Posted by Bill Janes on July 13, 2001 at 18:24:15 from 62.188.155.180:
In Reply to: Re: Party Political Message posted by Peter Roche on July 13, 2001 at 17:33:26:
Re: Party Political Message.
It is disappointing to hear that members, particularly overseas, feel isolated and that back biting and sniping has put them off renewing memberships. Over the years that I have been Secretary I can assure everyone that the messages you see on Tarboard and Club Hut, which suggest that TARS is an unhappy ship are a gross distortion of the real world. Peter Hyland encapsulated the TARS ethos in his comment about last year’s AGM at Lakeside YMCA. “Everywhere I went I saw smiling faces and TARS enjoying themselves.” There were over 360 members and friends present, the largest gathering of TARS ever. They can’t all be wrong? Every AGM I have attended has had the same atmosphere. OK, there were some ripples at Ullapool, but only at the AGM meeting itself.
To me TARS is a vibrant society, full of enthusiastic members. One has only to read the TARSUS, Furthest South and North Pole newsletters to see that the enthusiasm is world wide. We are not that small a Society. At present we have about 1600 memberships world wide, but as many of these are family memberships, the actual number of people is just over 2300, and within this number we have over 550 juniors.
In geographical terms. Looking at total members again the approximate figures are
Overseas 450
UK Eastern 280
UK Midland 390
UK Northern 445
UK Scottish 94
UK South West 175
UK Southern 457
The largest number of overseas members are in USA, followed by Australia, Canada and New Zealand.
Rather than maintain the status quo the Trustees initiated the Development Report to address the issues raised by members and to search for the way forward for a society which is international, but with its roots in the UK. We need to change, but in positive ways resulting from constructive comments.
In response to Peter H’s comment regarding a small number of people hanging on to power. Since incorporation in 1997 eight of the twelve elected Trustees have stood down, only two returning to the Board after their year out. New faces are there, so give them an opportunity to make things happen. Give them the support they deserve. TARS doesn’t work through sitting at a keyboard, it needs members out there with boats, boots, literary research and above all enthusiasm.
For more see Club Hut.