The site

[lombard]

Ken.John,as discussed last Saturday.I have a number of signed SUFC footballs from the 1999/2000 season,when I was the ball sponsor. I am prepared to go 50/50 with the Zone on all monies received. I would suggest £20ish per ball.I will let you know how many I have.I also have the match ball of the 1000th match played at Roots Hall,signed by the players.I paid £250 for the ball.Is there any interest, again 50/50.

 

[Sleaford Shrimper]

I don't know how popular the card game Bridge is in SE Essex but we make about £400 to £500 in one day for a local not-for-profit organisation up here in Lincolnshire by putting on Bridge Days. We get about 20 to 25 pairs entering at a fee of £32 a pair. For that they get their day's Bridge competition, tea/coffee and biscuits on arrival, 2-course buffet lunch (which members of our association prepare and serve themselves) and afternoon tea and biscuits. We also run a raffle that always turns a good profit of about £80-£100. Our costs comprise venue hire - we use a village hall with cooking facilities - prizes for the winners and runners-up, raffle prizes and food and refreshments. This kind of thing depends on volunteers with catering skills, members who are regulars on the local Bridge circuit to encourage teams to compete and to organise the competition on the day and an adequate supply of playing cards etc.

Of course, it may well be a non-runner in your area but two Bridge Days a year keep our organisation afloat in our more rural area.

 

[bigmolt]

I can't play bridge but a poker night might be popular.
Or how about a small entry fee i.e. £1 to the prediction league. A percentage to the top places and a percentage to the Zone.

 

[buffalowolf]

IM pretty sure SUFC would donate a signed shirt and footballand other memorabilla that can be auctioned off ,plus a quiz night at a good pub ,sure they will let you use their facilities free off charge as lets be honest most of you enjoy a beer or three ,so they will be earning from it as well.Sorry i understand your predicament but i as an OAP and a person whose last marriage wasnt good,could not afford 25 pound,i live here in the Philippines becoz my wife left me broke,its where my Australian pension allows me to live with some dignity and pride.I love my club and if i had the money would happily pay whatever .:sad:

 

[Barry.C]

Ken.John,as discussed last Saturday.I have a number of signed SUFC footballs from the 1999/2000 season,when I was the ball sponsor. I am prepared to go 50/50 with the Zone on all monies received. I would suggest £20ish per ball.I will let you know how many I have.I also have the match ball of the 1000th match played at Roots Hall,signed by the players.I paid £250 for the ball.Is there any interest, again 50/50.

very kind thought and generous offer and I'd chip in hoping to win one to give to my grandson, working his way through Millwall and Charlton coaches!

 

[Cricko]

Some great suggestions there guys and girls.. It would be a last resort if ever charged members to use these forums, but it has sparked some great debate...We are just chucking ideas about with you all. We will have a look at them all over the next day or so.

In the meantime thank you all for your help and I will answer some of the points raised later today x

 

[Blueronron]

The problem is if you become a paid up member, I presume all those that pay will be privileged to seeing the out goings against income and who has put the monies in, and maybe a chance to run as a moderator (THEN SEE HOW MUCH TIME IT TAKES UP OF YOUR LIFE)

The secret mod rooms are normal for all sites, its a place to discuss posters who maybe looking for trouble or libellous posts to be discussed its very normal, so nothing secretive:unsure:

Now this is not a go at anyone, but ( Adam Barrett) SZ raised a lot of monies for his pictures and I believe this is still ongoing (Not a knock, but a fact), so can understand if people are reluctant to part with monies without knowing the full story of costs. Times are hard for people and if you ask for monies re a picture montage then I would have thought it should be done within a reasonable time scale .( And no I didnot contribute) personally believe others are more worthy for this accolade before AB but that's a different topic

I think if you make it pay, then you will lose the identity and more important away fans, who contribute when playing away, OK there are trolls but come on we have SUFC who do the same on away forums and even on here

Get the feeling the owners are getting tired with running a successful forum, as per last month poll and now this, I've ran two Southend sites and fully appreciated how it becomes a passion and then can take over your life, both SOL and WSV took over and Ricey can appreciate this when a mod on WSV how much time is needed to run it successfully and keep it fresh.
We only had one sponsor on WSV and it ran well enough and that was for £ 200 per year to cover costs, I donot believe SOL received anything only when we held a family day and had raffle prizes and contributions to buy books that was given to us

Personally hope it does not become a pay site, as I feel you will lose the interaction and be filled just with sheep following one another who pay for the privilege and scared to voice an opinion, as I say its not a knock at owners/site but a view that is different to others on here.
Posters like Rigsby are needed for the site to be vocal and different, may not agree with most of the posts but appreciate the different angle, and I would be sorry to see him go because of the levy.
Again organising Quiz night, BBQ etc needs other people to get involved, but like many our lives are busy and we find excuses not to do it, hence my opening post try being a moderator/owner then you know how much it takes over

Don't agree with some posts by Cricko/Mc Nasty when imo over zealous on replies to posters, but its what makes the site unique, end of the day I hope an alternative can be found, as I wouldnot pay and would sorely miss the posts

UTS

 

[RobM]

If not £25 in one go, how about a £2 a month standing order?

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

If not £25 in one go, how about a £2 a month standing order?

That’s a good idea I reckon. Small enough to not be impactful on most folks in work. It could be optional too, so that we only needed say 50 people signed up and we would be home and hosed.

 

[OldBlueLady]

Just a suggestion, but one I know some of you know a bit about. The Trust has a Race Night coming up on 24th March, why not get a few of you along there to see how it's run and then look at running one to raise funds for the Zone in a few months to give you plenty of time to get sponsors and stuff in place?

I know Beaver has run Race Nights for a few different things in the past - worth talking to him to see if he can help you out?

It would be a perfect excuse of a Zone social and raising funds at the same time, plus you could also run an auction or raffle if you wanted and perhaps even make it an annual thing. Just as a bit of advice, do it when the weather is warmer, people are more inclined to want to come out and support.

 

[OldBlueLady]

Also, as I quite often write the quizzes for the Trust Quiz Nights, I have countless quiz rounds going back over the last 4 or 5 years which you are welcome to use for a Quiz Night if you wish - will even offer my services for marking!

 

[Alrounce]

After reading all these suggestions and realising that I visit the website on a daily basis and get all the news and views before even the southend Utd website or the echo. I would be willing to match the £250 offered on a previous thread also I have a signed football including Stan Collymore somewhere in the loft which I am willing to donate for a future event.
Just contact me and advise how I can help.
Keep this website going, being a pensioner and long time supporter of the blues I am glad I can help in some small way.

 

[McNasty]

Also, as I quite often write the quizzes for the Trust Quiz Nights, I have countless quiz rounds going back over the last 4 or 5 years which you are welcome to use for a Quiz Night if you wish - will even offer my services for marking!

Quiz nights and race nights are very popular and would be a good way of generating money.

Well worth thinking about.

Thanks for that Kay.

 

[McNasty]

After reading all these suggestions and realising that I visit the website on a daily basis and get all the news and views before even the southend Utd website or the echo. I would be willing to match the £250 offered on a previous thread also I have a signed football including Stan Collymore somewhere in the loft which I am willing to donate for a future event.
Just contact me and advise how I can help.
Keep this website going, being a pensioner and long time supporter of the blues I am glad I can help in some small way.

Thanks for your kind offer, greatly appreciated --- glad we can be of service.

 

[Alrounce]

Shall I make donation now or wait?

 

[Cricko]

Shall I make donation now or wait?

Thank you very much for your kind offer but hold fire for now as fbm is looking for 3 others to match his offer.

 

[Alrounce]

Ok let me know as and when.

 

[Cricko]

Ok to answer a few queries....not in any particular order.

1. We will NOT be going down the pay for the forum route. Somebody asked in this thread do any other forums charge for members..Well Southampton do and have done for years, charging £5 per year to join and view all aspects of their forums

2. The change we will have to make at some stage in the next year is because vB4 is no longer supported by them.They went on to create vB5 which does not suit us at all.. There will be no more security updates for our site, that worries us a lot.

3. I have today ordered the CP/Zone mugs and will let you know when we have them.

4. The Owners and Mods are not tired of this site as somebody suggested, but don't get me wrong we all shake our heads at times.

5. I am picking up Adam Barrett's pictures this coming Friday and they will be framed next week. All my fault for the delay.

6. The Quiz idea I like but I think it would be better if we did it postal/online for you all. The days of us all meeting up at The Spread and then heading to The Shrimpers bar are long gone, we would never get the numbers needed. This is what The Trust do at Christmas with their Pop Quiz and it seems to work well. I will be talking to Kay about that.

7. As I have explained on numerous occasions it costs £3k near on to run these forums per annum. There is nothing hidden. One of our members Ailsa Road does our accounts. We are only suggesting that we have to look forward, whether it is with another sponsor, which would help as OB have left us and that leaves a hole, but morso for that change of forum that maybe lurking in the distance for now, but will sure enough soon land at our feet.
That change will cost us £1k outside of our yearly running costs....This is not fiction people it a fact, I for one dread it but it is the way it is. So we have to make plans to ensure the monies are there when needed.

8. Thank you Mark (fbm) for as usual, always stepping in when needed and thank you also for Alrounce for offering to match his offer..Lets see if we can get two more the same?

Also thank you to all of you that have been so helpful on this thread and your offers of help.

9.Thanks to Peter Coster (Lombard) for the kind offer of the balls...Ken will be in touch

Finally if you have any questions at all you can ask them here or Pm us.

John & Ken.

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

Ok to answer a few queries....not in any particular order.

1. We will NOT be going down the pay for the forum route. Somebody asked in this thread do any other forums charge for members..Well Southampton do and have done for years, charging £5 per year to join and view all aspects of their forums

2. The change we will have to make at some stage in the next year is because vB4 is no longer supported by them.They went on to create vB5 which does not suit us at all.. There will be no more security updates for our site, that worries us a lot.

3. I have today ordered the CP/Zone mugs and will let you know when we have them.

4. The Owners and Mods are not tired of this site as somebody suggested, but don't get me wrong we all shake our heads at times.

5. I am picking up Adam Barrett's pictures this coming Friday and they will be framed next week. All my fault for the delay.

6. The Quiz idea I like but I think it would be better if we did it postal/online for you all. The days of us all meeting up at The Spread and then heading to The Shrimpers bar are long gone, we would never get the numbers needed. This is what The Trust do at Christmas with their Pop Quiz and it seems to work well. I will be talking to Kay about that.

7. As I have explained on numerous occasions it costs £3k near on to run these forums per annum. There is nothing hidden. One of our members Ailsa Road does our accounts. We are only suggesting that we have to look forward, whether it is with another sponsor, which would help as OB have left us and that leaves a hole, but morso for that change of forum that maybe lurking in the distance for now, but will sure enough soon land at our feet soon.
That change will cost us £1k outside of our yearly running costs....This is not fiction people it a fact, I for one dread it but it is the way it is. So we have to make plans to ensure the monies are there when needed.

8. Thank you Mark (fbm) for as usual, always stepping in when needed and thank you also for Alrounce for offering to match his offer..Lets see if we can get two more the same?

Also thank you to all of you that have been so helpful on this thread and your offers of help.

9.Thanks to Peter Coster (Lombard) for the kind offer of the balls...Ken will be in touch

Finally if you have any questions at all you can ask them here or Pm us.

John & Ken.

How many would we need for that?

 

[Cricko]

How many would we need for that?

10 teams of say 7/8 per team at least.