What is the point of joining a Centre ?

Hi Bill,

All comments on here are very interesting and we suggest all Centre Rally secretaries keep us up-to-date about the success (or not) of their Centres.

With the help of Centre Members and Committee Members we hope that Rallies will be well attended and that word will spread on the merits of getting on board to help with the operational needs of running a Centre.

Hopefully all attendees of Rallies and Centre events are grateful for all the hard work put in by the likes of you Bill and hopefully our Centres will continue providing a great opportunity for like-minded tourers to come together for years to come.

Regards,

Helen

You might say that but visiting members might be trying out rallying and as a consequence join a centre as we've done. We sadly don't have time to get deeply involved but are aware of the work that goes on behind the scenes so I hope people like us aren't going to feel guilty! I just feel lucky that we get the chance to join in when we can and would be more than happy to help out if needed.

I've personally got no problem, with non centre members attending Rally's.  I also appreciate that people don't neccessarily have the time or inclination to run or organise anything within a centre, that's fine.  I would prefer that they joined a Centre as the centre gets a small amount of money.   Before anyone starts getting their knickers in a twist over this I would point out that on occasions the clubsite network has made losses and been subsidised and of course the CL network is effectively subsidised a benefit for members as CL owners don't pay anything afaik to be approved and listed.  I don't have a problem with this.

What I do have a problem with, is the attitude of certain members who think that Rally's some how magically organise themselves, life's not like that.   Well not on my planet 

We've not rallied within this club but I wholehearted agree about the amount of hard work that goes on behind the scenes. 

Joining a group is something that crosses our minds at times but apart from new friends we're not sure exactly how joining a centre helped as you can rally with any centre. If you say there is a small monetary gain that is a reason.

If you join a centre does that preclude you from using other rallies? List of rallies are available online, the leaflet produced didn't include some centres this year 😉 reasons discussed on another thread, so on the face of it there seems little point. CL'S details are fully available without the log in requirement, only directions are withheld., unlike the C&CC where go learn anything about their CS you have to be logged on.

as I type this I'm still not sure why you'd join a centre, it certainly isn't clear. The centre you join gets small monetary gain and you pay rally fees to the rally you attend. Am I missing something? 

Bakers2.

Being a member of a centre does not stop you going on other Rallies.  Also you do not have to live in the same area as covered by the centre. We for instance live in North Wales, but are members of the Cheshire centre.  The money given to the centre by the club is to help in the general running of the centre, flag poles and tea urns don't buy themselves .

It must be remembered that centre's are run entirely by volunteers, so maybe a Rallies get missed from the central brochure and the information may not be given in an identical way by individual centre's. On a personal level we worked out that we have run 33 Rally's I can't think of a single Rally where we haven't in some way out of pocket running a rally.  This is not a moan btw but it is the reality.  I am sure a lot of Rally organisers are in exactly the same position. But as an attendee, we find Rallies good value for money and fun as well. 

Thanks Boff. Will definitely good it some more thought. Seems like a sensible thing to do especially if we can find a rally we fancy.

I do understand that you're not moaning but you shouldn't be out of pocket at all, you're giving your time for free so that should be sufficient! There is enough money within the club to fund sufficiently 😉. Can't see the staff doing it in the same spirit 😉. To be this is the club part! I can't change things but I can voice my opinion 😂.

I'm quite happy to do it my way, as I said it wasn't a moan just the way it is a hobby.  I would expect the staff for one minute, to do anything for free.  I have a day job and I certainly don't do that for free. 

You don't say what part of the country you are in but I would say is just try a rally.  What's the worst that can happen?  It costs you £20 and you wasted a weekend, alternatively who knows you might enjoy it. 

I always advise any CMC member to try at least one Rally or perhaps more than that to decide if the formality of a CMC rally is for them. 

A point made earlier by Boff I think, that  organisers of CMC rallies are sometimes finding themselves out of pocket. 

This is deplorable and should never happen.  Rally and entertainment fees should reflect the true costs involved.  A bit of proper accounting should fix that, making sure that the income from fees match or even surpass the expenditure.  

K

I was surprised to hear anyone was out of pocket too, hope this is something that can be sorted, the rallies ought to be self funding.

The problem with all voluntary work is that you don't always feel appreciated but the success of rallies depends on the volunteering organisers. I always appreciate them and send a thank you, may be others do too, I hope so.

Look it's not deplorable, it's not a scandal and I am certainly not looking for any money.  Whatever I do and spend I do on a voluntary basis of my own free will.  The moment I cease to get anything out of it I will stop.  

What in truth I object to are people who post on here, that c&cc rallies (meets) are much better because you don't have to book.  I wouldn't run a Rally under those circumstances. I have even been accused in the past for saying that.  Saying that 99% of people are great   

All I ask for is this. At the end of a Rally if you have enjoyed it go and just say thank you to the organisers.  You know even if you haven't enjoyed it go and thank them anyway, because I assume that nobody sets out to run a bad rally.  Just don't book on one of their Rally's again.

In someways it is the centre members who still use the club as a club and not a multimillion pound leisure business. Whitch is why if it costs me a couple of quid because I haven't claimed for any fuel for running arround, I'm not going to loose any sleep.  But equally  if someone else has different circumstances then they need to feel under no obigligation to do the same.  

PS Bill sorry for thread hijack.