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[Murph]

The other way to go might be to affiliate with a recognised club.

Totalcarlton attend billing with VODC and we just park together on their stand. That way TC get to attend and VODC get more members (and therefore cars) attending - everyones happy!

[MV6Matt]

Has any one asked Omega Owners Network?

They've a presence at shows - could they become the 'show arm' of OOF?

I'm a very inactive member there but I'm fairly certain that all the founders/admin/Mods on OON are OOFers.

Is there any milage in that sort of an approach?

Curiously,
Matthew

[RobG]

Has any one asked Omega Owners Network?

They've a presence at shows - could they become the 'show arm' of OOF?

I'm a very inactive member there but I'm fairly certain that all the founders/admin/Mods on OON are OOFers.

Is there any milage in that sort of an approach?

Curiously,
Matthew

Think that`s closing down

[the alarming man]

yup end of the month

[MV6Matt]

.........that's that out the window, then 

[MikeDundee]

Interesting, asked the question before as this will be my eighth year attending Billing, and yes although some OOF members attend VBOA via ABS and likewise ABS members are on OOF etc.. The ethos of the Forum founders is to remain as a free forum. To create an area where members pay in order to affiliate with VBOA and attend annually etc., requires more organisation than is currently present on the Forum, eg annual general meets, minutes, club secretary's etc., and all the rest, this would require a core goup of members to co-ordinate and organise elect, vote etc.. Some of the basics are already present eg annual meets, Newent, lakes and regional meets are taking place.

I am not against the idea as a sole dedicated omega stand is something that has never been at VBOA. However, putting things in perspective you are lucky to see 10-15+ omegas at VBOA and of those they are spread out as some attend ABS stands and other club stands, so would it be worth the effort? . Personally, yes, but potentially at the risk of creating as KW mentioned fragmentation within OOF. If this was to move forward it should be under the banner of OOF/OOF Club in my opinion, remain within the same website?, place a poll on OOF to gauge opinion?.       

[joshwyatt]

I understand exactly what Daz is saying, but also am very aware of the possibility for it to go wrong through no-one's fault.

Does anyone know what the criterion is for being a 'club'? Taking fees, is there a set amount?

I think that is the sole issue. I could see it working, if, a new section to the forum was introduced, that specifically dealt with attending these meets. The section is open to all, but to attend the meets you need to have paid the subscription. It would in essence appear to others a seperate entity but is included in the forum. I would subscribe. I am very soon to have two police Omega's which I'll take to shows, but they can only go to recognised shows, not an OOF Oxford meet. So for me, that'd be the main reason.

But, do we need an 'us' and 'them' within OOF. I agree with Daz it could bring some real benefits and be fun, but could it lead to added fricition, unfortunately I think it may do.
I think it merits further investigation.
It should stay as OOF, but, the OOF ethos is about inclusion and free for all. Does it make this impossible? And is it just added agro for Admins? I wouldn't be opposed to helping organise things. I can be terrible, and have lots of last minute things popping up, but I would make time.

[TheBoy]

If you are thinking of specifically Billing, that means OOF would have to be VBOA affliated.

Last time I checked, about a year ago, we'd fail to meet the required criteria, including:
1) Charging for membership
2) Sending out a printed publication 4 times a year (from memory)
3) Having to attend frequent VBOA meetings

I certainly lack the bandwidth for 2) or 3), or organising/designing/implementing 1)

Then there is the cost of implementing. I think so few would pay for something they can get for free that 2) would end up costing more than the membership fees bring in.  And OOF isn't made of money.


Still, although I'm sceptical, if the demand is genuinely there, I will look at what hoops we have to jump through, and what the costs are.

[Entwood]

To become affiliated to the VBOA the "club" has to jump through a lot of hoops ...all listed here ..

http://www.vboa.org.uk/toplevel.php?p=m1

Now, that is a lot of work "just" to get to Billing on our own stand !!!

Now, please don't take that as me being against it, but the Admins here already do a great deal of work, and my reading of that VBOA document is that running a "seperate section" within OOF would not be allowed. My understanding is that it would be "all or nothing", and I think that would detract from the OOF ethos.

[YZ250]

Interesting, asked the question before as this will be my eighth year attending Billing, and yes although some OOF members attend VBOA via ABS and likewise ABS members are on OOF etc.. The ethos of the Forum founders is to remain as a free forum. To create an area where members pay in order to affiliate with VBOA and attend annually etc., requires more organisation than is currently present on the Forum, eg annual general meets, minutes, club secretary's etc., and all the rest, this would require a core goup of members to co-ordinate and organise elect, vote etc.. Some of the basics are already present eg annual meets, Newent, lakes and regional meets are taking place.

I am not against the idea as a sole dedicated omega stand is something that has never been at VBOA. However, putting things in perspective you are lucky to see 10-15+ omegas at VBOA and of those they are spread out as some attend ABS stands and other club stands, so would it be worth the effort? . Personally, yes, but potentially at the risk of creating as KW mentioned fragmentation within OOF. If this was to move forward it should be under the banner of OOF/OOF Club in my opinion, remain within the same website?, place a poll on OOF to gauge opinion?.     

Agreed Mike. 

You'd like to think that if club status was gained it would get more support than we currently appear to give to ABS. Loads of us have ABS membership for the TC card but, as already said, there were only a handful of us in our Omega's in the ABS enclosure at Billing. I'm as guilty as anyone for not attending other ABS events but do try to attend local OOF meets where possible.
The distinct lack of Omega's at Billing, even as day visitors was noticeable by their absence.

I'm grateful for what the Admins already do but as said, a lot of work goes on behind the scenes to run a club. The idea of an Omega only enclosure is a nice thought but I assume it could potentially create divided loyalties between ABS and OOF as well as within OOF itself.

Tricky one. 

Regards
Alan

[joshwyatt]

Thank you TB and Nige, very interesting.
It seems there are indeed a lot of hoops, especially public liability insurance. It unfortunately seems more hassle than it's worth.

[Dishevelled Den]

If you are thinking of specifically Billing, that means OOF would have to be VBOA affliated.

Last time I checked, about a year ago, we'd fail to meet the required criteria, including:
1) Charging for membership
2) Sending out a printed publication 4 times a year (from memory)
3) Having to attend frequent VBOA meetings

I certainly lack the bandwidth for 2) or 3), or organising/designing/implementing 1)

Then there is the cost of implementing. I think so few would pay for something they can get for free that 2) would end up costing more than the membership fees bring in.  And OOF isn't made of money.


Still, although I'm sceptical, if the demand is genuinely there, I will look at what hoops we have to jump through, and what the costs are.

I'm sceptical

Yes, and you're quite right to be,

In my view - for what it's worth to the great unwashed of the membership - this idea holds all the promise of being quite reasonable and perhaps even desirable to some degree or other - in theory but, I would suggest, in reality it would be a rather unwieldy, time consuming, resource hungry and ultimately divisive proposal should an attempt ever be made to put it into practice.

Furthermore, I would suspect that those who put their services forward to manage this new group would perhaps rue their descisions when the daily requirement to conduct responsible business began to impinge on their everyday activity and personal time.

I don’t think many in the membership fully appreciate the dedication (and personal time) required from those who run this Forum and to expect them to assume additional responsibilities - even at the most uncomplicated, loosely bound level (advice, mentoring/assistance and so on) is unfair and impractical.

Something also tells me – although I don’t know what it is precisely – that the formation of such a group would spell the end of this Forum as we presently know it. 

[tigers_gonads]

Slight drift I know but has anybody else got a new direct debit mandate from Abs with a price increase ?

[The Red Baron]

If you are thinking of specifically Billing, that means OOF would have to be VBOA affliated.

Last time I checked, about a year ago, we'd fail to meet the required criteria, including:
1) Charging for membership
2) Sending out a printed publication 4 times a year (from memory)
3) Having to attend frequent VBOA meetings

I certainly lack the bandwidth for 2) or 3), or organising/designing/implementing 1)

Then there is the cost of implementing. I think so few would pay for something they can get for free that 2) would end up costing more than the membership fees bring in.  And OOF isn't made of money.


Still, although I'm sceptical, if the demand is genuinely there, I will look at what hoops we have to jump through, and what the costs are.

I'm sceptical

Yes, and you're quite right to be,

In my view - for what it's worth to the great unwashed of the membership - this idea holds all the promise of being quite reasonable and perhaps even desirable to some degree or other - in theory but, I would suggest, in reality it would be a rather unwieldy, time consuming, resource hungry and ultimately divisive proposal should an attempt ever be made to put it into practice.

Furthermore, I would suspect that those who put their services forward to manage this new group would perhaps rue their descisions when the daily requirement to conduct responsible business began to impinge on their everyday activity and personal time.

I don’t think many in the membership fully appreciate the dedication (and personal time) required from those who run this Forum and to expect them to assume additional responsibilities - even at the most uncomplicated, loosely bound level (advice, mentoring/assistance and so on) is unfair and impractical.

Something also tells me – although I don’t know what it is precisely – that the formation of such a group would spell the end of this Forum as we presently know it.

i think you are right there den.
i like the idea though but dont think it would really be worth it tbh.

[The Red Baron]

Slight drift I know but has anybody else got a new direct debit mandate from Abs with a price increase ?

nope. i will change my standing order on-line.