558s Future plans

[Mayfly]

This is the last dated 12 November....but one for some reason the one about Cin N from Friday has disappeared from my inbox!



PLEASE forward this email to any friends you think might be interested!


Post October appeal activities...


Certainly not much activity around the aircraft these last few weeks, with some of the Ground Crew taking a well earned break away from the gruelling schedule of the Summer, but planning has now started in earnest for XH558's winter service.

There's also plenty going on post Appeal at the Hinckley admin offices.

Staff and Volunteers have been busy sifting through the many thousands of envelopes and payment details as a result of the cheque and on-line payments, separating out those on which Gift Aid can be claimed and then updating the database with changes of address or other contact details

We have also been busy finalising our Christmas Mailing, and a "Thank You” and information pack that will be sent to our printers next week, ready to be sent out at the end of November.
In amongst this will be details on how we need to engage our supporters in making regular small donations to help prevent further ‘crisis' Appeals, whilst also offering a selected range of Merchandise to purchase via Mail Order.

We will be offering two waves of purchasing opportunities…

Order by Friday 10th December for delivery before Christmas.
Order by 3rd January, to beat the VAT increase and to receive your orders in the first few weeks of New Year.

To meet expected demand, we are busy building up stocks of popular lines, ideal as presents across the whole family – or simply as that special treat for yourself or a friend!

The mailing will also present our valued supporters with the first opportunity to pre-order our special XH558 50th Anniversary Book! This not only maps out the whole history of the Vulcan type, but focuses on XH558 herself - from her construction and delivery to the RAF in 1960, through all her many roles, her retirement from RAF service, the eventual restoration to flight, right through to the present day.




Due for release in February, the book will be a larger format than our previous photobooks and will be filled with rare and exciting photographs, with excellent copy and fascinating facts and stories from several authors, pilots and ground crew.
This eagerly awaited book has been in development for well over 12 months and will be a popular addition for aircraft enthusiasts all over the world.

Be among the very first to reserve yours – at just £24 including postage and packing per copy.

When we mail supporters, we'll also email you as well, so please do look out for upcoming newsletters and get ready to order.


Funding News


Since the October Appeal reached its successful conclusion, we need to continue driving the importance to XH558's future of many regular donations.

Donations of a couple of pounds per month are far easier on everyone's pockets than our historic larger cash calls.
Small regular donation needs will be one focus of our "income generator” that will be featured in the upcoming literature, and headlined in previous newsletters as the "Butterfly Appeal” with the analogy that the fluttering of many small wings can make a large wave.

Right now, just the price of a pint or a glass of wine once a month from our many supporters will make a huge difference to our funding - each and every month. Please do consider setting up a small standing order; visit the page here to download and print off a form to set one up.

Alternatively, or indeed additionally, why not consider just a small one-off donation right now ahead of the Christmas festivities and expenses. Just £5.58 might buy you a lunchtime snack, but it will make a world of difference to XH558!
MORE INFORMATION

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TAKE PART IN REGIONAL ACTIVITIES, AND HELP PROMOTE VULCAN XH558



Get into the Chistmas spirit early - Join our Wine Club!

One way to support us while enjoying a drink at the same time would be to consider joining our Quarterly Wine Club, where 10% of all proceeds come back to XH558. These are quality wines at very reasonable prices, selected by the experts at Williams McKenna and offered to you each quarter with absolutely no obligation or contract. You either accept or decline their offers - which are sent to you by email. Find out more »

Or, if you wish to make a purchase or order that special gift at any other time from a great variety of Wines, then simply visit their Wine Store here »



Shop Online


Remember, you can also buy lots of goodies from our Web Store. Why not also ‘spread the word' the easy way with our Christmas Cards? We sold over 1,500 cards last weekend alone and fresh supplies are arriving this week ready for immediate despatch.

Shop online here »

For those who wish to send their greetings in a more modern way, next week we will be telling you of a great new way to send greetings whilst also raising funds for XH558.

[Old Rigger]

Just been and done another search on the VTST Web page and throughout the club forum and again despite coming up very soon there is only a small bit in the members only events area looking for volunteers, despite the fact that over the last two years the Lincoln Christmas Market having been a very succesfull out of season event for XH558. I would of thought that this would again be plastered all over the home page, unless it is not actually going to be there this year for lack of help.

The first year we were up by the cathedral and it was lovely, sold out very quickly and had to arrange a quick stock run, last year we had a larger stand situated amongst the stalls the otherside of the castle and again was very succesful, so if anyone has never been to this market and would love to see a market that is visited by people from home and abroad, want to get something special and show your support for XH558 by visiting the stand.

So if the Vulcan stand is going to be there then here is a link below to all things Lincoln Market, I would not want them to miss out on the great publics support by not advertising it properly and if the stand does not end up there then I can only suggest visit it anyway it is a great experience with lots to see and buy:

http://lincoln-christmasmarket.co.uk/

[Nickolas]

Did the market last year. Stayed in the White Hart hotel.
Got a few bits from the stand but my best purchase was the desk diary with the planform on the cover. Even to Martin to sign it.

Cracking event. especially once the sun goes down.

[Mayfly]

Haha we deliberately stay out of Lincoln of the Market w/e only ever been to 2!!!

but since they moved it forward one week a few years ago it generally clashes with MaPS Christmas do & theres no contest!

[Old Rigger]

I helped on the stand the last two years, but previous to that was either never in Lincoln for the market or just did not fancy the crowds/weather on the day.

[Mayfly]

As far as advertising the 'event' I don't think there is a need as it's known world wide - BUT I do think it would be nice for supporters to know they can go and get things signed by air/ground crews and to meet them, especially as 558 didn't do any thing oop narf this year!

[Xplumberlives]

As far as advertising the 'event' I don't think there is a need as it's known world wide - BUT I do think it would be nice for supporters to know they can go and get things signed by air/ground crews and to meet them, especially as 558 didn't do any thing oop narf this year!

Good point M.F. just a shame you are shouting at DEAF EARS!!

[Kermit]

Doing the Lincoln market for the first time this year (only one day, same priorities as Mayfly on Sat/Sun) so pleased to hear its a good do and lots of fun, thanks for the info and see some of you there then !

[Mayfly]

I may see if I can persuade DT to make a visit on Thursday evening but will depend on the weather - it's normally pretty miserable on the market w/e!!

[Kermit]

Mmm have been advised to bring wellies woolies and all manner of unsightly padding oh, and fancy dress too.... So praying for exception to bad weather rules... Would be nice of DT to pop in .....do try, Mayfly !!

[Old Rigger]

If you have a good pair of walking/hiking boots/trainers (whatever they are called these days) it is worth having them with a good thick pair of socks, for one there could be a lot of walking involved getting to and from the market especially up the hill and standing around in the cold they are also handy.

I did actually mean the Vulcan presence at the market should be plastered all over the public area of the web/forum, its no good only going public when there is a last ditch appeal for money these sort of things should be allways in the public domain so all can get a chance to attend, show support and even add to the coffers.

[Xplumberlives]

I may see if I can persuade DT to make a visit on Thursday evening but will depend on the weather - it's normally pretty miserable on the market w/e!!

Is he NO LONGER WATERPROOF?

[PhantomAviator]

I'll post the emails on here when I get them - Dr P asks they be forwarded...

Not aimed at you personally Pam.


Reminds me of a period in history.

Now what was it?

Ah!!

Gallipoli.

Lloyd George prophetically wrote.

“Expeditions which are decided upon and organised with insufficient care generally end disastrously.”


De ja veux.

[Xplumberlives]

I'll post the emails on here when I get them - Dr P asks they be forwarded...

Not aimed at you personally Pam.


Reminds me of a period in history.

Now what was it?

Ah!!

Gallipoli.

Lloyd George prophetically wrote.

“Expeditions which are decided upon and organised with insufficient care generally end disastrously.”


De ja veux.

My Great Grandfather told me about all of that!

[Mags]

I may see if I can persuade DT to make a visit on Thursday evening but will depend on the weather - it's normally pretty miserable on the market w/e!!

Is he NO LONGER WATERPROOF?

- lol

[Mayfly]

You become a little porous as you get older you know!!!

[Xplumberlives]

You become a little porous as you get older you know!!!

Does he get used around the house for all those little spillages?

[Kermit]

I just presumed that he had got used to hazarding out in good flying conditions only....Vulcan style !!!!

[Sooty655]

I've been searching the website to see how the Butterfly Effect campaign is going, but it doesn't seem to feature any more.

We are looking to sign-up 10,000 new Standing Orders of at least £5.58 per month. With Gift Aid, these will cover two thirds of the ‘gap’ until XH558 is expected to run out of airframe and/or engine life around 2013/14.
This campaign will be launched next week – once the database to manage it has been completed.

The Birthday Card campaign has taken almost a year to reach 10,000 signatures, and they don't require any financial commitment. If the Butterfly Appeal is supposed to provide 66% of future funding, wouldn't it be a good idea to start pushing it NOW?

[Mayfly]

When I left the RAF I went to the bank and said I was thinking of starting my own business blah, blah, blah.....

Go and do a business plan he said

How do I do that?

Think about what business you expect to attract and how many customers you would expect...[NO Jiggy don't go there!!!]

ermmmm but I've never done it before how do I know what is realistic?

It summed up so much in the business world to me!!!

What is realistic to some made not be to others

[Sooty655]

Are you suggesting that the target of 10,000 new standing orders might be a tad unrealistic?

Like the target of 558,000 signatures for the Birthday Card, perhaps.

What is realistic to some may not be to others

Maybe that's why it has been suggested that the right organisation to restore it might not necessarily be the right organisation to run it.

[Old Rigger]

Trouble is you can have the best business plan in the world, but if you keep it confidential and you don't tell anyone: a. what you are trying to achieve
b. how you expect it to be achieved
c. who is expected to assist in achieving it
d. when you want it achieved by
e. what measures are in place to check it is working to plan
f. what measures have you got in place to re-model and get in back on plan if it does not work as planned

and the first most important part is 'tell all the relevant people all this' but the most important part of any business plan is surely to actually implement and publish it.

Again we come back to that failing in all walks of life:

Communication is a two way street, you have one mouth and two ears so you should listen twice as hard as you speak, failure to comunicate leads to business failure/losses, sucessfull commuications goes a long way to keeping most businesses going.

So during the winter downtime why are the money making/public functions not being published for all to see on the open side of the VTST web/club forum, you only have to look at the last updates on the public areas to see that since the success of the appeal it has gone all quiet and it is little things like this that just give the impression of business as usual now the target was reached, i.e the club members and supporters will sort everything when they find the time.

[Mayfly]

The point I was making was that my experience in the admittedly very few chats I had is that what looks good on paper does not always work out that way. I did loads of research at the time but could find nothing on how to work out what would be realistic figures no formulae for the want of a better phrase - if the bank manager agreed with me I could have a loan if in his opinion my plan wasn't sound I couldn't......


It really was down to pulling figures out the air!

[Old Rigger]

I realise that that example you gave was your experience Pam and that when you are asked to submit a business plan it can be hard as you described, as that was my experience when I came up to leaving the RAF, but my post was not aimed at you. The trust would have possibly been in that boat for the first year but they have had additional years 'experience' since they started the project to know what should and should not work and they have been telling everyone that they have a plan, and also unlike you and I it was my understanding that there are some astute business experienced people on the books who should know what is required and with the data they have it should not be to difficult.

[Hungry Haggis]

OR
Normally i keep Quiet about funding, Business plans, money raising ideas & all that regarding 558 & although I push her for all I'm worth wherever I am/live I could not agree more with someone than what you have written .WHY keep it secret so no one outside the club members knows they need money (well right up to the last minute anyway).Someone said on line way back at the beginning of the year there would be no more boom & bust ,great thinks the half of my brain that works they have a plan ,OH NO THEY DIDN'T they still came very close to bust again .Get a grip I say & stop holding Taff & his men to ransom all the time ,as in OK there is only enough money for XX days they are all on redundancy .NOW the great unwashed will bail us out again ,Can any of you see that continuing even though i now hear she will almost certainly end at the end of 2012 now .HMMM I do wonder and I Hope not .
I am not against the trust or TVOC I have given of my last penny often .Plus Taff, DB ,OBeron etc deserve a hell of a lot better . Business plans are fine if they all sing of the same sheet and not make it up as they go along .Plus the target audience apart from the captive Club one needs to be filled in on what they would like from them.
OK thats my take on it now back to those tests