558s Future plans

[Mayfly]

PA28 can you tell us where the funding from Jan to the start of the season is coming from if the £400k is only to see you through to the end of the year?


£28k over night is good are donations looking like they are picking up?

[PiperArrow28]

MF,

Donations certainly kicked in over the last few days and the "best yet" overnight income via electronic payments.

Lots of commercial and fundraising opportuntites are opening up, and will be announced and activated once we get past this hurdle. All one can hope for is continued improvement from "where we are".

I would hope even the most hardened sceptic out there who has been touched by Vulcan XH558, would acknowledge things are better commercially than 12 months ago, then 18 months ago and so on....


Cheers,

[Xplumberlives]

If you look at the Butterfly link now, you will see latest figures have now been added. Usually updated weekly once figures are available to me. Look at the 'last updated' line at the bottom for future reference.

Just 32 'fresh' standing orders, can potentially raise over £36,000 in a year! Expand these out at £5.58 a time or more and the potential is clear to see.

Just to clarify an earlirer posting - there is no point promoting a standing order scheme while a major funding drive is under way. Cash is needed now!

Promotion of the scheme will start with a leaflet in Web Store orders (now over 200 per week), since these get direct to potential supporters. Afer that, there will be a mail-out to 40,000 on the mailing list and promotion by the new e-newsletter which is now read by over 25,000 people.

Of immediate interest: £28,000+ has been added overnight to the Appeal, so less than £249,000 is now required to secure the immediate Winter period.

Any support you can give now, will be much appreciated to build on plans for bringing XH558 to a far larger public audience in the Spring.

Regards,
Ian.

I wonder what you mean by that, perhaps she (558) is to cover more of the UK? With the current economic climate and with most people who want to see her having indeed seen her, the VULCAN EFFECT must surely be reducing in strength! I look forward to finding out what's in store.

[Spitfire]

MF,

Donations certainly kicked in over the last few days and the "best yet" overnight income via electronic payments.

Lots of commercial and fundraising opportuntites are opening up, and will be announced and activated once we get past this hurdle. All one can hope for is continued improvement from "where we are".

I would hope even the most hardened sceptic out there who has been touched by Vulcan XH558, would acknowledge things are better commercially than 12 months ago, then 18 months ago and so on....

Cheers,

So continuing the hurdling race analogy - about 50 metres in front of this hurdle will undoubtedly be ANOTHER hurdle - then another - then another.... and as one of the 'hardened sceptics' I am sick of hurdling
I've had my letter this morning imploring me to support with yet another £10 and this will save her from going to Russia or America (ooooo emotional blackmail ) But this really angers me - you support once and then you are on a list and its up to you to do it again and again and again - every time - the same people

There is a huge spending crisis on at the moment - my wife's salary has just been frozen for 2 years - but Wayne Rooney has his salary doubled to £200,000 per week ..... well friggin ask him - not me

[Mayfly]

MF,

Donations certainly kicked in over the last few days and the "best yet" overnight income via electronic payments.

Lots of commercial and fundraising opportuntites are opening up, and will be announced and activated once we get past this hurdle. All one can hope for is continued improvement from "where we are".

I would hope even the most hardened sceptic out there who has been touched by Vulcan XH558, would acknowledge things are better commercially than 12 months ago, then 18 months ago and so on....


Cheers,

Thanks PA, I am trying very hard to be positive, but from my point of view & from what I read many of those on other fora is that there is nothing concrete to hang our hats on. We have been told for years that there are new exciting plans/developments/ideas/opportunities/talks/discussions in the pipe line but very little ever appears to become of them, commercial in confidence restraints all taken into account.

I know every one works hard and are very committed but from the supporters point of view especially those who are not the 'harden supporters' is it's all spin and froth and in January we will be here yet again!! I don't believe from a public view point there is evidence things are getting better.

[Minty4371]

Just had an email off a Narrow Gauge Railway group (Welsh Highland Railway) about XH558, and the funding situation. Have replied with current money received. Hope some money is forthcoming, but nice to see another group mentioning it. Will keep my eye on the posts from the group about XH558.

[Xplumberlives]

MF,

Donations certainly kicked in over the last few days and the "best yet" overnight income via electronic payments.

Lots of commercial and fundraising opportuntites are opening up, and will be announced and activated once we get past this hurdle. All one can hope for is continued improvement from "where we are".

I would hope even the most hardened sceptic out there who has been touched by Vulcan XH558, would acknowledge things are better commercially than 12 months ago, then 18 months ago and so on....


Cheers,

Thanks PA, I am trying very hard to be positive, but from my point of view & from what I read many of those on other fora is that there is nothing concrete to hang our hats on. We have been told for years that there are new exciting plans/developments/ideas/opportunities/talks/discussions in the pipe line but very little ever appears to become of them, commercial in confidence restraints all taken into account.

I know every one works hard and are very committed but from the supporters point of view especially those who are not the 'harden supporters' is it's all spin and froth and in January we will be here yet again!! I don't believe from a public view point there is evidence things are getting better.

I will wait and watch with great interest, BUT, too many times unfulfilled promises have been made that ultimately come to nothing.

The decision by the trust will be the next point of interest!

If it is decided to continue, will there be another POINTLESS and UNBELIEVED announcement that we mustn't get to this point again? We've heard it before and those people that are the targets for funding the whole shooting match are deserving of BETTER treatment!!!!!!!

[Old Rigger]

Well, I have just got back from two days at Manchester airport working and find all this lot going on. I must say that I have been waiting four years for the promised changes, all the stable footing promises, all the things have changed and you will see those once we have a flying Vulcan promises, we will sort everything out when she stops flying as we are all busy promises, so next month I will stop my standing order and my draw tickets as this latest round of promises is the straw that has broken this camels back .

The odd thing for me is communication again, the funding chart states there is 8 days left yet the letter and notice on the front page of the web site says time runs out on Thursday the 28th, which if my maths is right is 5 days, now if they cannot get basics right like that (and it is not the first time) then I truly give up.

[Minty4371]

These came from the newsletters that were sent out.
12th March 2010
The launch of our Annual Appeal for 2011, and other special events planned around XH558’s 50th Anniversary on 25th May, will be central to continuing this drive.

10th August 2010
Rather than mount an appeal only when we see the imminent need for funds, we have now launched an Annual Appeal, which will run for the entire year, with the target of £1million over the year, which we are of course strongly promoting during the airshow season. All donations, whether they be monthly or one-off, will go towards the Appeal, and we will publish the amount of money raised every month. Any small or larger donations you might be able to raise in the next few months will be as highly appreciated as ever. In return, I can assure you of our unstinting efforts to gain a secure future for XH558 for this winter, for 2011 and beyond.

What has happened to these appeals? They've left it to the last minute, again

[Mayfly]

I heard at time the May launch didn't take place because 558 was nowhere near serviceable so would assume the August launch was it, however with only 6 weeks of the season left by then raising £100k would be difficult let alone £1m

[PhantomAviator]

In the words of my dad, (ex-RAF and Vulcan), They are treating it like.

'A F*rt in a collander that can't get out for the holes'.

They now assume that the people who have supported this long will not give up now.

In the words of my Mum.

Familiarity breeds contempt and she would not be surprised if most people now only held contempt for the one's making the promises they do not seem to keep.

Me, I am fed up with them either informing of nothing or using the age old 'Fob them off' answers'.

I would not be surprised if around about Wednesday there was something like.
'We have a big announcement to make on Friday with regards the promising future of XH558.'
'We have been requested not to give anymore information but her future looks secure'.

This will obviously be the same thing as all the other years.

Then in november it will be back to the Pledges campaign once more.

[Old Rigger]

They now assume that the people who have supported this long will not give up now.

This is me and as I said in my previous post I have had enough.

I would not be surprised if around about Wednesday there was something like.
'We have a big announcement to make on Friday with regards the promising future of XH558.'
'We have been requested not to give anymore information but her future looks secure'.

This will obviously be the same thing as all the other years.

Then in november it will be back to the Pledges campaign once more.

I also concur and have said as much in an earlier post, another reason that has made me call it a day, I just feel sorry for Taff and crew who are hard working innocents in this, but unfortunately emotional blackmail does not wash anymore for me now, I continued my support to keep these guys and gals doing what they are passionate about, and enjoyed the occasions I could see 558.

Me, I am fed up with them either informing of nothing or using the age old 'Fob them off' answers'.

Yep this confidentiality rubbish wears a bit thin these days, it just comes across as we only have bad news or no news so we will claim the 5th until the last minute, again there has been nearly 4 years of this and I have enough of it at work.

[Xplumberlives]

It's just the SAME OLD SAME OLD!

Heard it before, nothing new, just the same old emotional blackmail!







I just feel sorry for the WORKERS!

[PiperArrow28]

Just to clarify here if you read the newsletters....

There should be no confusion of time, the Appeal runs through all of October.
The Board of Trustees are meeting on Thursday evening to discuss the implications of "where" the Appeal is at.
Maybe one last minute push or even worse.

From that, they will then advise the Trust management of their thoughts. It then gives time to prepare a statement ready for the usual email newsletter on Friday.

Seems logical to me.

[Xplumberlives]

Good, so we can expect an UPDATE on FRIDAY!

[Old Rigger]

your right PA28 there is no confusion of time:

Last flying Vulcan runs out of time on Thursday 28th

And

By Thursday evening, we need to be sure that we will have £300,000 by the end of the week. If there is any doubt, she will follow Concorde into permanent retirement or be sold to a collector almost certainly abroad,” warns trust CEO Dr Robert Pleming

So what is it then £365,000 by the end of October which was the original shortfall bandied about, the appeal says £400,000 by the end of October, the latest news states the first quote and then follows up with £300,00 by the end of the week, that is as clear as mud.

Also if it has been stated that we need some amount by such a date then how can it suddenly be changed to well we threatened to ground her if we did not get the money we wanted, but we will have a meeting and actually now lower the goal post and change the rules from: we need x by y or else she is grounded and everyone is out of a job, to well we did not get x by y but actually we did not really need that and we will try the x by y later on in the year or beginning of next year.

[Minty4371]

Amount after 24 days = £214,743
Balance remaining = £185,257
6 days to go.

[Mayfly]

I assume Fridays email will have had an impact - £92K gone into the pot since midnight Friday.


Edit: they received a 5 figure pledge [anonymous] over the w/e!!

[Spitfire]

OH NO - deja vu - its going to happen again

Get there by the skin of their teeth - or nearly there ... 'enough committment to get 'us' through winter' - they'll say - then in the spring - 'now everyone - we need your pledges to get us into the flying season' - OR - 'Without your pledges we've got through winter but now we've issued redundancy notices unless you pledge to get us into the flying season'
etc etc etc

I'm sick of it

[PhantomAviator]

OH NO - deja vu - its going to happen again

Get there by the skin of their teeth - or nearly there ... 'enough committment to get 'us' through winter' - they'll say - then in the spring - 'now everyone - we need your pledges to get us into the flying season' - OR - 'Without your pledges we've got through winter but now we've issued redundancy notices unless you pledge to get us into the flying season'
etc etc etc

I'm sick of it

Made my Pledge already. Not to pledge anymore.

[Mayfly]

I have no desire to see them ground her, but I'm still concerned where the funding will come from for next year.

My bucket of 'hope' for continued improvements is almost empty

[Sooty655]

My bucket of 'hope' for continued improvements is almost empty

"Continued" implies there has been some improvement already. I'm not sure I've seen anything other than "more of the same".

[Xplumberlives]

Here WE go AGAIN, AGAIN!

[Stigish]

I've not had much chance to follow this due to work stretching me beyond sanity (Who'd of thought selling cars & managing financial agreements could be so stressful ).
I was at the "Team Bournemouth" Meeting nearly a fortnight ago and I must say Sam was either holding a very brave face or was being extremely positive. Either way it was nice to see .
I'm as fed up as the next person about the current situation, but I do have faith in seeing 558 for another season. I'm also positive that this will be the kick up the backside needed to get 558 to the end of her flying life.

My first post on here in god knows how long..........................I'm in a positive mood (life in general is looking up ) and I'm happy to receive some stick........................Aim..........Fire

[Jigsaw]

Not gonna knock someone for being positive. Nice to see you posting mate