BOF membership

[Mrs H]

Someone has just told me that BOF membership in England has slumped 15% since last year - does anyone know if this is the case?

[andypat]

I guess if you assume a certain level of "inactive membership" as most clubs seem to have, then its probably no surprise in the current climate that people are targetting this sort of unnecessary expense. My RSPB and Scottish football travel membership recently went the same way, as did my wife's gym membership. Hopefully the response from BOF wont be to put the fees up to meet the shortfall!

[Sunlit Forres]

Some of It could be down to people who joined as a result of the "free first year local membership" not paying to renew.

[ryeland of doom]

Likewise, I have culled most subscriptions. BOF will be the last to go in my case, but someone else has taken the hit.

[RCB]

I have switched to http://www.Parkrun.org.uk rather than expensive 5k/10k road races and £25+ entry to Triathlon and MTB events is definitely off the list. Thankfully the relatively cheap BOF membership remains on my 'legitimate expenditure list', as does my CompassSport subscription.

And if my local orienteering club started a 'cheap and cheerful' weekly 'club training night' then I would go there rather than pay my local running club membership.

[andypat]

Some of It could be down to people who joined as a result of the "free first year local membership" not paying to renew.

You may have hit the nail on the head there SF!

And if my local orienteering club started a 'cheap and cheerful' weekly 'club training night' then I would go there rather than pay my local running club membership.

I might be being a little uncharitable here, but assuming you are actually a member of your local orienteering club, why arent you suggesting (or even organising) this yourself? Your comment makes it sound a little as if you want everything done for you!

[mike g]

I'm sure RCB will have suggested it to his local club.

[Mrs H]

Some of It could be down to people who joined as a result of the "free first year local membership" not paying to renew.

Yes that certainly decimated my MADO recruits - although a lot of them still come to the events as independents - but I'd of thought that would have been the case last year as well as the new BOF membership scheme has been running a few years. It's probably a combination effect of that and the down turn. We've pruned Sky, local Wildlife Trust and Centre for Alternative Technology

[Clive Coles]

I think the problem with Local membership is that the package is not marketable. Apart from discounted runs the rest of what is on offer is of minimal interest to most casual orienteers.

The BOF website provides far more timely information than can be contained in the Local Focus. So... after their first free year they evaluate what benefits they get from local membership. Many just revert to becoming occasional club orienteers.

Some clubs I know accept club membership ~ for these orienteers the club programme and club newsletter provides all they really need to keep in touch with what is going on in their patch.

In time they may get more hooked and start travelling out of region to compete. Then they might consider a National membership.

[Karen]

Bit off topic, but Mountain Bike Orienteering events cost £3 - about £12. Wouldn't like anyone to think the entry fee is £25 - that might be adventure races?

[Sunlit Forres]

Clubs ought to be actively encouraging people to renew their BOF membership as part of their club membership package. Local membership really isn't that expensive in the big scheme of things. I personally think you should be a member of BOF in order to be in a club. With funding likely to be reduced after 2013 we all owe it to our national body to do what we can to keep numbers up.

[andy]

Wouldn't like anyone to think the entry fee is £25 - that might be adventure races?

in my experience Adventure Races are (a lot) more expensive...

[RCB]

I'm sure RCB will have suggested it to his local club.

Yes, I have tried very hard indeed and will continue to do so .... It would be great to cycle to a local club night for some training and socialising - another excellent http://www.Parkrace.org/ last night, though missed the pub bit afterwards to catch my train home.

but Mountain Bike Orienteering events cost £3 - about £12.

I may have the TLA wrong - by MTB I was referring to an expensive endurance Mountain Bike race that I missed this year on account of the £25 entry fee. MTBO entry for up to £12.00 is still a legitamate expense - sadly a new bike is not!

I personally think you should be a member of BOF in order to be in a club.

Should National members only (and therefore Club as suggested) benefit from a reduced entry fee or is this going in the wrong direction given that club membership has fallen across many sports (yet participation has apparently increased)? I'm sure this has been discussed before.

[Mrs H]

we all owe it to our national body to do what we can to keep numbers up.

I can't quite put my finger on it but I'm struggling with this statement

[PhilJ]

I am afraid I was going to respond with something similar Mrs H, along the lines of tail wagging the dog. Anyway anyone had a change to look at the latest minutes, Board ones look interesting especially point 4.4 Mike to be asked to look at staff re-structuring, good to see the board forward thinking on its options if all funding is ceased.