In 1980 membership of the Society cost £5.00 and admission to the Museum cost £1.00. A ratio of 5:1.
In 2010 membership of the Society cost £21.00 and admission to the Museum cost £10.50. A ratio of 2:1.
For 2011 membership fees are being increased by £1.00 but admission charges (including those for children) are being increased by £1.50.
If these trends continue how long will it be before membership fees are less than the admission charge?
My view is that if the 5:1 ratio had been maintained the members views would be taken much more seriously rather than being regarded as an irrelevant nuisance as they are now.
In reply to the comment, I have suggested a significant increase to membership subscriptions for several years but I have always been in a minority. I think the subscription should be around the £50 mark and I always pay the full subscription although I could claim the OAP rate which wouldn't cover the costs of Journals etc.
So are you suggesting that the membership fee should be reduced to £2.40; or that the admission charge be raised to £110.00?
ReplyDeleteIf the membership price were to increase to the 5:1 ratio, Crich would see a severe loss in the number of members renewing their membership! If that loss of membership occurred, then the number of active volunteers would dramatically reduce, which would eventually lead to the collapse of the Museum unless all staff were changed to paid staff working there full time.
ReplyDeleteI am a student, at University, and cannot afford much even with the loans (and will probably not be able to afford anything now the tuition fees have been hiked up!), so would be financially unable to afford membership.
I think that the membership price should rise in line with the standard admission prices, so that the former is around double the latter.
Do not forget that the value of the £ is not fixed and it would have been worth more in the 80s than nowadays! If you want to pay £50 for your membership, I'm sure the extra money would be gratefully appreciated, and I am sure there is a space for "extra donation" on the membership renewal form...
I agree with 8spliced.
ReplyDeleteOnly if you agree that the way forward is pricing younger, retired, student, low paid or unemployed members out of the Society - and volunteering - altogether.
This seemed to be the attitude of some (during my brief spell as a volunteer some years back) who seemed to see Crich as a refuge for the middle aged and middle class who didn't want to do anything that involved getting their hands dirty.
A lot of volunteers who don't live locally pay quite a bit simply to get to Crich and work.
Those who have got money to hand can (and I'm sure in many cases do) always donate more either direct to the Society, or via the TSO or LCCTT and so on.
Since the message always seems to be "we need more volunteers" it seems a bit short sighted to put more obstacles in the way of potential volunteers...
I think 8spliced needs to get that hole fixed in the top of his/her hat! What does the membership fee currently cover? I suspect barely the cost of the journal? According to the stats. that are trotted annually there are the equivalent of 32 full time volunteers at Crich everyday! Anybody seen 'em? No me neither, just the usual few stalwarts doing a great job surrounded by the hangers on and the parasites living off the labours of others.
ReplyDeleteAs for being a poor student pull the other one, it's a myth they don't exist, there's always money for beers, ciggies and nights out! Been there, done it and got the tee shirt!