XH558's Friends Scheme

[Board Admin]

We announce news today on how you can be more involved with XH558, getting closer to the aircraft and her crew with events designed especially for you, whilst also giving you priority notice of other 'ticketed' functions to help with funding. This is all possible because we finally have a permanent home for XH558.

Rewards will recognise the generosity from previous donors and all those who support us with donations from today. *

We will be using the power of our database systems and adding features to make it easier for people to make contributions, like accepting direct debits.

There will be three levels in our Friends scheme that will help increase the 'Butterfly Effect' we have mentioned before, allowing us to expand our educational activities and broaden the attractions available in our hangar tour we are calling 'The Vulcan Experience.'

Level 1: Friend: - £5.58 per month or cumulative donations of £60 or more in any one year.

Level 2: Gold Friend: - £18 per month or cumulative donations of £200 or more in any one year.

Level 3: Vulcan Guardian: - £55.80 per month or over £650 in any one year.

The above will incorporate some of the following exclusive benefits at various levels:

-Dedicated Friends badge and car sticker.
-Name on a yearly FRIENDS OF XH558 plaque to be added to the aircraft at the start of each season.
-Name on a listing within the hangar.
-Priority invites to quarterly 'behind the scenes' gatherings.
-Priority notice of organised events.
-Discounts on hangar tours and other ticketed events.
-Entry into our Flying Fund Draw to win a monthly cash prize.
-Automatic inclusion in our weekly email newsletters.
-Offers on special merchandise.
-Access for guests and selected other incentives to be confirmed.
-Opportunities to meet key personnel.

Full details of the benefits available with each level will be given on a special Friends of XH558 Page to be published on our Web Site and detailed in a postal mailing coming out next month. So, as this takes shape between now and the end of the year, you will be the first to know through this newsletter.

How it will work.
The three levels available have been tailored around the typical amounts different types of supporter tend to give each year and if these levels continue, your membership will be renewed each year with all the corresponding benefits. Between now and 'going live' in January, we will be looking at all those who qualify in the four years since first flight. All those that do, even if it was back in 2007, will be eligible. It will be a way of encouraging fresh support and will possibly re-engage those who might have lost touch with us.

*Please note: The Friends Scheme is based around cumulative annual or monthly pure 'monetary' donations and is not linked to any other promotion that might be offered from time to time.

[jonjo]

This is brill idea.... But can i ask that i gave a large one off amount of money back in the year 2000 which came under Associated member, Will this count as well, all i received was a certificate with VIP tickets for something that never happened, and also i noticed i am not on the roll of honur list too.....

[eddief]

I really don't know the details but I think it all hinges on the database that has been built up/stitched together from historic records. And the records probably die away quite quickly much before "first flight"?

Ian's the chap to answer this one & I'm sure he will respond as soon as he can.

[planenut]

This is going to be a hard one to set up, with so many attempts in the past to get the project underway, some will miss out.

[Zero One]

This is brill idea.... But can i ask that i gave a large one off amount of money back in the year 2000 which came under Associated member, Will this count as well, all i received was a certificate with VIP tickets for something that never happened, and also i noticed i am not on the roll of honur list too.....

Is this the Founding Sponsor Scheme the club signed up to or something else, I can't remember can anyone else?

[jonjo]

This is brill idea.... But can i ask that i gave a large one off amount of money back in the year 2000 which came under Associated member, Will this count as well, all i received was a certificate with VIP tickets for something that never happened, and also i noticed i am not on the roll of honur list too.....

Is this the Founding Sponsor Scheme the club signed up to or something else, I can't remember can anyone else?

All i can remember is that you paid to become an Associate member with a certificate/ pin badge/ and blue tickets that have VIP on them for an avent that never happened. i beleive rusty would know about it

[PA28]

I'd have to ask for that far back, as the person looking after the database now was confident we had records back to 2007, but it could well be very patchy before then.

Monies of that earlier time, certainly helped with the restoration and the 'return to flight' and there is no way we would be here today if not for those valuable contributions.

However, as the newsletter explains, it is a case of engaging many that have drifted away over the last few years and also rewarding those that are still with us now or are going to join us moving forward. There has to be a cut-off somewhere and accurate data is paramount.

Securing greater financial support is one sure way of making sure those earlier 'investments' are not wasted... perhaps that will have to be the solice for some.

As I say, I'll enquire, but can make no promises outside of what has been outlined already in the newsletter.

Regards,
Ian

[Panel 10]

Does 'donations' include what is spent in the web shop or ring fenced components of the winter service for example or is it only direct donations to the lady that will be counted towards the friends scheme??

[PA28]

Only direct monetary donations of cash/cheques etc... the newsletter did try to clarify here:

*Please note: The Friends Scheme is based around cumulative annual or monthly pure 'monetary' donations and is not linked to any other promotion that might be offered from time to time.

[Panel 10]

Thanks for clarifying, I missed that.

[jonjo]

I'd have to ask for that far back, as the person looking after the database now was confident we had records back to 2007, but it could well be very patchy before then.

Monies of that earlier time, certainly helped with the restoration and the 'return to flight' and there is no way we would be here today if not for those valuable contributions.

However, as the newsletter explains, it is a case of engaging many that have drifted away over the last few years and also rewarding those that are still with us now or are going to join us moving forward. There has to be a cut-off somewhere and accurate data is paramount.

Securing greater financial support is one sure way of making sure those earlier 'investments' are not wasted... perhaps that will have to be the solice for some.

As I say, I'll enquire, but can make no promises outside of what has been outlined already in the newsletter.



Regards,
Ian

Ok.... Thank you Ian....

[speedy]

So, the likes of us who already direct debit a tenner a month are already friends then, I presume??

Edit after thinking:

I have a family membership to cover she who must be obeyed. We both do a tenner a month, so seeing as both the individual and family memberships cost the same and get the same stuff through the post, does that count as two members of the friends category, or one membership that is a gold friend? Or am I just trying to confuse things? lol

[wcg]

Speedy ;
Well it does say :
"Rewards will recognise the generosity from previous donors and all those who support us with donations from today"
and :
"we will be looking at all those who qualify in the four years since first flight. All those that do, even if it was back in 2007, will be eligible"
!!!

[speedy]

I wonder if the £70 of my SSP donation that wasn't included on the certificate can be added....

[PA28]

Your existing £10 per month will be recorded and will qualify you as a 'Friend'. However, do not confuse this scheme with Club Membership, that is a completely different aspect. This is a Trust scheme designed to encourage direct donations towards the upkeep of the aircraft and hence, giving you rewards of information and organised events where you will be able to attend and get close to her.

The scheme is 'per individual'... I'll give an example of why that needs to be:

You can't have one person paying £20 and being offered say a £5 discount for said event, while two people pay 2 x £10 and would wish to claim 2 x £5 discounts if they wished to attend. As with all things Vulcan, there will be certain anomalies that crop up and I'll try to settle them here.

If you are refering to an ISP (Individual Sponsorship Pack) then no, sorry, I've already covered that point - they do not apply and are not counted towards the scheme.

Bands are: £60 / £200 / £600 per year in cumulative cash/cheque donations, or monthly standing orders of £5.58 / £18 or £55.80.

Once the exact benefits are published, and higher levels might have better 'guest' facilities, you will have to work out what works best in your situation. As you can see, it's not that easy to reach the best compromise and thus, packages are still being developed to cater for such eventualities and to encourage 'trading up' where a single £10 might become £18, since that might give the whole family access or discount.

In your case, we might lose £2! It's all in final planning and will become clearer once the FRIENDS SCHEME pages are finished!!

Regards,
Ian