What do member expect form the AWGB

[Philip Greenwood]

From the low turnout for the change of status of the AWGB and the response i am asking these questions.

What do the members expect or even don't expect from the AWGB for the membership fee, is it just for the Revolutions magazine or to say i am a member of the AWGB.

Also My club is now an Associates Club, but I cant remember this being announced at any club meeting, if this is not publicised at my club, are other clubs the same and members of the club unaware that their club belongs to the AWGB.

From my view the AWGB is to promote turning in this country and world wide. Also to offer help on this forum to members that may have a problem which they need help from other members, news from here and the main website and the magazine, and the social aspect as well. I see the work of members on show at major events which is nice to see.

All comments are welcome and me be this could be publish in the magazine as well.
Regards
Philip

[John D Smith]

Hello Phillip, I wont comment on the poor turnout at the ballot I think that is done and Dusted.

If a Club is associated to the AWGB and Members of that club do not know they are in the AWGB they must have their heads buried in the shavings after all the have to pay their annual fee.Regards John

[Bryan Milham]

Oh dear Philip, you may wish you had not asked that question!

Lets see, 466 members voted at about 15% of the AWGB membership, so the membership is circa 3000.

AWGB Forum strength at the time of me writing this =  284 members so circa 10%, and I know that not all are AWGB members, some are not even resident in the UK but welcome all the same.

So what do our members want from the AWGB, I think mostly nothing, they have to be members of the AWGB as part of the requirement of  joining their clubs! Harsh, yes, but probably true I'm afraid.

I'm a member of one of the largest clubs in the country, close to 100 members at last count and I'm one of only 2 of us in the forum.

I was on the committee until my personal situation changed and I had to resign. But as a committee member I tried to get people to help with shows, offer to do Hands On demo's on those club nights, attend weekend demo events (at an additional cost - so that was a non-starter), even just make small prizes for our popular game of chance at our big annual show (but everybody wanted to get a free entry ticket!). What did I get, a pathetic lackadaisical 'not me' or 'why me' response.  If there is nothing it it for them, they are not interested.

I don't classify everybody like this, or there would be no committee members and even no clubs. But most people are happy to be sheep, lead or guided as long as they don't have to make a decision or offer anything of themselves.

So I'll sorry to paint such a sorry picture, I hope I'm wrong, but my experience says otherwise!

Someone argue against me - please.

[Paul Hannaby]

Hi Philip,
It would be quite possible for a member of an associated club not to be an individual AWGB member.

The AWGB send 5 copies of the Revolutions magazine to each associated club so I would hope that (if by no other means) by seeing those, the club members would be aware of the connection to the AWGB.

[woodndesign]

Hi Philip & all,    My local Club are an Affiliated Branch and I would after I'd made 3 visits to the Club, if I'd not already been a member of the AWGB, the Club joining fee would have had to include AWGB membership, so I had to be a member. As a fully paid up member on receiving the Revolution, I, as everyone else had the Ballot paper, less by error most were missing from the issue ..  it happens.  For the record I'd voted yes on both count.

I've seen also at the Club's I've been in most can at time's only be interested solely as to what the Club is doing and/or giving them ..  turn up, at a seat, see the show have their tea and leave at the end and chairs don't move themselves or anything else which has been setup.  The Club has dropped taking members pieces who which to sale them at Events, it's now a case to bring them along and they can then go on the sale table, too many must of just been too happy for the few who do, to carry out the whole work for them.  And few ever enter competitions.

What do we expect .... I consider the AWGB would expect more of US to take an interest, dr4 has rightly commented, as has been done in the past, how few use the forum, then I've found on speaking with other Turners, as to if they use the forum or had seen such a thing on there, it's been they don't, whats the point no one's on there or I asked a question, have posted and no one replied,  I've also asked do they even have a computer, most have but the forum just doesn't interest them.

The AWGB could not be expected to do any more than what they do, we are given an excellent up to date Website, Forum and Magazine besides Training Courses, Youth/Scot workshops, funding and insurance etc, and above all a large amount of their FREE TIME ....  We could at least be more supportive after all it is done, as at Club level for US ...   in the end it is down to US ALL in the interest of Woodturning if it is to survive as we know it and for the future to put the effort into it, come on now.

Too the few who may read this .. Thank you.

 Best regards.       David

[Philip Greenwood]

Thank you for the replays, I am sure they will be more to come.

I am going to raise the question at my club why we don't have more information that we belong to the AWGB. I know we have insurance from the AWGB and i will be disappointed in my club if this is the only reason it became a Associates club and not to promote the AWGB.

Paul I have not seen any copies of the Revolutions magazine at my club.

I always promote the AWGB to anyone who asks, or tell them about the AWGB and hope that a few may join.

Regards
Philip

[Dave Atkinson]

Hello Philip, that's stirred the pot! 

your club will definitely be getting Revs this time around.  You should have had it last time as well.  As for forum numbers we are a very active group.  If you compare us to the gmc forum you will see they have loads of members but very few regular contributors. So I think we are doing OK.

I am an individual member of the AWGB which I joined because I wanted to be part of things.   I am now on the EC and like my colleagues there if you asked me why I do it I probably couldn't give you an answer.

The AWGB is now well places to make further strides forward. Recent years have seen the members development programme improve considerably thanks to peter Bradwick and he is continuing with that work.

Charitable status will, I hope, through gift aid increase the funds we have available to offer more services to our members. I'd be intersted to see what people want.

Don't forget we also arrange the seminar which is open to anyone not just AWGB members so please spread the word in your clubs - it will soon be upon us, planning has already started.

One thing that does strike me is we don't have a bottomless pit of money.  Membership costs less than the price of 2 packets of cigs, two gallons of diesel or 4 or 5 pints of ale.  I think that is execellent value when you consider the benefits we provide already.

Cheers Dave

[Bryan Milham]

I tender my apologies. In my efforts to construct a missive to answer the question posed, I neglected to identify the benefits we gain as being members of the AWGB. David, thank you for listing them.

But even these for the most part our members take for granted.  I can’t say how many actually read Revolutions – I do, cover to cover. Or how many realise the insurance cover is provided on club nights for the demos etc. What about clubs who aren’t members – my local club, not the club I’m a member of are not affiliated, do they have insurance? Has the AWGB approached them to join?

The Biennial seminar at Loughborough must also take an awful lot of somebodies time to organise and make happen as smoothly as it does.
 
As for training, Brian could tell us how many application he gets for each event he organises but again I’ll warrant he’s not inundated with applications.  I managed to get on one last year when a last minute call went out due to not enough people having originally applied– I was not on the forum at that time. I keep my eye open for them now.

In defence of the main body of members, I’ll state now that they are thankful (maybe even appreciative) of both the Club and AWGB Committee’s but that is almost defiantly because it means someone else is doing the hard work and they can ‘sit back’ and enjoy the show!

It is not helped in part by our hobby being a mostly lone enjoyment. People interested in competitive hobbies (Archery, and even fishing to some extent) or group endeavours (Model trains or field sports) all can do so much alone but it is not until they come together that everything gels.  But I was a turner for 8 years before I found and joined a club and there are an awful lot of people out there just like I was.

There is one possible answer. Australia introduced a Men’s Shed Association, open daily or at weekends (not the one day a month we get), it has been found to help older men interact more with their peers, get them out of their homes and participate in something, either doing, learning or showing how. It has been shown that this has the effect of helping people maintain their mental faculties and even extend life expectancies. 

Ireland has also taken on this mantle and the movement is growing there I understand. However the UK is doing no more than debating it to see if it’s a good idea!

Now I’m not saying the AWGB should start up an equivalent movement on its own, not everybody wants to  turn wood, although some clubs do have workshops open once or twice a week which is (sort of) the equivalent. But maybe as part of the ‘Charity’ status thing we could start to interact with Age UK (the UK driving force behind the UK interest) and see what we can do to help move things along in the right direction.

Just my thoughts...

Dr4g0nfly (Bryan)

[woodndesign]

Dave,  thank you for expressing all is well, tickety-boo and running like a well oiled watch, it's down to members now as Philip asked, What do we expect, so answers please ...    .

dr4g0nfly aka Bryan, your the 3rd that I know who spells it with a 'y' of all the brian's I've known. 

Your right with what you've said, besides the joy the show, we're all lone turners at some level of turning, some may not even know as to a Club be on their doorstep or not interested at all, but we can all benefit within a Club and the Club too and with all Clubs working together it can form a wheel and if then they are all affiliated, the AWGB would be the hub, as it is holding it all together as it does, is this an ideal world.

It's one thing to organise one night a month, but daily or weekends, it's done also in the States, but who and where could such be run here, interesting idea though, how is the Mill at Portshead run now a days and a Cornish Club did something like wise.    ...  I'd heard the Club had tried hands on days/weekends, in the end no one was interested and it never happened.

On a personal note (not that) have you settled and got all sorted following the move.

Philip, it's a case of waiting for an answer ..  now what was the question .. 

Cheers      David

[BrianH]

Ahhhhhhhh
I so wanted to put in my own two-pennyworth but its all now been said so what say I do a little personal soul-searching for your collective delight?
I intended to vote but family probs took it right out of my mind so count me as one of the vast silent majority.
What do I want from the AWGB?
Nothing really, I just like what it is about and am more than happy to pay up and take nothing .......except that I am a regular at the seminars and wouldn't miss one for the world.................not quite true I had to cut Loughboroughboughoughborough short a few years back to attend my eldest Grandaughter's christening!
Do I use the forum?
Yes, I read it quite often and help where I feel I can.
Do I NEED the input of other turners?
A more difficult question, this one, but I think not. I'm not a competition animal and have reached a level where I can usually answer my own queries, given time. Also, stuck out here on the East Coast, I don't have a clubful of equally experienced turners around me anyway. This must surely mean that I put more into the club that I take out......besides we are so near the sea that at least half of our club members are cod, skate and herring which, as we all know, only turn after they have been cooked one side
Hope that drivvle is of interest to someone.
Best
Brian (with an eye, by the way )

[TONY MALIN]

Hi
I work on the maxim that the more you put in the more you get out.

The ideal number for a committee is ONE. I did that for a time in another organisation.

The local branch had pulled out of the County and disintegrated.  I got it re-formed and it's still going strong 40 odd years on. I even got elected County Chairman and did my 2 year stint.

Did I get my reward? You bet I did. I'm an HONORARY BRANCH LIFE member. Hurrah !!  Now they've chaged the meeting night to clash with my WT club. SO THE BEES STUNG ME IN THE END, and I thought I was immune to stings.

And what did the national body do? Because I no longer keep bees I've been ditched, and have to pay the non members fee to attend the annual convention.

NIL DESPERANDUM CARBORUNDUM.

Tony Malin

[Bryan Milham]

On a personal note (not that) have you settled and got all sorted following the move.

Yes David, all moved (3 weeks ago) and slowly settling into the new home.

I'm also the proud(!) owner of a new 1200D Lathe from Axminster - I'll post a review soon.

[woodndesign]

Cheers Bryan,  moves are never easy, glad your all settled and have the new arrival, will watch for the coming posts.

David

[alisboy]

Hi Everyone
 
What i want from the AWGB is what you do now.

For the good valued price of of my membership I get the Revolutions newsletter to my door (reading every page) the use of the forum and the wealth of information and comments from the members who do post. I look at the forum most days for new tips and comments, sometimes looking back at older posts for information that i may need.

I know that it may feel that you are not appreciated very much at times, but I personally think you do excellent work.

As for myself I do not have much to say as I am a disabled man who was looking for a hobby to fill my time so I am new to woodturning and the AWGB. (yes I did vote) I joined after going to the Scottish National wood show last year and started to turn early this year. (lots of shavings)

I live in Kintyre in Argyll and the nearest club i can find is about 150miles away. (bit of a journey for meeting nights)

Keep up the good work.

Ernie

[Bryan Milham]

how is the Mill at Portshead run now a days

Sorry, I almost missed this question (well I did until I reread the thread).

For those that do not know Avon & Bristol Woodturners (ABWT) had a workshop in Portishead 'The Mill'. It’s use was donated by a previous chairman. It was open Saturdays but struggled to survive, attendance was not all it could be.

However, seeing the future, a charitable trust was set-up to look after it once Max had passed on (now sadly happened). To that end the Max Cary Woodtuning Trust took over the Mill and it opens Tuesdays and Wednesdays between 9am and 4pm and as I understand it, is heavily used both days to the point that there is normally a waiting list for people to attend.

It is used to teach people to turn and we find said people at the shows and other events we attend as a club, they don’t have to join the ABWT but are encouraged to do so.

There are 3 training programmes;

The Apprentice Programme - an formal introduction to turning, the machinery, the tools, and structured programme of items to make.
The Journeyman Scheme – designed to take turners forward from everyday turning into new directions.
The Artisan Programme – a step on again employing advanced techniques and processes.

It is also used as a centre for weekend training events and day long or all weekend demonstrations.

Links:
ABWT - http://www.avon-and-bristol-woodturners.org.uk/
MCWT - http://www.maxcareywoodturningtrust.org.uk/index.html