I wonder if anyone here attended the RSGB Convention this week, and in particular, the last session of the day, about clubs?
For those who didn't, here is an extract from my
Probably the highlight of my weekend. Run by the ICQ Podcast team, this was a panel of two ICQ presenters, two RSGB Board members (Ian Shepherd and Kamal Singh), plus Richard G4JJP (author of a controversial article in the June 2019 Radcom suggesting a change to club structures)
ICQ Podcast’s “Gow, Merge or Disband your Club” session
To be honest, I’m still digesting the contents of this talk and reviewing four pages of copious notes taken. There’s a lot to be said about this session – far too much for this summary. A few of the points I underlined:
“Hubs not clubs”
“Club baggage”
“Hub” vs “Virtual clubs”
“Should the RSGB be a hub?”
To Google: “Disintermediation”, “centre set” “closed set” (bounded set?)
A mention for the “Brickworks” scheme (that didn’t launch at the Convention)
Some RSGB regional teams issue a “regional newsletter”
Top-down vs Bottom-up approach
Some interesting thoughts on youth access to amateur radio
Clear divisions between single stand-alone clubs, and those acting as “hubs” to a greater or lesser extent
It was great that the efforts of Essex Ham members was acknowledged, and it was very rewarding that both Richard and the ICQ team highlighted Essex Ham as positive examples of the hub model. Positive mentions too for CambHams and Suffolk RED. RSGB also acknowledged that virtual clubs are “starting to appear”
Pete M0PSX