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Club Meetings

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Bill21:
Thanks for the input on this folks, much appreciated. I asked the question as I don’t remember anyone asking the members what they’d like to see and what they like about or expect to get from club visits. Most seem to appreciate the demo by our club demonstrator. I know some others like the social aspect of speaking to other like minded people. I was wondering if a simple questionnaire might help engage the membership but I’m not sure how many would fill it in and return it.

David Buskell:
I am the chairman of our local club We like many other clubs, have experienced issues in trying to bring membership levels up to pre-Covid levels. Our program for 2022 is therefore full of the usual faces so as to hopefully bring people back.

We have in the past sent out surveys to ask what things members would like. The responses we received were a good mix of external demonstrators, club members deonstrating and club nights (a free for all!). Our program doesn't reflect this at the moment but we will review things for 2023.

We have always been a welcoming club but have lost our way a little bit over the last couple of years. We're now getting back on the right track. My committee and I spent a lot of pre-demo time mixing with guests, new members and existing members.

First item in House Notices next week will be "Welcome to the new members and guests here with us tonight"

David

Paul Hannaby:
I do the programme for my local club. We ask our members every year what they want to see. We incorporate a few demos by our own club members and some by visiting turners. Lately, it has become more difficult to find enough turners to demonstrate as some have stopped doing demos altogether.

We also include one month with a wood related craft that may not be conventional woodturning which our members find interesting. In the past we have had pole lathe turners, spoon carving, ukelele maker, marquetry, pyrography, chainsaw maintenance, chair making, timber technology, stick making and other such things.

The Bowler Hatted Turner:
TT I sincerely hope you are not a member of my club as that description is not recogniseable. (meant in the nicest way). We have a very proactive committee which means that we have taken advantage of the AWGB Covid grants award and of a grant from our town council which meant we were able to upgrade our visual aid equipment.
With the best interests of our club members we looked at what we had and how we could enhance it. On club nights now when there is a demonstration we project two images onto the wall but more than that we have the ability to zoom in for a close up shot on each camera and that is done by the camera operator but also audience members can call out for a zoom in or zoom out. As a club we actually have people designated to be meeters and greeters just to make new members welcome, we did this because most of the committee are tied up trying to get the evening organised as quickly as possible.
We do sometimes have to queue for the toilets but we cannot do anything about that unless we started meeting at a larger hall but then that would cost more and we would have less money to spend on club activities.
I was never a club person but I have to say I have made some good friends through our local club and perhaps it is worth putting yourself out there a little bit more as I am sure you have friends in your club but you just haven't met them yet.

Twisted Trees:
No, not your club, and everyone in my club is extremely welcoming and friendly, but there is no time allowed around the demo for that for that to grow into a cohesive group.

The queue for the toilets comment was not a complaint, in fact some of my longest conversations are in the queues. Just pointing out that 10 minutes break gives no real time to the members. I know a paid for demonstrator and AV kit needs to be maximised, but my experience is that in my club that is at the cost of the club becoming a unit.

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