. I do not enjoy the magazine and for the extra I expect more sportive type events at low prices which is the core of what we should be about along with promoted touring. I will stay for a while but also Hope executive salaries do not rise in proportion to my extra fees. Sad about the direction we are going in.
PH
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Re: Membership rates

Post by PH »

roberts8 wrote:I feel that heading for a recession to impose a massive increase on senior members is unacceptable.

That massive increase is £1.50 a month. I understand those who object to the principle of it, but lets not pretend it's going to plunge many into hardship. I occasionally go out on one of the mid week rides with my MG, three cafe stops and they don't go looking for the cheap ones, even if I don't eat I won't come home with much change from a tenner. In normal times plenty of those riders are out with the group every week, some of them twice a week.
For the record - my income is below that of the average pensioner, it has been for nearly all of my working life, usually but not always as a choice.
Williamson
Posts: 1
Joined: 3 Aug 2020, 1:08pm

Re: Membership rates

Post by Williamson »

Just received letter.....thank you for being a member of Cycling UK for over 10 years.......ah you're welcome, I have enjoyed being a member. Then the KICK in the TEETH. Your senior discounted rate will no longer be available. Big jump up to £48. Terrible marketing and terrible step to hit your loyal membership.
seumasl
Posts: 24
Joined: 29 Apr 2008, 3:44pm
Location: Near Woodstock Oxfordshire

Re: Membership rates

Post by seumasl »

To present a (proposed) increase in excess of over 50% is disgusting the present retiree rate is £30-50 whilst the student rate is £22, why ? I live close to the university city of Oxford and (pre covid) many students are out clubbing/pubbing almost 7 nights a week - how do I know this ? Because I still work (at 72 yrs) as a telephonist for a taxi company and a large part of our evening custom is from students. What other membership increases are mooted or are cycling uk going to put it all on the oap. Lastly means testing ? how damned humiliating. I shall renew in October (at the old rate) and then the club can go whistle.
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