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[iann]

The minutes document is a WordPerfect 5.1 document, which might help you to decode it. Ahhh, that was a nice word processor

[Bill]

Perhaps it needs suggesting to who ever types them that they should get a copy of OpenOffice (free), then they can save as a word document or maybe even better a PDF file.

[Phil Hocking]

I was unable to read the document in Wordpad or in Open Office but managed to read it on another computer with Microsoft Word 2000. It does seem to be a word document (i.e. a .doc rather than .wpd), but perhaps created on some obscure version of Word?. It might be better if the document could be saved as a text document, (.txt), as that is universally acceptable as far as I am aware.

Somerset Phil

[Lindsey]

If our BCSS subs (those of us who are members) aren't sufficient to provide the officials with reasonably up-to-date software we should hang our head in shame, and maybe it's not surprising that this Forum is so unpopular with our elected (?????) officials who actually get things done VOLUNTARILY.

Let's put our money where our mouth is!

[Phil Hocking]

Open Office Suite is absolutely free - you can get it from here



Using it you can save your documents in whatever format you like, not just in Open Office format. It is possible to either download it or even get it on a CD.

Somerset Phil

[Guest]

:X:XWhen I saw these I was also very annoyed.
I just don't see that one or two moaners should cause the rest of us to be seen as the same and to use the one email about conservation as a dig at the rest of us was despicable.
It really make me wonder about the hours I put in as a moderator only to get this sort of comment.

I supose I will be in trouble for this posting but it will be how I feel.

[Ernie]

Lindsey. I dont want to fall out with you over this issue but i do get a little annoyed when the fact officials are volunteers is thrown at us in a way that suggests we should not have any say in anything because they do it unpaid.

I can say this because I have held a number of positions in national and local organisations. I have never been paid nor would I wish to be paid and I accept without any reservation that the members have a right to question how I do the job and how the organisation is run when they shell out cash to be a member. I have always accepted the baggage that goes with volunteering, anyone who voulnteers only wanting the good side should not do so.

There is a danger that if debate is stiffled those who run organisations form into a 'cosy' club self serving and patting each other on the back telling each what good fellows/girls they are.


This forum is perhaps the only way that the BCSS is going to increase membership and as an entity, notwithstanding individual reservations,it must continue to offer full support.

I have lived a long time, been active in many interests and held a senior rank in the Police service. That experience has taught me that nothing inhibits people more from joining a club or whatever is if that club is seen as something of a closed shop running for the benefit of a minority.

One of the comments I understand has orginated from the BCSS officials is they are worried that the forum could do more harm than good. Thats is an attitude eminating from not wanting to change with the times, to maintain the closy club, to believe things will always be as they have always been. Its no good the society moaning about membership then moaning about a forum that can only be a vehicle for doing good and attract people into it.

BoB and the moderators can stop the less desireable posts but those issues are in reality few in numberand should not in any way put the forum under a cloud.

[Chris43]

I'm hoping that many members of the F&GP will read this thread. The fact that the time given by the Committee is voluntary is irrelevant to the matter in hand. Overloading of our officials needs to be addressed, and hopefully the review under way and noted in the minutes will provide an effective structure for the future, and a lightening of load if this indeed is hard to handle.

But to try to make sure, I wrote yesterday to one of the committee on several points. One of these was concerned with what I perceived as a rather unbalanced reporting of the Forum, and pointing out that as the minutes now are publicly available, they themselves don't themselves create the best image of the Society.

I don't mind the reports as such, I'm sure that they are honestly held views, and their reporting is fact. But that they offer no positive view of the valuable discussions that do go on here is regrettable. One could form the view that the F&GP overall "suffer" the Forum rather than give it really positive support. I do hope that isn't the case.

Don't let this be what might be considered another moan thread - if you feel unhappy, let your actions be positive ones, and don't let this Forum be the only outlet for your feelings. Write to the committee, talk to your Branch secretary, your Zone rep, raise it under AOB at the AGM perhaps. It is always difficult for a committee to sense the mood and views of its membership. We of the Forum are part, but only a part of this, no matter how important we might feel this is.

[Tina]

[size=medium]I quite liked the idea of having a society patron, we need a plant obsessed bill oddy type.
Any one have any suggestions ?;).

The minutes are only a small snip of the meeting, I know Colin said how much he enjoys the forum & actually learns from it.
Bob the amount of time we spend as Mods is small compared to Davd K who does the accounts for the BCSS, which must be an awful job IMHO, from someone who enjoys the shopping but not the bills.[/size]

[Ernie]

In todays media driven world we need a patron who has a high profile and is a household name from TV. Charlie Dimmick or Alan Tichmarsh for example. As someone who tends to think about attributes I prefer the former! (sorry for that one)