Membership and levy consultation

[Big Jon]

Fell running is part of athletics- has been for many years. I doubt athletics is in any way interested in orienteering - very little common ground. Mountain marathons and adventure races - as far as I am aware there isn't a governing body for these, just lots of individual events with many organisers making money from them, so not much common ground there either. face it orienteering is different and is likely to remain independent. Olympics will make appreciative noises but we have no TV rights therefore no money therefore no chance of getting into Olympics.

[Oldman]

... I do secretly wonder sometimes how much self-preservation is built into BOF professional staff's work (finding the money to pay themselves) and how much is about the administration and furtherance of the sport itself.

I doubt very much that happens, but even if it did, it's not an issue if they are already not funded by BOF itself, is it? Whatever portion of their work is not of the type you hypothesise is still taking the sport forward and is being paid for by someone else.

[Glucosamine]

Fell running is part of athletics- has been for many years. I doubt athletics is in any way interested in orienteering - very little common ground.

Athletics has shown itself conspicuously not interested in fell running. Nearly wrecked the sport by insisting on inappropriate official qualification (familiar again?). FRA debates have even seen BO(F) as an eviable and preferable model ... precisely because of the 'blazer ban' which was part of our original (but now being forgotten?) model.

[Mrs H]

Well I'm sure my hypothetical amalgamation could work in either direction to produce an economy of scale.

Oldman - of course it's an issue if the sport gets pulled in a different direction because of it, BOF is not a self financing employment scheme.

Or is it?

[seabird]

[FRA debates have even seen BO(F) as an eviable and preferable model ... precisely because of the 'blazer ban' which was part of our original (but now being forgotten?) model.

If you are able, it might be worthwhile expanding on what the original model and "blazer ban" were, and why.

In terms of participant levels and lack of central funding we seem to be heading back towards those early years.

[Oldman]

I do secretly wonder sometimes how much self-preservation is built into BOF professional staff's work (finding the money to pay themselves) and how much is about the administration and furtherance of the sport itself.

It's an issue if the sport gets pulled in a different direction because of it, BOF is not a self financing employment scheme. Or is it?

Mrs H, you have made and continue to make valuable contributions to the sport - don't tarnish that record with vague and unsubstantiated innuendos. The majority of BOF employees are, I believe, paid using funding from external agencies who have given BOF money to do what BOF wanted done. The best way for those employees to secure future financing that would support their jobs continuing is to deliver their targets - which is exactly what BOF wants too.

[EddieH]

Seabird, when BOF was set up there was a definite move to ensure that the body would not become the remote blazer wearing dignitaries that ran athletics with no real interest in the standard punter's point of view. To that end it was a requirement that to be an officer you must be an active participating orienteer. I guess it still is, but at this stage no-one anticipated employing professional executives.

[AndyC]

While I appreciate that we have recruited professionals from outside the sport to help run it (and improve things by bringing in new ideas). I if I were Mike Hamilton would be keen to show that I'd had a go myself so I knew what it was all about and would encourage the non-orienteers amongst my team to experience the different facets of the sport for the same reason.
After some of us aren't that good anyway!

Do you agree (No Freefall not that I'm not good -it says that in my signature -that "BOF" should all have personally experienced orienteering)?

[Oldman]

If I were Mike Hamilton [I] would be keen to show that I'd had a go myself so I knew what it was all about and would encourage the non-orienteers amongst my team to experience the different facets of the sport for the same reason.
After some of us aren't that good anyway!

Do you agree ... that "BOF" should all have personally experienced orienteering)?

Yes, and I think you'll find that Mike and his staff members have done that - in fact some have become regular participants.

[AndyC]

I'm glad to hear it - and maybe I should have before??

[Glucosamine]

Seabird, when BOF was set up there was a definite move to ensure that the body would not become the remote blazer wearing dignitaries that ran athletics with no real interest in the standard punter's point of view. To that end it was a requirement that to be an officer you must be an active participating orienteer. I guess it still is, but at this stage no-one anticipated employing professional executives.

That was indeed what I had in mind in my earlier post, Seabird. Mr Bacon Rasher et al had had their fill of blazers at Iffley Road. Though I am (sadly) no longer a regularly active fell-runner, it is good to see that the FRA still just about manages to preserve the no-blazer philosophy, despite the repeated efforts of the wider athletics machine. The modest membership fee includes a rather wonderful magazine emphasing grass-roots values - I do sometimes wonder what I am getting for my national BOF membership by comparison.

[Scott]

it is good to see that the FRA still just about manages to preserve the no-blazer philosophy

It's helped by the requirement in the FRA constitution for at least 17 of the 24 "executive committee" members to have taken part in three category A fell races in the previous two years. BOF doesn't have the same formal requirement, although all of the elected directors so far have been active orienteers.

The modest membership fee includes a rather wonderful magazine emphasing grass-roots values

Can't argue with that - £12 for three issues of The Fellrunner is an absolute bargain

[Mrs H]

Oldman. Don't try and bully me, I ll continue to say what I think in this forum and who knows maybe that is my biggest contribution to the sport,

[AndyC]

Mrs H -no-one in their right mind is going to try and bully you -even I'm scared of you

[Oldman]

Oldman. Don't try and bully me, I ll continue to say what I think in this forum and who knows maybe that is my biggest contribution to the sport,

I doubt anyone could bully you and I certainly wasn't (nor trying to). I merely pointed out that your contribution was in my opinion a vague unsubstantiated innuendo about people who may not even be aware you're doing it. Like you, I have the right to comment as I wish. If you want your record tarnished, I repeat that what you said is the right way to do it.