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DickMorbey
United Kingdom
3683 Posts |
 Posted - 21/08/2017 : 11:57:17
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Hello everyone,
For the benefit of those who do not subscribe to our Bulletin, or who may have to wait until October when the June/July edition appears on line, the Committee thought you might like to see the following musings which appeared in that issue. They pick up on points that various Forum contributors have been voicing about the Register, the way we manage it, volunteering, the MGCC, MG Live! and such like matters.
My chairman's 'piece'was written some weeks ago and inevitably has been somewhat overtaken by events, so please allow for that. Apologies if it it rambles on a bit - constructive responses are welcomed!
Welcome to our latest Bulletin edition. Things are going very well in our Triple-M community, where in the UK at least we have been enjoying the height of summer with all that that entails, whether it be social motoring or out and out competition.
However, it would be wrong to view the Triple-M world solely through UK eyes because we are a worldwide movement. These days that means that much of the interaction between owners takes place in the virtual world of electronic communication and it's that I would like to focus on in this piece. Apologies in advance for a lengthy rambling, but please persevere!
Most readers will be familiar with our website discussion forum, which can be read by anyone and contributed to by anyone who has registered to do so. It's always a pretty vibrant medium, but of late some of the contributions suggest that people are becoming rather tetchy about the way the Register and the MG Car Club look after their interests. Of course, it is all too easy to offer criticism, but seemingly sometimes more difficult to offer a constructive input.
Let's try and get this out into the open so that you can have a understanding of where the Register committee is coming from on some of these issues. As a preamble, I should say that we don't agree with all of the criticisms that have been voiced, but let's go through them one at a time and see where we get to - and of course we'd welcome some feedback!
1. The Register's status as part of the MG Car Club
2. Membership of the MG Car Club
3. Member support for Register and Club activities
4. Member involvement in the Register Committee's work
5. Events, meetings and geography
6. What you should expect from us - and vice versa!
1. The Register's status as part of the MG Car Club
It is an immutable fact that the Triple-M Register is an integral part of the MG Car Club. Initially the Club was part of the MG Car Company - in effect an arm of the manufacturing company - and that happy situation continued for several decades until the company felt the need to separate the Club from the MG Car Company and thus it continues to this day - a standalone entity, then as now still retaining strong links with the MG Car Company and its successor entities.
Naturally enough MG couldn't remain stuck in the 1930s, it had to evolve and in doing so cater for owners of all its products in the ensuing years. All of the individual models types, whether they be Triple-M cars, an MGB or the latest generation of models, are supported by Registers of the Club, run by volunteers and specifically focused on those models. The Club does it very best to ensure a balance so that all the MG types are catered for.
While the Register works in accordance with our own requirements and agendas to meet the needs of members, we are very closely aligned with the Club from whom we receive much support. As Malcolm Eades commented in a recent posting:
"There is no distinction between "Us" and the MG Car Club Ltd. The Register's only legal status is as a branch of MGCC Ltd and as such is covered by its insurances, its VAT registration etc, etc. Just because this Forum exists and is both successful and popular does not somehow float it off as a separate entity. It is a service provided by the MG Car Club Ltd via its MMM Register, which is managed by volunteers. The fact that it is open to all-comers is a policy enacted by the Register Committee in benevolent recognition of the fact that, as has already been clarified, so many MMM owners are abroad. There are also many complications to putting a wall round a "members only" area any way. If you benefit from the forum without paying a Club subscription, thank your lucky stars and pray the policy doesn't change!
2. Membership of the MG Car Club
Now let's consider Club membership. The MG Car Club is a worldwide fraternity, upon which the sun never sets. Anyone at all can join the Club and the costs of being a member are tiny - a typical UK member will pay a sub of from just £45 a year - equivalent to 86.5p a week - a drop in the ocean when compared with some other Clubs! In addition to the benefits summarised by Malcolm, let's not overlook the fact that the Club is an approved Club for handling DVLA matters, it is a member of the Federation of Historic British Vehicle Clubs (FHBVC), the internationally accredited group which exists to uphold the freedom to use vehicles such as ours on the road; it is an accredited Club with the MSA (Motor Sports Association) of the RAC which provides the infrastructure through which racing, competition, rallies and touring assemblies are supported. And so the list goes on!
For those who perceive that the Club has nothing to offer them, I would ask you to recalibrate your sights! I realise that all owners will have differing requirements. Some may be looking to buy a car; others to nurture the car they have; very many will need access to advice and technical support; others will be bent on competitive racing, sprinting, trialling or sociable motoring. The Triple-M Register can and does support these and other requirements. This support comes as an integral package, part of your Club membership and most of the support won't cost you a penny!
Very understandably the Club's support has to be directed primarily at its members. But here we meet an interesting situation! Take, for example our Register of Cars. This is maintained for the benefit of the Register (it's our duty to do this) but by establishing details for each car and its history it also benefits current and future owners. Therefore we will 'engage' with everyone, be they MGCC members or not, who can contribute to our knowledge of the cars. And we will soon be opening up the Register by enabling owners to see their car's details on line.
Then consider the website and especially the Discussion Forum. It has been created with resources derived from the MGCC and at present it is accessible to anyone. There is a sense within some quarters of the MGCC that the free use of all these resources by non-members amounts to 'free loading' and I imagine that many of you - especially those who have paid their subs - will agree with that sentiment.
We in the Triple-M Register will aim to continue to provide support to owners in the way you have become accustomed to. We may increasingly need to look at the facilities the Register has created, to ensure that MGCC members continue to enjoy the benefit of them without having the feeling that others are getting 'something for nothing'. So if you are not already a member of the MGCC, do please consider joining.
3. Member support for Register and Club activities
The Register is a voluntary self-help group through which we can enthuse and support owners. We had hoped that volunteers would offer their services to help us in the Register's marquee at the recent MG Live! gathering at Silverstone. Alas our hopes were dashed, as we had just one volunteer to help with manning the marquee on Saturday and none at all on Sunday. As usual we had to rely on help from committee members, many of whom travelled hundreds of miles to give their support, despite pressure of other commitments. The same applied for Silverstone last year and at Stoneleigh this year and last year!
So please ....... Nuff said?
4. Member involvement in the Register Committee's work
Now we come to a bigger issue! The Register committee consists of 12 people, each of whom has a defined job. Members attend 4 meetings a year. If you are not sure who they are, take a look at the back pages of the Bulletin for details.
We absolutely must refresh the committee membership. Your chairman is in year 6 of the normally permitted 5 year term. Our secretary George Eagle has been in post since the year 2000 and needs a break.
Thankfully we now have Charlie Cartwright as our newly appointed Treasurer, succeeding Bob Milton who has done a brilliant job for us since 2009. At this juncture I'll mention that the Committee paid tribute to Bob's service with a presentation at our AGM of a framed authentic ohc cylinder head spanner with the injunction 'in case of emergency break glass'. He might just need it as he progresses his current speed project - but you'll have to wait awhile for details of that!
We have given much thought about how best to organise the Committee. At our latest meeting we decided that we should streamline the work of the Registrar. Currently Graham Arrondelle is our Registrar but, as you probably know, the record keeping and contact with owners for the various model types has been farmed out to a team of 'sub-registrars'. We have decided that these folk should now be accorded the title of 'registrar' for the models they look after. We will still need someone to oversee and co-ordinate their work. Unfortunately Graham cannot be that person, because for health and other reasons he is unable to continue.
So here is a golden opportunity for you to become involved. The task is not complicated, support and resources are available and you will be working alongside a great bunch of people. Offers please?
5. Events, meetings and geography
We were disappointed that only one non-committee member - our President -turned up for our 2017 AGM. In recent years we have tried many permutations to attract you along: In 2012 and 2013 at Abingdon we had just 8 or 9 members. In 2014 we combined the AGM with our Annual Dinner (remember them?) and were joined by 17 members. A year later we staged it at Silverstone and 12 members turned up. Last year we reverted to Abingdon and just 5 members attended.
Q: So why have an AGM? A: Partly because we have to, but what would YOU like it to achieve, and would you support it if it took on a different format? Would you support it if we took it back to Silverstone? Would you be more inclined to attend Silverstone if we did so? (The possibility of staging it at an MGCC race meeting such as Brands Hatch or Cadwell Park might appear to be an option, except that those events are already choc a bloc with full-on racing and socialising and we don't think there would be time or space.)
Perhaps we should have a 'perpetual rolling AGM'? After all, the door is wide open every day of the year for you to make constructive suggestions about how the Register should operate. We would be very happy to have a regular flow of questions, ideas and contributions from you, so let's be hearing them!
I mentioned the (temporarily defunct) Register Annual Dinner. Would you like to see it reinstated - and if so would you support it? Should it be a free standing event, or combined with some other Register happening? (We did try that with the Welsh Marches and Lincolnshire Tours in 2013 and 2014, but inevitably only the tour members attended!)
All these questions deserve answers and only you can give them!
6. What you should expect from us - and vice versa!
So, to conclude my monologue, this is your Club and your Register. We depend entirely on members to involve and commit themselves so that we can maintain the progress and momentum which has carried us forward successfully since our 1961 inception. Times change and circumstances change, but with your help and support we should be good for many more years. And it's fun too!
And finally.... here's something to remind us why the Triple-M fraternity is so important to us all. On 9th July the Register Summer Gathering took place at Peter Green's home and was supported by over 135 participants and a bewildering array of Triple-M cars. A particular highlight came with the presentation by the Club Chairman to Peter of the MGCC's 'Marque of Friendship' Award. The Award was conceived to recognise outstanding contributions by members within the MG Car Club and is awarded only infrequently.
Peter's citation recognises his involvement with MGs since 1957 (the year in which he acquired his first Triple-M car, an NB) and his prodigious contribution to all aspects of the Register in the subsequent years and the many achievements in which he played a key role. To quote: "Peter's endearing characteristic is the unfailing generosity with which he gives his time and encouragement to support Triple-M owners anywhere in the world. He does this unselfishly and with the indulgence of his family. There are many Triple-M cars out on the roads that would never have been there were it not for the advice and wisdom that he has imparted to their owners. His stated aim is that the present and future owners of our cars will encourage their children and grand children, when they are old enough, to drive their cars and attend Triple-M events in them where they will meet like minded people."
Congratulations, Peter!
Dick Morbey
PA-PB0743
Frieth, Oxon, UK |
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