558 Funding Update

[Stigish]

[Air]

I've noticed a lot of mud slinging here since I joined the forum

The past two weeks and only on this thread and even then just a
very few posts have been maybe a little testy.

Well I've only been on the boards a couple of weeks, so I'm just saying what I've seen.
Most forums that I know don't allow personal attacks against other members, however I've seen someone called 'arrogant' 'self important' and a 'cretin' right here.
It's not for me to tell anyone how to moderate or run their forums, but please don't get upset when I point out that there's been 'mud slinging' because that's a bit more than just 'testy' imo.

I'd say you've lived a very sheltered existence then, Andrew....

Maybe, but I'm certainly not naive enough to believe everything I see or read Daniel.

At least not until I hear BOTH sides of the story.

[Dan4th]

It's Danforth as in Dan4th..........

And I'm not upset.

And I haven't been naive since that time
in New Orleans, and that was MANY years
ago now.

Fear not, Andrew, this is a self-policing forum,
and that has worked out very well for over 14
months now. When something happens that
isn't right, it gets taken care of -- usually via
Private Message.

Dan4th

[Mayfly]

Latest from Dr Bob:-

XH558's 50th Birthday Appeal - Update Monday 30th November.

As I write, the 50th Birthday Appeal has made significant progress in the last week, with our total now standing at nearly £60,000 against the target of £200,000 needed by the end of December.

This figure allows us breathing space until the end of January, but at the moment still does not allow us the confidence to commit vital engineering works to the aircraft. In cash terms, we must have sight of £200,000 by the first week of January, and be confident of further on-going donations via the Appeal to ensure the project has a future.

We must all keep pushing XH558’s 50th Birthday Appeal in every way possible to as wide an audience as we can reach. As the result, we have decided that we should gain a significant return by investing a small proportion of the donations received so far in promoting the Appeal in regions where XH558 appeared this season.

Bear in mind that if we fail to reach our monthly targets, we will be unable to undertake the 2010 season, and so there would be little point in bearing the expense of keeping the team together.

Decisions would then start to get very tough, because the Trustees would almost certainly conclude that the Trust was in a position where it could not continue to trade. Whilst the primary goal of the Trust is to ensure that XH558 is conserved in perpetuity, an administrator would have different objectives; matters would rapidly be taken out of our hands.

This would be a tragedy for XH558, for and for the many thousands of dedicated supporters all involved in the day to day running of the project, all the employees, engineers, ground crew, aircrew.

Worse though would be the millions of people out there who will then miss seeing the aircraft because it will all be too late. I would like to quote you this recently posted statement by a Club Volunteer, Jane Thomas:

"The excitement of people waiting to see her at shows is palpable, the searching eyes for the first glimpse, the rise in excitement as she appears as a dot in the distance and the awe and respect with which people stand and watch as she steals the show! For a few more years we have something very special and I for one will do everything I can to make sure we have those years."

Like Jane, we can all play our own small part in making the dream continue. Let us all hope for more good news in the weeks ahead.

Kind Regards,

Robert Pleming
Chief Executive

[Gaz]

If they hit the financial target this time, I'll wear a wedding dress and dance the lambada with SM


You know what? Once bitten and all that

[Hungry Haggis]

All i thought when I read that in my inbox was ."Here we go again".Once more it's the hard working ground crew and engineers that are being held out to ransom .
More of the same wrapped up in different words .
Will it work yet again Answers inserted in the email and send to Dr Bob.

[Pujgnie]

£140k by the end of December/January is a big ask - despite a bit of recent momentum in the fund raising.

I'm not going to give up on her - though I do admit that this is going to take some doing this time around, bearing in mind Christmas and current financial recession.

The shows not over yet..

The fat lady hasn't sung yet - for me at least. (She may be a bit croaky though... )

[PiperArrow28]

HH,

I can only comment on it being told as it is, since the vast majority who can save this project, will have absolutely no idea of the numbers involved. In the scale of recent redundancies, 20 to 25 souls affected is not really newsworthy to the National Media, or of concern to anyone else who faces an uncertain future.

It all comes down to if more of the Aviation Community and more importantly, the Air Show going public - can be made aware of the situation and then be moved enough to contribute to see out another Air Show season by XH558 (Hopefully more!)

In that light, it is the Aircraft herself we are saving, and thankfully, then all the jobs that depend on her.
Egg and Chicken - Chicken and Egg?

It is a free choice once we can get the mesaage out there....
As with all the best reality TV shows - let the Public decide.

All other new solutions on a Postcard too

Cheers,
Ian.

[Exceptionalsleeper]

My beef is with Taff and above.

Regards Steve

LUV YOU!!!

Don't make PROMISES you can't keep Taff!

[PhantomAviator]

Bear in mind that if we fail to reach our monthly targets, we will be unable to undertake the 2010 season, and so there would be little point in bearing the expense of keeping the team together.

Decisions would then start to get very tough.
(above extract from Bob's update)


So get tough now perhaps it may help!!!

It is not at all pleasant for engineers to be unsure as to where their futures lay. The uncertainty of whether they have a position or not.
But ONE thing they and others can be sure of is that they will be the first outand the last will be the one's at the top.

[Thumper]

Couple of Q's. If the target is not met by January then what? If XH558 goes under what will happen with the money taken so far? Just interested, thats all.

[Hungry Haggis]

Couple of Q's. If the target is not met by January then what? If XH558 goes under what will happen with the money taken so far? Just interested, thats all.

Goes under Regardless of how people may read my previous post wrong I sure hope she doesn't I have yet to see her fly other than take of and vanish in 08.

[Gully]

Couple of Q's. If the target is not met by January then what? If XH558 goes under what will happen with the money taken so far? Just interested, thats all.

As I understand it, at some stage the Trustees will decide whether the Trust / TVOC is an ongoing business or needs to be placed into administration. The actual calendar for that remains to be seen and I would have thought it is a dynamic situation. Charities have an obligation to carry sufficient funds to wind themselves up - if the Trustees see a point where there is insufficient cash in the business to continue, they will have to lay everyone off and call in the administrators. If that happens, monies already donated will be an asset under the control of the administrators. Pledges will not be called in as the trigger point(s) for redemption will not have been reached.

Gully

[Nickolas]

..............And 558 will be leaving Lyneham in several skips.
She is a port leg light.
Said leg is in Stansted Essex.
Said leg is the 'template' for all the seals that need to be manufactured for the replacement leg. (This is also residing at the same location and has been there for a couple of years).
No money to pay for the work, no leg.
No leg no possibility of flight.
Can't fly it out then 558 will get cut up.

UNLESS someone buys her AND pays for all the work And can get her ferried out by Marshalls.............

I think that is the plot ..............

Discuss..............

[Gaz]

Bagsie the first paperweight

[Thumper]

I refer to my UKAR post of her leaving Lyneham



I will cry if she gets cut up, infact I would go down there and chain myself to her if that happens!

[Bubbles]

I don't think for one minute that VTTS trust winding up will mean the end of 558's flying days. infact i think the trust winding up could actually be her saviour ( then again i have issues and i'm on meds so what do i know....oh a goat!)

[Exceptionalsleeper]

I don't think for one minute that VTTS trust winding up will mean the end of 558's flying days. infact i think the trust winding up could actually be her saviour ( then again i have issues and i'm on meds so what do i know....oh a goat!)

I fully concur with your statement Bubbles, just not the meds bit etc, you're just being honest!

[MadNaddy]

If they hit the financial target this time, I'll wear a wedding dress and dance the lambada with SM


You know what? Once bitten and all that

And just what is the problem with dancing with My Blonde God?????



(We know the problem with US seeing you in a wedding dress little bro )

[Sarah Favell]

For everyone's information Gaz stated that if the target was met he would learn to Foxtrot and dance with me. And yes I have witnesses to that statement....oh and he would be dressed as the female.....lol.

[MadNaddy]

EXCELLENT!!!!!!

[Nickolas]

For everyone's information Gaz stated that if the target was met he would learn to Foxtrot and dance with me. And yes I have witnesses to that statement....oh and he would be dressed as the female.....lol.

I'm charging the camera battery as I type..............

[Xplumberlives]

For everyone's information Gaz stated that if the target was met he would learn to Foxtrot and dance with me. And yes I have witnesses to that statement....oh and he would be dressed as the female.....lol.

I'm charging the camera battery as I type..............

What is the offence?

[Gaz]

If they hit the financial target this time, I'll wear a wedding dress and dance the lambada with SM


You know what? Once bitten and all that

And just what is the problem with dancing with My Blonde God?????



(We know the problem with US seeing you in a wedding dress little bro )

First off, SM is a Ginge, not blonde. Second..................Everything else that's wrong with your statement!!

[MadNaddy]

You got a problem with my statement Lil bro? BRING IT ON!!!!!!