| Archive for sussexbonfireforum.myfreeforum.org A place to discus information, topics and issues in Sussex Bonfire |
| forrest |
Bonfire & the recessionSo with reports of how many societies are struggling out there what can we do to keep ourselfs going? I've been to three AGM's this year of different socities and as quite shocked at how little cash two of them had. One of them was a Lewes society, one from a large town and one of which was a village. The small village society had more money in the bank than the Lewes Society and the large town society put together. |
| Firecracker |
Thats because you have a tight arsed treasurer who wont let you spend anything and we make money to spend on our society, whats the point of it sitting in a bank. We have had trouble raising money from way before the recession. We are actually up on this time last year 
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| rockape65 |
We're down this year (not enough to jeopardise the event) and our hardworking fundraising team have unfortunately gotta put the hours in to catch up, with little support from the rest of the society. One problem is that the public genuinely believe that the event is funded by the council, we're going to fight this with a press and radio campaign explaining that it is funded and run solely by volunteers and that unless funds are forthcoming the event could be under threat. We decided to use the "event under threat" approach so that the local paper and radio station would pick it up as a story and run with it, rather than seeing it as just another cash plea. |
| forrest |
Saying that your event is under threat due to lack of funds isalways a good card to play. I honestlydo believe that Joe Public don't really ahve any idea what it costs to put on the event plus how many man hours go into putting them on. I sometimes think that they think we all turn up on the day and it just happens.
Maybe we could all share some fundraising ideas here to help each other out. |
| Ghoti |
http://www.sussexexpress.co.uk/we...-Bonfire-Society-faces.5270595.jp
The headline suggests financial difficulties for Hailsham, but reading the text the main problem seems to be members doing the work or fundraising. Anyone from Hailsham know more? Hope you keep going and I'm sure other societies will help with the manual stuff if needed. |
| rockape65 |
Hi Paul this is us actioning what we planned in my earlier post (see above), in real terms Hailsham is in no less a stronger position than many of the other societies during these financiallly challenging times going by what i've been told to date and what was said at the SBC meeting last week. This is a deliberate tactic to try to get the people of Hailsham to 1/ dig deeper in their pockets 2/ realise this event is run and paid for by volunteers and not paid for by the council as many of them believe. The hope is that there will be a surge of interest or perhaps even a cash injection as a result of this "story" With regards to the other comments made ref' only a few members doing all the work I think that applies to all societies!! and was certainly not part of the "plan" however if it does stir a few dormant members into action then so be it. Those who wern't at this months comitee meeting are gonna drop a brick when they read this in the paper!! 
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| forrest |
Using the pressto getyourplight across works very wellin my opinion. Over at Lindfield we've used the Mid Sussex Times to advantage on many occassions and even Bright FM. You may only get a handful of new bodies, but its better than none. Also found the cash rolled in quite nicely. In the past we've had some very nice cash donars at Lindfield.
One good way to raise some cash is to canvass your local town/village with leaflet drops asking people to be a vice president. Afterall every little penny helps. |
| Ghoti |
RockApe, I thought you were with the Cliffe for some reason. I agree with Forrest that it should work and may get some of the interested people to actually join (and donation to come in).
Hope it gets the results you want - nicely written that you are not about to cease, but need funds/help to continue on. Glad too that it is 'bluff' if that is not too harsh a word to use. |
| forrest |
Also when it comes to fund raising try not to get to complacent. For instant one society i know of has enough funds to put this year on in their current account and plus a further 3 years on via a back up account. Sothey still fund raise throughout the year to keep the money coming in to their current account so they dont have to dip into the back up. Easy trap to fall into thinking you have plenty of funds in the back up and not fund raise as themoney soon goes.
Oh also helps if your treasurer is tight
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| rockape65 |
Hey no worries Paul, I blame the Littlehampton four for their insistence on calling Hailsham BS "the dirty Cliffe" because of our light grey and black hoops!! so it's an easy mistake!! On the subject of Cliffe (now I don't want to upset anyone here!! This was told to me second hand!!) They allegedly have a few financial headaches this year! Not least because they have to build a couple of new magazines! And on the point Forrest made about keeping the fund raising up, you're absoloutely right, Hailsham came out of last season with a very healthy cash surplus and we took our foot off the pedal, had we not taken a couple of months break we would have been in a better position than we are at the moment! Regards. Ian
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| guyfawkesforpm |
i just knew we would get the blame somehow  but we are not taking the blame for the recession in hailsham and we are not taking the blame for this shortage either[/http://www.sussexexpress.co.uk/we...-lack-of-clothes-shops.5230503.jp
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| rockape65 |
Good morning GFPM. Hope you're all ok! If you guys polished off as much ale when you're at Hailsham as we do when we're at Littlehampton the town wouldn't be in this situation!!
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| rockape65 |
In light of GFPM's latest revelation regarding the pantie situation in Hailsham!! It would appear most of our ladies may be going "commando" for the 2009 season! I suppose the easiest way to find out which, would be to lob a rouser under their skirts and see which ones whistle!! (or echo!)
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| rockape65 |
Well the "Hailsham bonfire under threat" story leaked by the society has had it's first positive result, our secretary informed me last night that we have recieved a non-repayable grant of £1000 as a direct result of that story!! That'll do nicely as a start!! 
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| Ghoti |
Can you leak a Ghoti under threat story next time?
Well done, a good start. |
| rockape65 |
No worries Ghoti i'll see what we can do! Any suggestions anyone on how or why Ghoti may be "under threat" Back to Hailsham, looks like Forrest was right this may be a good "one off" card to play. Just heard Southern FM have been in touch with the society and want to run the story, so it's certainly paying dividends for us!! Shame we couldn't get away with it every year!! Wonder how long it would take joe public to cotton on 
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