Im FOC member and not been to any functions etc yet, im on the Silverstone Trackday and hope to meet a few fchatters there. Ill reserve my comments until i try out some of the meets etc...!! joe
Steve, I think you're being a trifle disingenuous in suggesting that no members of the FOC have been members of other clubs and know no better! I do think the FOC is very well run and all the events are very efficiently and professionally organized. I have been a member since 2000, but I understand from those who've been around longer that things are vastly improved to how they were before Peter Everingham took over as club secretary. I hope you do feel inspired to put pen to paper on a few articles for the magazines. I, for one, look forward to reading them. I think you make an entirely valid point about the membership fee, but not one I can answer. The FOC have just recently published last year's accounts (as you will probably have seen). As I understand it the colour magazine just about breaks even. I guess, therefore, the question in relation to that might be how can other car clubs publish their own colour mags, presumably to a similar technical quality, at a lesser price. As far as the rest of the fee goes I don't know all the costs involved or where the FOC has costs that other clubs don't. I'm assuming we are talking similar membership numbers as I guess a bigger quantity of members would equal a cost reduction. As I've said, I didn't think last year's Concours/National Meet was a letdown, but I suppose the turnout of older cars was slightly disappointing - down to the owners, not the club organization - and I would be quite happy if there was a bigger trade turnout (I have asked what determines the number of trade stands and I'll post answer when I get it). What do others think? Jonathan
