South Central Local Group Finished!!!!

[Zed2k]

Myself and Michelle have decided to stand down from running our local group ( South Central) as we feel that we are not able to give the position the time it needs, so unless someone else takes over the running of this group, it will Finish, as of our sending a letter out to all our local group members to let them know the position is available..
Catch up with you all soon

Nick.

 

[ZHead]

That is a real shame and I am sure many people owe you a great deal for organising the group over recent times ......

It is indicative that a few do all of the work and the majority do not ... I unfortunately am in the majority as I have done nothing for the club but would if I had time.

As individual groups are suffering and the club is seemingly more and more fragmented, maybe we should look at "re-centralising" the club and making it one national club again, which will inevitably be stronger than fragmented sub divisions....... It has become apparent over the years that some groups are almost mini Z Clubs in their own right, preferring to stay local rather than be part of the national organisation.

This is in no way meant to criticize, point fingers, cast aspertions or be detrimental in any way but might fire some debate about how the club should or could be run to make it as strong as possible. This is not someone else's club, this is OUR club, we have collective responsibility to it and to making it work.

The way I see it, if a handful of individuals picked up their respective footballs and took them home, the Z Club may actually fold through lack of leadership. There are very few people doing all of the work that the rest of us (myself included) benefit from.

What do you guys think ?

 

[Arkwright]

I think you should start a new thread and put your very valid points up there where they can be properly debated (should there be sufficient interest) There are vacancies on the committee and we need new people to show an interest otherwise your prediction may well become true.

 

[Mr.F]

I have done nothing for the club

You put yourself down Andy - you contribute regularly to discussion on this forum and have made it along to several meetings. Those two things alone put the majority of members to shame...

 

[Mr.F]

The concept of a Local Group is a very simple one - it provides a regular focus for members in one geographical area to get to know each other, have a "noggin and natter" and learn about services available in the immediate area. It is not and never has been intended to act as a replacement for National Club activity.
Occasionally something of greater interest to all Club members may occur in a given Local Group area, e.g. HSCC racing at Brands Hatch is a meeting of National interest but could be focussed and arranged by the SEKZ Local Group. Some car shows may have a local organisation but be opened to all members. This is no agenda in any local group to become a breakaway Club as far as I am aware...?
Local Group success is dependant on a few factors:
1. Having someone with enough enthusiasm (and a thick skin to take rejection) who is prepared to organise.
2. Producing some form of written communication or newsletter for their members.
3. Having at least one (preferably more) venues that members actually like to attend and provide a safe, cohesive parking area for display.
4. Having enough enthusiastic members in the given area to provide viable attendance - a Group will soon fold if the organiser is left sitting in the pub on their own for a few meetings on the trot...

As the instigator of the Local Group concept within the Club, I'm still adamant that it is a valuable supplement to National activity if handled properly - after all, the SEZ and now the SEKZ Group continues to plod along happily through more than half a dozen different changes of leadership...

 

[ZHead]

This is no agenda in any local group to become a breakaway Club as far as I am aware...?.

I was not insinuating that there was any subterfuge or plot to break away from the main Z Club, it just appears that from time to time it is possible for local groups to perhaps become insular and focus on the local group rather than the national club.

As the instigator of the Local Group concept within the Club, I'm still adamant that it is a valuable supplement to National activity if handled properly ...

I couldn't agree more, the key word being "supplement".

Please do not misunderstand, I am not being critical in any way, shape or form of anyone or any group. I simply thought that it might be a useful point to debate, how to ensure that local groups and the national club stay vibrant and healthy. This was kicked off by Nick and Michelle standing down after they have done a great deal both at local and club level.

The club is cheap so I do not believe cost is an issue for members - we get a great magazine and a well run forum so that is value in itself.

Are the events right ?
If we had other events as we used to in the 80s would people care ?

The Silverstone event was a huge success and was extremely well attended..... it was out of the box thinking that paid off. Well done Steve and anyone else involved.

If there were more such events or even more "off the wall" things, what is the general consensus ? Would people attend ? If not, we have to try to understand what motivates the majority of members and see if we can organise events to catch the widest section of club members possible. These may not ALL be car related, they may be visits, barbecues, theme nights, anything at all in fact.

Hopefully a lot of forum members will chip in with views and ideas.

 

[Zed2k]

Although we have made some very good friends through forming our local group, it is now starting to fold as we only really ever had about an average of 4 cars turning up sometimes we took 2 of our own, but 2 others of those have now sold or are selling their cars so will no longer be parts of the Z club as such, these people are good friends now so it was worth it just for meeting these great people. Now having an expanding family and rebuilding my 240 and a larger work load have to take 1st place, So it needs someone with new enthusiasm to take the wheel.
I can't think now how long I have been running this group I think since 2002 so not a bad stretch, we will still be about at most events and me and my 240 will hopefully be back on track sometime next year so watch out!!
It's been good fun but now's the time to step back.
Nick

 

[pmac]

Hopefully a lot of forum members will chip in with views and ideas.

Forum members may chip in with an idea or two but it wont really matter. Only 10% of members are active on here or around 50 people (or so Im told)
The problem is with the other 450 members who make no contribution to this forum.
Ive said it before (and got hammered for saying it) but I will say it again.... this club is full of the wrong type of members, ie not active "on line". They will eventually be the cause of this clubs decline. And here is why...........
In the not too distant future paid members will drop below the critical number to fund our magazine. This will then force cancellation of the mag whether we like it or not.
Once the mag goes then all those "non forum" members will cease to have any contact with the club(ie us online) and will just cease to be members.
So we will continue as a small and successful "internet only club"
The examples of both 350Z clubs and 300Zx club show it will be fine.

 

[icu812]

Forum members may chip in with an idea or two but it wont really matter. Only 10% of members are active on here or around 50 people (or so Im told)
The problem is with the other 450 members who make no contribution to this forum.
Ive said it before (and got hammered for saying it) but I will say it again.... this club is full of the wrong type of members, ie not active "on line". They will eventually be the cause of this clubs decline. And here is why...........
In the not too distant future paid members will drop below the critical number to fund our magazine. This will then force cancellation of the mag whether we like it or not.
Once the mag goes then all those "non forum" members will cease to have any contact with the club(ie us online) and will just cease to be members.
So we will continue as a small and successful "internet only club"
The examples of both 350Z clubs and 300Zx club show it will be fine.

I see your point here.
But don't you have to be a paid up member of the club to receive the club magazine?
If so, as far as the club mag goes, it doesn't matter whether members are "forum or non-forum" as long as they are a paid up member.

The other point, this club, as with a lot of other classic car clubs, has its roots in a time when there was no Internet, why do you feel that non-forum are the wrong type of members, when they may well have been paying "their dues" since that time and still do. To be a balanced club it needs both types of members.

As long as members are paid up what does it matter.
Feel free to correct me, I'm not having a go, just trying to get a full understanding of your point of view.
I would have said that if your worried about this club, then fair enough, but worry more about the vacant committee posts, because no committee no club.

 

[Arkwright]

well said icu812.

I think we should all be worrying a great deal about the committee posts. One member is doing 3 major jobs and wants some help, others want to go, having served their time and there are no replacements. Plus there are vacancies anyway. We have had a sprinkling of volunteers on another post but the washout of Billing has buggered up the agm for the time being so we are left in limbo for a couple of months.

Volunteers for the committee are desparately needed. Stand up and be counted.

 

[pmac]

As long as members are paid up what does it matter.
Feel free to correct me, I'm not having a go, just trying to get a full understanding of your point of view.
I would have said that if your worried about this club, then fair enough, but worry more about the vacant committee posts, because no committee no club.

Let me try and explain a little further........
The magazine is a HUGE drain on Club funds.
Paid membership is declining steadily over recent years(so I believe) There is a" critical mass" of numbers of members . If we fall below that critical mass then we will be unable to afford to have a magazine.
Advertizing revenue also helps fund the magazine BUT if we have low numbers of members then who will want to pay for advertizing to such a small number of people. So that too will hasten the eventual demise of the magazine.
Now the club wont fold it will just change to being "internet only". My point about the "wrong type of members" is that non interenet members are in general the "old guard". Inevitably as these members get older and older they will cease to even subscribe. So membership is doomed to fall in my opinion.
Too many passive non internet members is not a healthy or forward looking position for this club.
And at present we are not attracting enough new active members in to the club and havent been for a number of years.
We have gained a reputation (correctly or otherwise) for being "old fogies, introverted. overly obsessed with obscure detail on seventies cars etc"
I am not as concerned about committee post as I am about overall membership/funds cos to turn your phrase round.... "no club = we dont need a committee"

 

[ZHead]

It would appear that you guys are in violent agreement but from different angles.

ICU812 - you are bang on the money, some of the members are of an age where they possibly are not interested in the internet - that is their right, they have earned it over the many years of being paid up members. As far as the magazine goes, it is the paid up membership NOT the forum that funds that.

Pete, you are also right in the sense that we should be attrcating new members, however, as the amount of road going 240s, 260s, 280s and even 300s dwindles, it will prove to be difficult as there are fewer and fewer people to attract. Funding is or course an issue.

My intitial post was not designed to point fingers or start flame wars but to say "collectively, how can we strengthen the club ?". Rather than pick on problems (and yes, I know there are many), I was hoping we could debate ways forward, new ideas, even wildly out of the box stupidity,anything to kick start the debate of "how do we make OUR club strong again ?"

The committee posts are a case in point .....

Why are they vacant ?
What could be done to get people to fill them ?
What reservations do people have ?

Personally, I would be happy to do something but I don't know what.... my business life leaves me very little time and I am not able to make meetings but I can do internet type stuff.... if there is anything I can do that will not be too onerous, please consider me as willing to do something.

Suzy ? any ideas how you could use an hour or so a week of keyboard facing work ????????? It may be that the committee posts need to be changed to suit who is available to do what .... maybe we need to re allocate responsibilities to different roles according to who has skills or time available ?

Please don't shoot the messenger, I am trying to take a positive stance to ascertaining what the real issues are and what we can COLLECTIVELY (ie not just the committee) do about them.

 

[icu812]

Pmac I see you point.
My own opinion is that having a club magazine of the quality of ours is a big plus point to the club and probably something that should be used in promoting the Z Club to attracted new members. Have some on show/ for sale at National meets. I'm not sure if this is already done.
And older members are just as important as new members as they have knowledge and experiance of their car, and from the ones I've meet good to talk to.
To attract new members, new owners need to be aware that is club is here. I wasn't when I bought my Z32. How many of the car publications that have free lists of related car clubs? is the Z club mentioned in any? Its free advertising.
I know, even though Practical Classics run a buying guide for the 240/260/280Z there's no mention of the club in there club pages.
With the 30th birthday event coming up, what about contacting car publications to see any wish to do a feature on the event, It will promote the club.
RE; passive members, I think you find there are probably as many passive internet members as non-internet members.
Perhaps, the layout for the forum it self needs to be looked at, my point is that if you go to the 300ZX section, the subsection Bodywork, has not had a post in 30 days, the performance section has had 1. This does not look good to new members and gives an impression that no one posts on the site.
It might be better to replace these with a FAQ Section and a Maintenance and Repair Section or even Help and Advice. Resource sections will help to bring people to the site again, and hopefully become more pro-active.
I see your point that without a club there's no need for a committee, but the short fall in committee members is probably just as, if not more urgent at the moment.
As ZHead said "The committee posts are a case in point .....

Why are they vacant ?
What could be done to get people to fill them ?
What reservations do people have ?"

Oh and Eileen (Lets Drift) if you see this post theres now a position for South Central REO that could use you skills.

 

[pmac]

My own opinion is that having a club magazine of the quality of ours is a big plus point to the club and probably something that should be used in promoting the Z Club to attracted new members. Have some on show/ for sale at National meets. I'm not sure if this is already don

Agreed 100%. As a regular contributor to the magazine.
The magazine is always on display at National meets.
we often give away back issues to "interested " prospective members.

To attract new members, new owners need to be aware that is club is here. I wasn't when I bought my Z32. How many of the car publications that have free lists of related car clubs? is the Z club mentioned in any? Its free advertising.
I know, even though Practical Classics run a buying guide for the 240/260/280Z there's no mention of the club in there club pages.

The club used to be in all these lists. its news to me that it isnt in Practical classics.

With the 30th birthday event coming up, what about contacting car publications to see any wish to do a feature on the event, It will promote the club.

Good idea. However in my opinion an assortment of people camping in a remote North Nottingham location is hardly going to make compelling reading.
In contrast the Silverstone bash had a great feature in at least one Jap magazine. Steve Burns showed me it yesterday. Brilliant.

RE; passive members, I think you find there are probably as many passive internet members as non-internet members.

You are probably correct. I hadnt thought of that.
The point I was attempting to make was that too large a proportion of passive members is not good for the club.

Perhaps, the layout for the forum it self needs to be looked at, my point is that if you go to the 300ZX section, the subsection Bodywork, has not had a post in 30 days, the performance section has had 1. This does not look good to new members and gives an impression that no one posts on the site.
It might be better to replace these with a FAQ Section and a Maintenance and Repair Section or even Help and Advice. Resource sections will help to bring people to the site again, and hopefully become more pro-active.

I have long been of the opinion that relying on one member to run/design the whole forum on his own was not a good idea.
that takes nothing away from Russ's efforts. 100%top bloke. IMO
The BIG problem with the 300 Zx section is that there is a
whole other club out there who covers all this stuff already.

 

[mikecart]

its news to me that it isnt in Practical classics.

Strange - it is in Practical Classics - I'm sure Suzy will confirm that I noticed the 'phone number was wrong and informed them of that ...

I am pretty sure it was fixed too by the next issue ... when the 240/260Z Buyers Guide was reprinted ...

Despite not being a committee member I've done that a couple of times in the past - I'd say if anyone notices that details for the Z club are wrong/missing somewhere in print, then just get them fixed and make sure the committee are aware of it ...

Pete - As for

I have long been of the opinion that relying on one member to run/design the whole forum on his own was not a good idea.

I have offered to help out where I can, but Russ and I haven't had time to hook up and talk about what I can do to help with this, but as you know (similar to Zhead) if I can help it will need to be something I can do via t'internet (business travel/family, etc.)

I fully intended to volunteer as best I could at Billing (either in person or via the forum if I was too busy to make it in person). That still holds for the Zedfest - but I have some foreign travel in Sept. so I am hoping there is no clash!

Regards,

Mike

 

[JEZ 280ZX]

Hi,
True about the 300ZX section, but as Pete says there is the 300ZX.co.uk site which is well established.I was a member on the 300ZX site back in 2000, long before the Z Club forum existed!

 

[pmac]

Strange - it is in Practical Classics - I'm sure Suzy will confirm that I noticed the 'phone number was wrong and informed them of that .

So it is..... BUT its under D for Datsun Z Club.
thats not who we are. we are Zclub.

Looks like we might have an identity crisis too on our hands. LOL!!!

 

[pmac]

Hi,
True about the 300ZX section, but as Pete says there is the 300ZX.co.uk site which is well established.I was a member on the 300ZX site back in 2000, long before the Z Club forum existed!

And that was (with hindsight) a pivotal turn for the worse as far as this club was concerned.
The Zclub failed to grab that opportunity and has probably been in decline(numbers wise) ever since.
Lets be honest here(without being patronising)....
The club has had one of its most active Chairpersons in Suzy at the helm for a number of years and under her ledership MANY improvements have been made but STILL we have declining numbers.
Another example??????
The originators of this thread. Mr and Mrs Masters Bond.
NOBODY but NOBODY could have put more effort in to running a local group than they have. Yet the result of all that effort .....???????? A tiny handful of people at meets.
the problems we have have been with us for some time. IMO and are deep seated.
If we are to overcome them then radical rethinking and action are needed. Tinkering round the edges just wont work.

 

[JEZ 280ZX]

So it is..... BUT its under D for Datsun Z Club.
thats not who we are. we are Zclub.

Looks like we might have an identity crisis too on our hands. LOL!!!

Hi,
Any new 300ZX or 350Z owner isn't going to be looking for a club by the name of Datsun.....!
To most people Datsun means Rust, Taxis, Bluebirds and Rust!

 

[icu812]

Hi,
True about the 300ZX section, but as Pete says there is the 300ZX.co.uk site which is well established.I was a member on the 300ZX site back in 2000, long before the Z Club forum existed!

Yes, there is the 300zx.co.uk site, but honestly so what? Because there are other sites for 300ZX and 350z, those sections on this club should not be improved, made more appealing to to new members with those cars?
If you want to attract more new members then you have to look at the areas where there are new members to attract.
I can see no reason not to have 2 good informative sites to cover these cars.
As you are a member of both sites, you have already proved sites don't have to be mutually exclusive, you can be a member of both sites.

So it is..... BUT its under D for Datsun Z Club.
thats not who we are. we are Zclub.

Looks like we might have an identity crisis too on our hands. LOL!!!

We could well have if all Nissan Z owners are like me and not think to look under D, and now I feel kind of stupid for not looking there.

This club is has a great and hard working and approachable committee, which is also a big plus point to this club. I've previously been a member of a site where members of the club committee rarely even post on the site they look after!