£802K +

[Mayfly]

pledges rising rapidly..............well done all


sorry thought there was a thread somewhere but can't find it

[Mackrick]

Wallet emptying fast here but it will be worth it ... Grandsons piggy bank gets raided tomorrow as he wants to see it fly again (Bless).

[Exceptionalsleeper]

£806k now, she surely is going to fly this year???

[Xplumberlives]

Just waiting for the £850 000 and then Eddie can step in with the final £150 000!

[Tom.com]

am I right in saying that £850,000 is the minimum they need but they need to reach the million at some point?

[Wedgy]

March is going to be a tough month paying out the pledges I made - but it will be worth every penny

[Mackrick]

March is going to be a tough month paying out the pledges I made - but it will be worth every penny

Worth every penny Wedgy thats for sure

[Spitfire]

Well now - I am going to lay myself bare here - no legs to stand on and all that ... I have been a massive - and I mean massive sceptic of this fundraising to save XH558 by pledges ... I made my big pledge at the beginning just to keep the faith but I was very annoyed at the 'keep on pledging' - 'we need more' brigade as there has to be a point where you just can't go on when there is so much other hardship and heartache in life worthy of funding.

I was incensed at the 'your mortgage has gone down - pledge more' - 'you are in the 2 months free council tax period - pledge more' and I didn't agree with the telephon one bit - I even made it clear I did not wish to be called. How I spend my money is my business and funding XH558's future is very low on my expenses list at the moment - especially with the daughter's wedding coming up.

BUT - and this is the painful bit - it seems I was wrong ...... even if it doesn't reach the £1m it has been a massive and unequivocal success and I am full of admiration for those that have stuck at it and hammered the point home. I never ever thought it would get any where near the current amount and I have to say I am humbled and very very thankful to all those who have worked so hard and so tirelessly - I am afraid I didn't have it in me.

All I can hope now is that it reaches the total and she does indeed fly again (surely there is something up someones sleeve to ensure there's no failure now its so close) BUT - I do hope we are not here again next winter --- Pledge more--- again!

I remain an XH558 supporter in my mind if not in as deep a pocket as I'd like and I am getting as excited as everyone else now although I probably don't deserve to be .....

Thanks again to everyone who made it possible - even as far as its got - I am very humbled.

No smilies - just the facts

[Wedgy]

Good post Spitfire

And it takes a real man to eat a little humble pie

[Tom.com]

is that because fake men can't eat?

[Mackrick]

Like the post Spitfire. I am sure there are others out there who feel / felt the same. We all have different circumstances and priorities. I wish I could have given more. At times I have had doubts but the pledges are rolling in my only hopes now are that they make the target and that those who have pledged will honour them.

[Spitfire]

If I knew where this was I suppose I ought to book a meal there



I shall certainly be honouring my pledge - even though my circumstances have changed since I made it and its larger than I can really afford now - but it will appease my soul - as, if its called in, then she'll have made it

[Mayfly]

Spitfire thanks for your honest views,

I became sick of hearing 'keep the faith' etc - for no other reason than I have been doing that for longer than most i don't need to hear it day in day out.

As for the pledges it worked in 2006 well, the time they had then was only 4 weeks to raise the £1M but if it hadn't been for SirJack they wouldn't have made it then - I think that 558 flying last year has made that difference.

And like you I too hope they are not in this position next year, Ideally they would be fund raising now for next year so I guess that means to avoid the same situation they, the club, will need to work pretty hard at this years airshows.

There is a good article in the Daily Telegraph today that states that if only 15,000 people gave £4 per month the yearly running costs would be met - THAT IMHO is the message that needs to be driven home some of us have been saying that for years.

I am sorry to say that unlike the last pledge scheme where I was heavily involved I'm not this time [tbh 558 has burnt me out as much as I love her right now I don't have the energy} so well done to all those who have helped

and whilst I'm on the subject & my soap box, at the risk of being told off by SM [as I know I will be] as he hides his light & I know a lot of people have done a tremendous amount of work but I want to publically thank him as a major contributor to this forum for all the work he has done in helping 558 but especically for his lateral thinking & pushing the boundaries of how the club & managment think - he has taken a lot of stick in the past . So thank you SM for staying course...

[Wedgy]

I shall certainly be honouring my pledge - even though my circumstances have changed since I made it and its larger than I can really afford now - but it will appease my soul - as, if its called in, then she'll have made it

If you don't mind Spitfire, I will steal that thought for myself also

and whilst I'm on the subject & my soap box, at the risk of being told off by SM [as I know I will be] as he hides his light & I know a lot of people have done a tremendous amount of work but I want to publically thank him as a major contributor to this forum for all the work he has done in helping 558 but especically for his lateral thinking & pushing the boundaries of how the club & managment think - he has taken a lot of stick in the past . So thank you SM for staying course...

Seconded - sod his secretiveness

[Hungry Haggis]

I shall certainly be honouring my pledge - even though my circumstances have changed since I made it and its larger than I can really afford now - but it will appease my soul - as, if its called in, then she'll have made it

If you don't mind Spitfire, I will steal that thought for myself also

and whilst I'm on the subject & my soap box, at the risk of being told off by SM [as I know I will be] as he hides his light & I know a lot of people have done a tremendous amount of work but I want to publically thank him as a major contributor to this forum for all the work he has done in helping 558 but especically for his lateral thinking & pushing the boundaries of how the club & managment think - he has taken a lot of stick in the past . So thank you SM for staying course...

Seconded - sod his secretiveness

OHNO don't tell me SM's gona make a speach now .

[Wedgy]

Well, I do need something to help me sleep tonight

[Tom.com]

speaking of SM where is he? he hasn't been on here tonight

[Wedgy]

Put the Caption Comp thread together with this one and what do you get?

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Phonecalls?

[Nickolas]

£819,307

[Tom.com]

£819,307

451

[Stevieboy]

£819,307

451

861

[Ducati Boy]

Spitfire, mate I don't think you were wrong. In the face of very strong criticism by a vociferous and often vicious minority, it would be hard to see how it could be saved without very rich sponsors.

However, it is rarely the rich and powerful who save anything in this world, if they did there would be no starvation or poverty or illness. It's always the little guys who pull the fat from the fire. The power of the many(small contributors) always outweighs the power of the few (wealthy non-sponsors). It will always be the small but continuous contribution that supports charities and keeps them going in the face of sometimes insurmountable odds.

Let's find a way to get thousands of small contributors to make continuous small payments, so no one needs to rely on big sponsors again. Big sponsors will always bale out mid-mission when the going gets tough, just look at Formula 1, Moto GP etc.

Here's hoping the contributions keep coming and we can afford a full season, with a bright future.

[Saracenman]

speaking of SM where is he? he hasn't been on here tonight

calling Einstein! work it out Tom.com - i won't be on here on Thursday evening either, between the hours of 1700 and 2100 at least!

now then...





thank you Mayfly - thank you all - BUT...

Spitfire, two weeks ago i felt much the same - ten days ago, i thought it was vaguely feasible - a week ago i thought we might just do it - tonight i actually think that we WILL!

the one concept that i COMPLETELY disagree with, is the hope that anyone, be it Eddie Forrester or anyone else with deeper pockets than most, will hopefully come along and top this thing up. NO! i genuinely hope that he doesn't!

558 belongs to all of us, not two or three 'filthy rich' folk - it is right and proper that 558 is 'saved' by the very people who own her. she flies for the benefit of the whole Nation and our next generations - that is the whole point of 558 - not merely 'the play thing' of a couple of rich enthusiasts.

whilst telephoning hundreds of 558 supporters, time and time again their reaction has demonstrated just what love and affection there is out there for 558, what she stands for and just why she must continue to fly.

in the event that we are a few quid short and someone 'tops it up' - if anyone makes a comment such as "Eddie F - the saviour of 558!" i will make a point of stepping in and pointing out who the REAL saviours are - that retired bloke, in his eighties, who wanted to chat to me all evening about aeroplanes and his time in the Air Force - simply because he was lonely and i was a fellow Vulcanite. it is he, and many thousands like him, on a pension or limited means, but still found £25 for our cause - £25 that i KNOW he can't afford!

these are the people truly worthy of the title "Saviour of 558" - i have spoken with them personally!

no disrespect to Eddie Forrester - i' do much the same if i were able, but 558 is all about 'the people' not 'the person'

sm

PS - am i in 'Thwack Credit' now then Mayfly?

[Ducati Boy]

SM, Well said mate, I'm all choked up, but your so right. Bet your still in thwack debt mate

[Medic one]

hpoe you are right about the £850.000 xplumberlives as the total at just after midnight on 5/3/09 is £826.126 as it looks as if we can make that also could it not also have gift aid added to it