black kettle
Well-known member
- Joined
- Mar 16, 2014
- Messages
- 143
- Reaction score
- 0
Adrian,
"More fun than playing a big old chub in a snaggy river on light tackle."
Methinks that's a bridge too far comment mesen. But every single word apart from those were spot on.
Could anyone really make any of this up? The BS is in undeniable demise and have been loosing members steadily since 1999. Steve Popes very own figures say so. They have lost a lot of their fisheries. They are down to just two mags per year. They are wanting to send out newsletters electronically to save money. They are talking about lowering the joining fee to 20 quid. They are talking about "INCREASING" the chiefs with their crazy two tier committee structure whilst "INCREASING" the amount of people involved in their so called Research and Conservation thingmy. I wonder if claims for "expenses" will soar at the same time with this increase of hierarchy. They are increasing their R&C fund raising efforts. They are about to get into the match fishing scene in attempts to make money. This is the Barbel Society remember, the society that once championed their highly publicised anti barbel in keepnets campaign.
The Barbel Society are extremely small beer and any number of my local fishing clubs have far more members than they have. The same can be said up and down the country where other anglers live. The difference between them is that these esteemed clubs are well run, democratically operated clubs which are thriving with many having stood the test of time for well over a hundred years. Without these cherished fishing clubs, coarse fishing as we know it today would simply not exist. Nor would the old NFA, the old ACA and the current day Angling Trust/Fish Legal who rely on our nations fishing clubs for their very existence OR the angling press and nations tackle dealers. Indeed, the whole coarse fishing infrastructure as we know it would not exist without our glorious fishing clubs. But if the Barbel Society disappeared overnight I seriously doubt that one single barbel would bat an eyelid over its departure.
As for the Barbel Society Research and Conservation? I wouldn't give them a single penny piece of my money. Not before, not now, not ever.
Regards,
BK.
---------- Post added at 12:29 ---------- Previous post was at 11:48 ----------
Peter said;
"Now, personally, I no interest in the Barbel society or how it is run, but if I did have an interest, and it was at odds with those who manager and run the organisation, then I would be inclined to become a member and fight for the changes that I feel so passionate about from the inside."
I feel some clarification is in order pertaining to your words above Peter. Have you any idea just how many have tried the insider member route before in order to bring about change inside the BS heirarchy? Have you any idea just how many tried to do the very same thing by becoming a BS committee member Peter? We are not talking about one or two people here, we are talking about a long succession of members and ex committee members who all to a man tried to change things from within and all left disgruntled because their efforts were either thwarted or their concerns wasn't listed to. Even recently ex committee members, loyal members at that, have vented their frustration about there being no change in the way the BS is run and said so on the BS Facebook page.
Peter, there have been far too many for this all to be "nit picking" or "sniping from the sidelines" Doesn't 1300 members down to just 550 (could even be less than that) tell you something Peter?
Many of those campaigning for change in the BS hierarchy wanted to see full democratic elections take place to ensure that the members, not just a small inner circle, ran the society because after all said and done, without members there is nothing.
Like any other democratically run fishing club, the members themselves should decide who represents them and what direction the club/society should be taking. And whilst the current situation within the BS hierarchy prevails, so will the protests for democracy within the BS.
One last thought Peter.
In any democracy the members/people have the right to vote in representatives who they feel will look after their interests. But by the very same democratic protocol, they have the right to vote out anyone deemed to be under performing and not representing their best interests.
Regards,
BK
"More fun than playing a big old chub in a snaggy river on light tackle."
Methinks that's a bridge too far comment mesen. But every single word apart from those were spot on.
Could anyone really make any of this up? The BS is in undeniable demise and have been loosing members steadily since 1999. Steve Popes very own figures say so. They have lost a lot of their fisheries. They are down to just two mags per year. They are wanting to send out newsletters electronically to save money. They are talking about lowering the joining fee to 20 quid. They are talking about "INCREASING" the chiefs with their crazy two tier committee structure whilst "INCREASING" the amount of people involved in their so called Research and Conservation thingmy. I wonder if claims for "expenses" will soar at the same time with this increase of hierarchy. They are increasing their R&C fund raising efforts. They are about to get into the match fishing scene in attempts to make money. This is the Barbel Society remember, the society that once championed their highly publicised anti barbel in keepnets campaign.
The Barbel Society are extremely small beer and any number of my local fishing clubs have far more members than they have. The same can be said up and down the country where other anglers live. The difference between them is that these esteemed clubs are well run, democratically operated clubs which are thriving with many having stood the test of time for well over a hundred years. Without these cherished fishing clubs, coarse fishing as we know it today would simply not exist. Nor would the old NFA, the old ACA and the current day Angling Trust/Fish Legal who rely on our nations fishing clubs for their very existence OR the angling press and nations tackle dealers. Indeed, the whole coarse fishing infrastructure as we know it would not exist without our glorious fishing clubs. But if the Barbel Society disappeared overnight I seriously doubt that one single barbel would bat an eyelid over its departure.
As for the Barbel Society Research and Conservation? I wouldn't give them a single penny piece of my money. Not before, not now, not ever.
Regards,
BK.
---------- Post added at 12:29 ---------- Previous post was at 11:48 ----------
Peter said;
"Now, personally, I no interest in the Barbel society or how it is run, but if I did have an interest, and it was at odds with those who manager and run the organisation, then I would be inclined to become a member and fight for the changes that I feel so passionate about from the inside."
I feel some clarification is in order pertaining to your words above Peter. Have you any idea just how many have tried the insider member route before in order to bring about change inside the BS heirarchy? Have you any idea just how many tried to do the very same thing by becoming a BS committee member Peter? We are not talking about one or two people here, we are talking about a long succession of members and ex committee members who all to a man tried to change things from within and all left disgruntled because their efforts were either thwarted or their concerns wasn't listed to. Even recently ex committee members, loyal members at that, have vented their frustration about there being no change in the way the BS is run and said so on the BS Facebook page.
Peter, there have been far too many for this all to be "nit picking" or "sniping from the sidelines" Doesn't 1300 members down to just 550 (could even be less than that) tell you something Peter?
Many of those campaigning for change in the BS hierarchy wanted to see full democratic elections take place to ensure that the members, not just a small inner circle, ran the society because after all said and done, without members there is nothing.
Like any other democratically run fishing club, the members themselves should decide who represents them and what direction the club/society should be taking. And whilst the current situation within the BS hierarchy prevails, so will the protests for democracy within the BS.
One last thought Peter.
In any democracy the members/people have the right to vote in representatives who they feel will look after their interests. But by the very same democratic protocol, they have the right to vote out anyone deemed to be under performing and not representing their best interests.
Regards,
BK
