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Richard Hardy
United Kingdom
2161 Posts |
 Posted - 08/02/2023 : 23:11:23
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Tony, some of these comments seem to want to sadly deflect away from what is a pretty sad situation. Your Register is one of ever-reducing membership and the situation should not be taken likely.
There are lots of initiatives which can be employed by both the MGCC and Register to raise the MMM profile and address declining membership. Promotional videos like this do no favours whatsoever for raising the profile of the MMM movement. We all need to do our level best to keep the movement going, irrespective of whether we are club members or not. We all have a common interest. Good promotion and good initiatives are key.
For those who prefer to criticise myself for raising this topic, it will be interesting to see the MMM Register membership position in say 10 years time based on a no real implementation of change policy.
I very much wish to see the MMM Register and MMM movement thrive. Dolts and his team are a centre of excellence in their enthusiasm for what they do but, the MCCC need to improve their awareness of the existence of the MMM Register and what it would like to achieve ie hopefully a greater and younger membership, and one with greater PR exposure. Sometimes good PR can cost nothing.
Rich
Vintage MG Parts |
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Mark T Boldry
United Kingdom
96 Posts |
Posted - 10/02/2023 : 08:24:34
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Sometimes it takes a thorn to make one aware of the fingers we take very much for granted... Richard’s initial post has raised some interesting conversation and debate, some relevent and some totally misinterpreted and off topic.. As I see it, the MGCC appears to have a focus on the more modern brands of MGs and less of a recognotion for the roots of their existence... However, in my time as a member (circa 45 years) this has been ongoing... As an owner of various MGs from MMM through SVW, Y Type, T Type, Z Magnette and Spridgets, I get the benefit of various articles in Safety Fast and find it generally an interesting read.... But back to the initial topic, when the promo video that Richard refers to was made, who, if anyone, in the MMM Register Committee was tasked with assisting with the MMM content..? Perhaps that’s where the MGCC could look at being more inclusive of every marque and thus ‘include’ it’s longstanding and loyal members and recognise that those who have supported the Club for the decades they have are most likely to ‘support’ the club in times of need..?
Mark.
Mark T Boldry
J2 3714
L1 0589
D 0431
Knaresborough, North Yorkshire. |
Edited by - Mark T Boldry on 10/02/2023 08:26:29 |
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Foz
United Kingdom
770 Posts |
Posted - 10/02/2023 : 12:28:32
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at my age I hope to see the "state of the register" in ten years time ... what ever state it is in. Too many of us joining the Norwegian Blue these days. So stop squabbling and enjoy the cars.
FOZ |
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Richard Hardy
United Kingdom
2161 Posts |
Posted - 11/02/2023 : 11:19:26
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Thank you Mark. An all round balanced response.
Rich
Vintage MG Parts |
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Ktype
United Kingdom
343 Posts |
Posted - 12/02/2023 : 10:47:49
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Promoting a huge MG and Triumph event was not going to focus on Triple M cars. We are a small part of a much bigger club. It is a small part we care about very much. Somewhat through a cloudy lens, Richard has focussed us a good point.
Solutions need perspiration as well as identification. What do we do to change things? We have this site, a rejuvenated racing scene (so much so I have found my racesuit in the attic), the Summer Gathering, the potential for more support from the MGCC and many others.
The Frazer Nash club attracts lots of younger members: it can be done.
What are the three to five things we can all get behind?
My two
1 Have an events and activities page on our site. Plus dare I say it we need to look at Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
2 Curborough Bank Holiday Monday Staffordshire Youth Clubs. Drive as much as you like, with passengers. Mine was only Triple M MG last year. Photo is with a young Gunn.
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Nick Feakes
USA
3378 Posts |
Posted - 12/02/2023 : 16:25:13
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Paul
Thank you for your ideas. We do have an "Events" page but I suspect many subscribers have the forums bookmarked so they to not visit the home page. With that in mind, I have added a menu item to the top right hand corner of the forum page "Events" that takes you straight there.
All
Please let me know if that is useful. Also, if you know of an event you would like added to that page, send me an email.
Nick
Webmaster |
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ja.mcnab
United Kingdom
204 Posts |
Posted - 15/02/2023 : 09:30:08
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The same thing has happened in the Bugatti Owners' Club - because they have to make Prescott pay, the emphasis is all about the hillclimb and the club now describes itself as " Prescott Hill Climb - home of the BOC ". However the club are responding to concerns of Bugatti owners.
I have been an MGCC member since the 60's but find the only things I read in Safety Fast are Cat S and the occasional historic article the MMM Bulletin is much more interesting.
Anyone want 00's of copies of SF going back to the 1960s ? |
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Richard Hardy
United Kingdom
2161 Posts |
Posted - 16/02/2023 : 17:33:36
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In response to Paul’s post, I notice that nobody as yet has put forward any suggestions for modernisation and pro activity in raising profile and generating interest and greater membership. I was not going to contribute further although paul's post has opened the door to members and non-members offering some observations and suggestions.
Here are some thought provokers set out below although I appreciate that some of these suggestions may go down like a lead balloon with some individuals, but there are always some who never embrace change. This is one of the problems of course.
1. The MMM Committee try to persuade the MGCC to provide the first six months of MGCC membership free to new MMM members who are under theca age of say 25 and who have use of a MMM car.
2. Sort out the Register Facebook page and start trying to connect with a younger audience. Plenty of the older generation are also using Facebook as well of course. Change the title of the Facebook page so at least MMM enthusiasts can actually find it. It is so obscure to find. Allow those wishing to post, to feed straight in, instead of having their posts vetted. It is otherwise a deterrent to contributors if they cannot see immediately what has been posted. There should be plenty of material for the committee to utilise in making the page look active and which may in turn encourage more to use it.
3. The committee need to be sure local MMM natter groups are welcoming to new young MMM club members. There is a MMM natter group up here in Yorkshire where a young enthusiast a couple of years back felt very much excluded and vowed never to go back, yet he is an active MMM and VSCC campaigner.
4. For local natter groups to notify other similar car group enthusiasts when they are proposing to have an event. It can so easily be done through social media. Look at engaging these groups, especially if there are MMM enthusiasts running their own events and are not necessarily club members. I organise events and invite the local MMM centre but there seems to be a reluctance for two way communication. Their choice of course but it does not help their dwindling membership situation.
Look at the potential possibly of allowing non- members with MMM cars to attend occasional club events possibly but subject to requesting they pay a day rate insurance premium if they wish to join in. There are currently plenty of MG MMM MGCC non-members who will not join the club because it lacks an acceptable level of recognition for MMM vehicles, as demonstrated recently, this time by the Silverstone 100 promotional video. It is for the MGCC , the MMM committee and local MGCC MMM natter groups to demonstrate that the club is worth joining and that they are proactive and are willing to engage with a varied age group.
5. The MMM Register stand event volunteers put the hours in standing around on the stall at events. Why not start exploiting the benefits of social media by uploading photos or even live video streams during the event itself, so MMM enthusiasts / club members from around the world can tune in and feel they are part of the event. This is just so easy to do, yet nobody bothers. Last weekend with a gathering of MMM enthusiasts around the stand at Stoneleigh was another lost opportunity. It could have so easily demonstrated how overseas enthusiasts had made the effort to attend Stoneleigh, possibly encouraging other overseas enthusiasts to attend future events. This is just so easy to organise.
6. For local natter events, allow those MMM Register members priority entry to attend an organised event when bringing a MMM vehicle. It has been known that with an ageing membership, more modern vehicles are attending MMM events (the MMM car being left in the garage at home) at the expense of there being no entry space left for those wishing to make an effort in bringing a MMM car. This does seem to becoming more apparent sadly and does nothing to promote awareness of MMM vehicles on the road.
If the club organises itself well then with some inclusivity within its own ranks and looking at ways of connectivity with younger enthusiasts through savy social media usage, the MGCC and the MMM Register could promote itself far better, if it so wished. This in turn should hopefully attract new members and, may even persuade ex-members to rejoin the club. The Fraser Nash club are attracting new members yet MMM cars are less valuable and far more plentiful, so clearly, there has to be potential here.
I do expect to get shot down by some enthusiasts. I am not an MGCC member anymore. I have, over recent months written to key individuals in the MGCC / Register outlining various observations and suggestions but I have been advised by one member that there can be no communication, as I am not a club member!!!! Such narrow minded outlook is pretty sad when I would have thought the Register Committee may have welcomed suggestions from ex-club members with constructive ideas.
Just a few thoughts anyway, and which may go nowhere.
Rich
Vintage MG Parts |
Edited by - Richard Hardy on 16/02/2023 17:50:34 |
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colintf
United Kingdom
1503 Posts |
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tonym
United Kingdom
653 Posts |
Posted - 17/02/2023 : 14:41:06
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Richard
If you are not a club member, then why does your first post on this thread include a number implying that you are?
"Support local natter groups" It's donkeys years since you came to your local, well established group.
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Richard Hardy
United Kingdom
2161 Posts |
Posted - 18/02/2023 : 09:10:57
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Tony, I don’t quote a membership number. If you are referring to the number which appears after my first post, this is because the forum is using an outdated flaky software platform which, when responding from Apple products occasionally converts an emoji to a code. Uploading photographs from an Apple product proves even more challenging. Modernisation again Tony, and no Imogi !
In response, I do not attend the local natter as, as you should know, I live south of York, I have a demanding professional daytime job 33 miles west in Leeds, your event is late on after work near Wetherby 13 miles north east and then 32 miles back. I have an evening job EVERY NIGHT running Vintage MG Parts for the benefit of MMM enthusiasts. It is much easier for your natter participants as the majority are well into retirement and don’t work!!
Secondly, I am not a club member so it is a closed circle. I will support the MGCC more directly through a membership subscription when it shows an acceptable level of commitment and inclusiveness to the MMM enthusiasts. We live in an ‘all inclusive world’ now Tony so I keep being advised at work!
Simon Johnston, noting your post on the Members section regarding my ‘offensive’ post, is it a good enough reason to be banned again, simply for pointing out what is so blatantly wrong with the club’s apathy to be more encompassing on the MMM movement. Shoot the messenger then, and continue to wither if criticism cannot be viewed as constructive. Alternatively, be a little more constructive yourself instead.
The Members section is always accessible to non members by various means, and those who chose to repeatedly refer to Facebook as ‘Farcebook’ have an outdated mentality to the modernisation generally required to keep these car clubs alive in a modern day world.
Rich
Vintage MG Parts |
Edited by - Richard Hardy on 18/02/2023 09:43:24 |
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tonym
United Kingdom
653 Posts |
Posted - 18/02/2023 : 15:18:04
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| As a non-member how do you have access to comments on the members only section ? |
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Richard Hardy
United Kingdom
2161 Posts |
Posted - 18/02/2023 : 16:34:42
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That is my business Tony. You could be praising my willingness to raise helpful suggestions in trying to help turn around the downward trend in membership rather than certain individuals focussing on the title to a topic. The content should be the focus, surely.
Lack of lateral thinking and fresh ideas will leave anyone behind in what is a fast moving world, especially in car club circles.
#128514 for those who do not know is the cheerful Imoji.
Rich
Vintage MG Parts |
Edited by - Richard Hardy on 18/02/2023 17:01:32 |
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Nick Feakes
USA
3378 Posts |
Posted - 20/02/2023 : 12:56:33
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Rich
The only imojis that work are those included on the table to the left. The table only appears if you use the full reply and not the quick reply. The site does not allow HTML code to be interpreted in a post except those item in the "Format" line.
I have been asked to add some "smilies" as they are called here and if/when I have some time I will see what I can do. 
Nick
Webmaster |
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Nick Feakes
USA
3378 Posts |
Posted - 20/02/2023 : 13:02:40
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I have re-instated this topic with a few edits.
You may join the debate but please do not post any form of attack on another member, this I will not allow.
Constructive ideas about ways to improve what we do is welcome.
Nick
Webmaster |
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