Family fees

[LostAgain]

Taking this from Hocolite's observation of family fees in the Badge Length thead.

If we are actively trying to attract greater family participation then why not have a family entry fee at all events? The white/yellow (JM1/JM2) could hardly be classed as value for money (£2 - £6). Although some less greedy clubs only charge £1 which is far more in line.

In the interest of openess I declare an interest in this as I have 4 kids.

[Mrs H.]

Well of course I agree LA having 3 very active orienteering children I always feel very grateful to those events like the S6D which offers something for 2nd and subsequent children. I think families like ours deserve to be cut some slack as we are providing the long term future of the sport - but brace yourself LA - there will be those along here shortly who will moan that they are having to subsidise families and just because white/yellow courses are short they require just as much planning/printing/organising etc.

[Guest]

Family fees, nonsence. Why should high earning middle class M50's subsidise noisy brats.... look at event campsites.... all they do is keep the respectable members of BOF awake at night.

[Mrs H.]

Ha ha ha - go on - who was that?

[gross2006]

[NeilC]

We've found that providing free entry for our club juniors at our club events is a popular move and doesn't cost us too much.

We do charge non-club juniors a small fee (£1 or £2) but they could always become club-only members (and then they could run for us in the Peter Palmer relay!).

[LostAgain]

Family fees, nonsence. Why should high earning middle class M50's subsidise noisy brats.... look at event campsites.... all they do is keep the respectable members of BOF awake at night.

Come on Victor Meldrew, loosen up. You need fresh blood in the sport, you Middle Class M50's should be sleeping in B&B's and Hotels not camping. At your age you'll be aggravating all sorts of aches and pains, but this may suit many Hypochondriac wrinklies!

[Mrs H.]

It's only Gordon having some Friday fun - you're in a very good mood GROSS - is the sun shining in Lithuania (it's not here - but it was yesterday)

Yes free runs for club juniors is a very good idea - i might take that to committee - after all it only costs a couple of quid to join anyway.

[gross2006]

No sun..... but frost forecast & first snow not far away. But since I'm sitting planning courses for a JWOC training camp next April & getting ready to go & put tapes out in the forest... I don't need sunshine:)

[seabird]

No longer have a vested interest in this - the offspring having long fled the nest. But the debate brings back concerns that I've had for many years.

Family entry fees at regional events upwards(which have been the most common device used) tend to subsidise the second parent rather than the children. There tended to be little if any financial benefit to families with only one parent (or only one orienteering parent). If we are really trying to encourage junior participation, the schemes that have a reducing rate for each subsequent child address the issue much better.

Overall I wholly support the notion that junior entry fees should be kept to an absolute minimum, if they are charged at all.

[Homer]

Got to agree with LA and Mrs H.
Just entered us for the November Classic.
30 quid!
Can get a lot of Duff beer for that!

[RJ]

Adverts for events often have the most complicated set of fees for closing date/EOD/late entry, 2 parents, x children. Simplicity would be good.

I would advocate entry being made by a club for regional standard events and above. That way the juniors can be treated collectively, with many ways of balancing the fees possible. All events could have a standard attitude to fees and then the individual club teams can find ways of retaining their family entrants with subsidy or whatever.

Swedish clubs enter enbloc, and it was an opportunity missed when we decided to allow folk to enter all events individually.

[Guest]

Swedish clubs enter enbloc, and it was an opportunity missed when we decided to allow folk to enter all events individually.

As do Czech clubs, and they often also travel together. The difference in Britain (as opposed to either Sweden or the Czech Republic) is that clubs cover a much wider geographical area so from a logistic perspective this is not quite so easy.

Having been fixtures secretary for CUOC, I can also see how this would be a nightmare job for the person entering - many people will want to enter late, not turn up for their entry, want to change details etc. etc.

>> seabird
I do agree that it's good to have entry fee discounts also for single parent families. In fact, WAOC and CUOC already do this when setting fees for the biannual Thetford Thrash!

[Blanka]

Sorry, that was me posting.