Latest XH558 Newsletter

[Sooty655]

Its strange how the appeal went from, " we need £300,000 by the end of March" to "now we have £100,00 we now need the rest by the end of May"

why not just ask for the £300,000 by the end of May in the first place..............

Have you no respect for tradition ?

[Sploosher]

Obviously not....................

[Gully]

Its strange how the appeal went from, " we need £300,000 by the end of March" to "now we have £100,00 we now need the rest by the end of May"

why not just ask for the £300,000 by the end of May in the first place..............

I'm guessing it's cashflow planning - £300k was always needed to get to the start of the shows season proper (end May), but the majority was needed by end of March to ensure the Trust overheads could be met and the servicing could be completed on time. Now the first appeal targets have been achieved, it seems that there is confidence to re-profile the appeal income.

No doubt if the timeline had become more constrained then that would have met with a howl of derision too?!

Gully

[Sploosher]

Its strange how the appeal went from, " we need £300,000 by the end of March" to "now we have £100,00 we now need the rest by the end of May"

why not just ask for the £300,000 by the end of May in the first place..............

I'm guessing it's cashflow planning - £300k was always needed to get to the start of the shows season proper (end May), but the majority was needed by end of March to ensure the Trust overheads could be met and the servicing could be completed on time. Now the first appeal targets have been achieved, it seems that there is confidence to re-profile the appeal income.

No doubt if the timeline had become more constrained then that would have met with a howl of derision too?!

Gully

surely it would have been better to be more open right from the start of the appeal, and then more people may give........

[Gaz]

It's not the first time they've done it though. "We need X millions by pancake day!" followed by "You know what, 27 quid will do for now, cheers!"

Glad the, EXCELLENT, engineers/technicians still have a job!!

[Xplumberlives]

Pancakes, good idea!

[Mayfly]

Its strange how the appeal went from, " we need £300,000 by the end of March" to "now we have £100,00 we now need the rest by the end of May"

why not just ask for the £300,000 by the end of May in the first place..............

I'm guessing it's cashflow planning - £300k was always needed to get to the start of the shows season proper (end May), but the majority was needed by end of March to ensure the Trust overheads could be met and the servicing could be completed on time. Now the first appeal targets have been achieved, it seems that there is confidence to re-profile the appeal income.

No doubt if the timeline had become more constrained then that would have met with a howl of derision too?!

Gully

surely it would have been better to be more open right from the start of the appeal, and then more people may give........

But the situation has always been fluid, in the past something has always cropped up and saved the day or allowed for more flexible plans, aka Guardian Angel in the guise of a bequest or a sponsor has stepped in and has either brought forward his contribution or funded the short fall. TBH if they hadn't have been flexible in the past and had stuck rigidly to a time line 558 would have been grounded a few years ago.

[MOD]

But the situation has always been fluid, in the past something has always cropped up and saved the day or allowed for more flexible plans, aka Guardian Angel in the guise of a bequest or a sponsor has stepped in and has either brought forward his contribution or funded the short fall. TBH if they hadn't have been flexible in the past and had stuck rigidly to a time line 558 would have been grounded a few years ago.

I agree Mayfly - well said.

Mod

[Ducati Boy]

Well said Mayfly, pretty much covers how it is and unless we win a Euromillions jackpot, will always be.

I know all at the project appreciate what the public do to support Vulcan, but she will always be costly and we will always have to ask for help. Its not a fairground, we can't sell flights and times are getting tough, not just for Vulcan, but for all display operators. People on the project all work exceeding long, extra, unpaid hours to make it possible to achieve the impossible. I'd like to see the knockers and critics do that, but I suspect many would be better at talking than doing.

In truth, its only a few hot air balloons who do the annual whinge and some of them have personal issues and axes to grind. I try not to let them divert me from the primary mission, but sometimes it does become irksome to hear the same tosh, none of it constructive, over and over.

That is why I have come up with a suggestion for some of the "experts" on here. As they have come up with so many cunning plans for exactly what we should all do so that Vulcan can be kept going with huge savings, it occurred to me that such skills could be very useful to the Chancellor. Such well informed and professional talent, in their combined hands would, I am sure, sort the Recession by Christmas.

Yeah right!

[Minty4371]

DEADLINE 31st MAY
APPEAL TOTAL:
£126,344

MARCH TARGET
£75,000
TO DATE: £26,344

[MOD]

After a bit of head scratching I recently decided to renew my VTTSC membership which I had let lapse last year.

I want to see it make an appearance this year for what will almost certainly be its last Airshow season.

Had XH558 secured a 'Headline' sponsor in 2007/8 then there would be none of this acrimony which breaks out, from time to time, whenever there is another fundraising effort.

It all came down to one question - "Would I like to see XH558 fly this season?" Ignoring all the negative feelings I have had in the last two years - the answer is still a resounding ... Yes!!!

BTW Please let her go out with a BANG and not a whimper... I would love to see an old fashioned VDF style display before she is grounded ..

ibw

[Minty4371]

DEADLINE 31st MAY
APPEAL TOTAL:
£130,387

MARCH TARGET
£75,000
TO DATE: £30,387

[Sooty655]

DEADLINE 31st MAY
APPEAL TOTAL:
£130,387

MARCH TARGET
£75,000
TO DATE: £30,387

...so they seem to be consistently getting about 80% of what they need.

Not bad compared to previous years.

[Xplumberlives]

DEADLINE 31st MAY
APPEAL TOTAL:
£130,387
MARCH TARGET
£75,000
TO DATE: £30,387

Those figures look awfully NEAT!

[Nickolas]

wonderful thing cut 'n paste.......

[Xplumberlives]

wonderful thing cut 'n paste.......

They are making me mighty suspicious that someone is massaging the figures!

[Minty4371]

I copied and pasted from here if you don't believe what I am putting.
http://www.vulcantothesky.org/

[Bensmum]

DEADLINE 31st MAY
APPEAL TOTAL:
£130,387
MARCH TARGET
£75,000
TO DATE: £30,387

Those figures look awfully NEAT!

Sorry if I'm being thick, but the February total was £100,000 (i.e. it reached the target, with a small amount being carried over into March) and the March total is £30,387, making an appeal total of£130,387?

Looks simple and straightforward to me ... but then I'm that sort of person (although some may beg to differ!).

[Xplumberlives]

I hope you're right and that I'm reading more in to them than is actually there, unfortunately this has all happened before!

[Sooty655]

DEADLINE 31st MAY
APPEAL TOTAL:
£130,387
MARCH TARGET
£75,000
TO DATE: £30,387

Those figures look awfully NEAT!

Sorry if I'm being thick, but the February total was £100,000 (i.e. it reached the target, with a small amount being carried over into March) and the March total is £30,387, making an appeal total of£130,387?

Looks simple and straightforward to me ... but then I'm that sort of person (although some may beg to differ!).

I hope you're right and that I'm reading more in to them than is actually there, unfortunately this has all happened before!

I know what you mean, XP, but in this case I think Bensmum is correct. It has been the same all the way through March, with the month total and the overall total £100,000 apart.

I think it is just a case of the people posting it not realising how weird it looks.

[Xplumberlives]

DEADLINE 31st MAY
APPEAL TOTAL:
£130,387
MARCH TARGET
£75,000
TO DATE: £30,387

Those figures look awfully NEAT!

Sorry if I'm being thick, but the February total was £100,000 (i.e. it reached the target, with a small amount being carried over into March) and the March total is £30,387, making an appeal total of£130,387?

Looks simple and straightforward to me ... but then I'm that sort of person (although some may beg to differ!).

I hope you're right and that I'm reading more in to them than is actually there, unfortunately this has all happened before!

I know what you mean, XP, but in this case I think Bensmum is correct. It has been the same all the way through March, with the month total and the overall total £100,000 apart.

I think it is just a case of the people posting it not realising how weird it looks.

I shall sleep soundly tonight!

[Sooty655]

I shall sleep soundly tonight!

Shouldn't you be at work?

[Xplumberlives]

No!

[Sploosher]

I think the £44,613 to reach the required amount for this month with 16 days to go should be attainable

[Sooty655]

I think the £44,613 to reach the required amount for this month with 16 days to go should be attainable

....especially if someone donates exactly the right amount at the last minute (again).