All things must change
Hello all and welcome to this newsletter which is being sent to all current
full members of the club...... It is time for change! Some of you may recal
that in the last issue of the magazine I warned that things were getting
difficult for the club financially - rising production cost, postal cost and
VAT meant that subscription had moved to a point where the £16 (basic UK
fee) wasn't covering the cost, the club was losing money, the last issue had
to be part funded from my pocket! This opened up some options: Give up and
call it a day - no way!! Raise the price - not an option in my opinion as I
believe some found the current price high. Restructure and go to the online
medium for publication. It has now been decided that this last option is the
best way forward that will see the club continue. If you check out the
membership options in the shop you will find they have changed. First up the
price has dropped and it is now only £8 a year for membership wherever you
are. Secondly we are going to an online magazine, either PDF built into the
website or e-zine via the membership email database (logistics of this being
worked upon). Thirdly, there is to be a joining magazine "welcome to......"
This is going to be a real magazine that mails out with joiners membership
badges and I am starting production on that now. ALL current members WILL
recieve a copy of this when produced regardless of how much longer your old
subscription has to run I will be going through the database over the next
few weeks and amending memberships of current paid up sprouters to reflect
the change in price and format and as a result you will see your length of
membership change (increase) to reflect what you have paid and what you have
received. I hope these changes do not leave too many of you disgruntled, it
was simply do this or fold the club. The "special" magazine is going to
(again) have to be part funded by myself but I want the club to survive and
this is the best way to ensure it does. I am equally sure that I can count on
your support, after all you are Robert Rankin fans and therefore members of
the sci-fi / fantasy fraternity which we all know is the nicest and most
diverse fraternity anywhere in the world Finally, on the "Welcome too....."
magazine. I am looking for content / contributions from members. Mostly I
would like a synopsis of each of Robert's books, no more that 100 words and
original but I am also willing to consider anything - just think along the
lines of "if I was a new member what info would I like to see?" You can send
submissions via the contact link on the website and all those used will earn
the writer a FREE t-shirt randomly selected from those I have in club stock -
mention your preferred size in the submission in case you get lucky My very
best regards Ian. Club chair. 
Thanks for the undate Ian
Keep up the good work
I got my email btw
Just to add to Ians post the clubs finances have been precarious for a while so after much discussion and debate we felt that the online magazine idea is the best way to keep the club going. With cost of producing the magazine drasticaly reduced any money the club has can be used to help fund other things that we love to do. Like Ian said I also have had far too many great times and met some of the finest people in the world to want this magnificent club to end.
Lets keep this show on the road! Graham (Doctor) Hill.
Well said that Doctor!
I guess the recession is hitting. I see it more and more every day for so many people. Lets weather this storm. Keep going and hopefully build a bright future.
I have actually had a surge in people joining at the new low price, mostly from overseas - it all looks very positive.....
Production starts now on the special magazine and I hope to have this completed for distribution by Easter and with the database and memberships all fully updated by then as well and then that's the good ship golden sprout back on course......
Please be patient and bare (oh- err) with me until then.......
Ian
Will the Special Mag change over time or will it remain the same for each new member?
but rest assured I will be doing all I can to keep the members fully informed and offer the best the club can achieve. And, as ever, sugestions / ideas from members - especially if they are up to doing the work - are always welcome.
Ian.
Maybe, as & when you have some funds to spend, you could select 3 or 4 things that the money could be spent on & ask us members to vote on which we'd like most. ie. a new printed mag, an event, a limited run book, t-shirts etc...
Poll:
Should the club spend it's money on
i) Crack
ii) Hookers
iii) Crack and hookers
iv) All on black, in Vegas
?
Poll:
Should the club spend it's money on
I think the PDF solution is the best one, and then the mag can be 1 page or 40 at no extra cost. It can also be every 4 months or even each week depending on what news is about. 
P.S. I vote for all on black, in Vegas
PS. Play nice, there are some rules on here :-0
