558 Funding Update

[Yorkie]

In all this I hope everyone Never forgets it is Taff and his hard working Gang of Engineers That do everything in their power to Put 558 where she belongs & on the whole we are all behind them in their endevours.

Some of us are indeed behind them and everybody that had put their all into getting 558 where she belongs. It is just a shame that some people feel that we are digging at the engineers when it seems to an outsider like me that politics, piss poor communication and bad managment is completely to blame.

Every member of the engineering crew that I have spoken to here and on the other side, have always come across as passionate about 558 and would and have done everything that they can.

[Phantom2]

In response to Panel 10's statement[

Yes, this eduation programme sounds alot like what the trust had planned (stop me if I'm wrong), the difference is the Bloodhound SSC education programme will be successful from the outset as they know how important it is for the success of the project. They've all been there with Thrust SSC and look how successful that was. I say no more .

Yes the Bloodhound SSC education programme is almost exactly as was written in the VTST presentation to the HLF right down to Rustys slogan...

" Honouring the Past & Inspiring the Future"

well almost, and although I personally, in the past, have had issues verging on almost downright fights with Miriam Tong, she has at least, tried on a very limited to non-existant budget to deliver an Education Project..

I must say that I do not agree with all that she has been doing, personally, but she has followed the guidlines set by the HLF in that she has initially targeted primary schools and we have had in the past, post First Flight up to leaving Bruntingthorpe, a large number of local schools and young engineers visit the airfield and taken part in various activities she has devised and all the children/studants went away very happy.

Now she hasn't an aircraft to hang her project on she has done a lot of work with Aeroventures at Doncaster which Naddy was involved in.

In the early days, I believed, like a lot of other people, that the Lottery Grant was to tell the Cold War story but I soon found out that when I raised this Question with my line manager, that her remit was across the whole spectrum of the field of education/science and engineering and the Cold War was only a minor part and to be honest.... I believe that, on her limited resources, she has done a pretty good job.....

though for heavens sake don't tell I said so.....

Someone asked for Trust Managers to come on here and answer questions?

As [until recently] a very junior part of the management team at VTST...... I tried.... and my god, I got attacked unmercifally both personally and professionally so I can understand why they will not acceed to your wishes and I try not, now, to react to what is said on Forums.

[Xplumberlives]

It would be MOST interesting to see just how many young people have visited 558 under the auspices of Ms Tong!

[Phantom2]

It would be MOST interesting to see just how many young people have visited 558 under the auspices of Ms Tong!

Did see the figures once over 500 I believe.. mind you i got 1000s of visitors on my sunday openings.

.

[Xplumberlives]

Yes and you should be rightly proud of your figures!

[Saracenman]

......Miriam Tong, she has at least, tried on a very limited to non-existant budget to deliver an Education Project..

a limited budget?

VTST's own figures entitled "VTST Cost and Income Forecast for 1st Nov 08 –31st Oct 09" (which can be found here) show the Access & Education Costs to be £51,708

as there are separate slices of the pie chart showing "Staff Costs exc aircrew, £403,727" and "Overheads & Admin Costs inc rent, £272,677", i would assume that the £51,708 does NOT include Ms. Tong's salary, or even yours Phantom2

i used to have a budget of less than HALF that amount - i know what i could do with £51,708!

when you consider the figure, from memory, for the child 'throughput' in a fourteen month period was less than 500 (i think it was around 430, but cannot now find the link), do those £51,708 costs look proportionate?

also, just how many national schools have been VISITED by the VTST Education Team, and given a presentation about 558 and VTS? simply "not having an aeroplane" is a very lame excuse.

do I think that Miriam has done a good job? given those figures, and the fact that VTS is a multi-million pound BUSINESS, i think 500 children 'educated' in over a year is utterly shameful!

when you also add in Ms. Tong's obstructive manner, she is NOT, in my view, an employee who is worth her salary!

sm

[Xplumberlives]

I wonder what the cost per child would work out to?

[Saracenman]

about £103!

[Dan4th]

In the business world, such a person
would have been Terminated With
Prejudice long since...

Why is this allowed to continue when
the state of things is so obviously
and painfully woeful?

D.

[Xplumberlives]

In the business world, such a person
would have been Terminated With
Prejudice long since...

Why is this allowed to continue when
the state of things is so obviously
and painfully woeful?

D.

I thought it WAS a BUSINESS that they are attempting to run!

[Phantom2]

......Miriam Tong, she has at least, tried on a very limited to non-existant budget to deliver an Education Project..

a limited budget?

VTST's own figures entitled "VTST Cost and Income Forecast for 1st Nov 08 –31st Oct 09" (which can be found here) show the Access & Education Costs to be £51,708

as there are separate slices of the pie chart showing "Staff Costs exc aircrew, £403,727" and "Overheads & Admin Costs inc rent, £272,677", i would assume that the £51,708 does NOT include Ms. Tong's salary, or even yours Phantom2

i used to have a budget of less than HALF that amount - i know what i could do with £51,708!

when you consider the figure, from memory, for the child 'throughput' in a fourteen month period was less than 500 (i think it was around 430, but cannot now find the link), do those £51,708 costs look proportionate?

also, just how many national schools have been VISITED by the VTST Education Team, and given a presentation about 558 and VTS? simply "not having an aeroplane" is a very lame excuse.

do I think that Miriam has done a good job? given those figures, and the fact that VTS is a multi-million pound BUSINESS, i think 500 children 'educated' in over a year is utterly shameful!

when you also add in Ms. Tong's obstructive manner, she is NOT, in my view, an employee who is worth her salary!

sm

Hi SM
To be absolutly honest on most of your observations I do have to "Claim The 5th" because I am still covered by my ex-employers confidentiallity agreement,

Ref your last para... as I said I, personally and I am speaking/typing personally, have had no-end of run-ins with Miriam myself over last 2yrs, and as to my salary I feel I have more than justified that, with Sunday hangar, private day & night time group visits, and night time Outreach Presentations, my contract was 6 days, undefined hours, per week.....not my fault I didn't have an aeroplane for 7months of last year.. now is it??

[Xplumberlives]

How long does you confidentiality agreement run for?

[Phantom2]

How long does you confidentiality agreement run for?

As far as I know ad-infinitem??

[Xplumberlives]

Oh!

[Phantom2]

Oh!

Yes..

[Xplumberlives]

That rather limits any chance to give your side of the story then!





AND, still WAITING for PANEL10 to reply to the comments made about his post!!!!!

[Saracenman]

.....as to my salary I feel I have more than justified that........

I've not questioned your entitlement to your salary in my observations on budgetary matters, merely questioned whether the budget/costs of £51,708 set for your department included it. i suspect not, given the other pie-chart slices i have quoted

i AM questioning what has been done with that £51,708 - there's not a great deal to show for it, nor is there a great deal to show for Miriam's accomplishments in over two years' salaried employment

where has the £51,708 gone, and what was it INVESTED in?

sm

[Phantom2]

.....as to my salary I feel I have more than justified that........

I've not questioned your entitlement to your salary in my observations on budgetary matters, merely questioned whether the budget/costs of £51,708 set for your department included it. i suspect not, given the other pie-chart slices i have quoted

i AM questioning what has been done with that £51,708 - there's not a great deal to show for it, nor is there a great deal to show for Miriam's accomplishments in over two years' salaried employment

where has the £51,708 gone, and what was it INVESTED in?

sm

Sorry SM....... taking the 5th again... ask Michael T possably????

[Cluny]

Time to do a rare thing for me , dragging a topic back on topic [ish]
Just to let you know the Trust has a stand at this weekends Autosport International at the NEC .
Its located in Hall 8 by the International Business Lounge and the WRC exhibit
Carry on

[Panel 10]

I made my comments in my post, nothing on here has changed my mind.

That rather limits any chance to give your side of the story then!





AND, still WAITING for PANEL10 to reply to the comments made about his post!!!!!

[P.eames]

Not being involved in the Vulcan in any way i feel i can safely be described as "not giving a toss" but i am astonished how after reading this thread and the comments and points made about the education program you continue to stand by them, how can seeing the comparison between the two education programs fail to have any impact?

[Bovril]

not looking good for tvoc 17 days and 220k needed

[Sploosher]

not looking good for tvoc 17 days and 220k needed

Hopefully soemone with a great wad of cash will come in at the last minute.................

[MrTim]

... i am astonished how after reading this thread and the comments and points made about the education program you continue to stand by them

The reason people stick with it is because they want to see a flying Vulcan this year and beyond. Much as the current situation of Trust and its activities aggreives people, they continue to support the Club (and the Trust to some extent) in the hope that they can bring about change and achieve the objectives. There are still several possibilities.

not looking good for tvoc 17 days and 220k needed

If it's going to happen I feel it will be all very last-minute again. Fundraising in the depths of Winter with no aircraft is not easiest thing to do

[Air]

Not being involved in the Vulcan in any way i feel i can safely be described as "not giving a toss" but i am astonished how after reading this thread and the comments and points made about the education program you continue to stand by them, how can seeing the comparison between the two education programs fail to have any impact?

As Mr Tim says, I stick with it because I just want to see the Vulcan flying.
As far as the education side of it goes, I can to quote a phrase, safely be described as "not giving a toss".