558 Funding Update

[Saracenman]

credit where it's due - whilst there are still some glaring 'holes' in the VTST website, the whole thing is 100% better than it was as recently as 18 months ago. with numerous omissions and unforgivable spelling mistakes, it always seemed impossible to get anything corrected.

since Rusty retired, though, VAST improvements have been made - almost immediately, Michael Trotter added financial info and pie-charts, which we had been screaming for for a VERY long time! Ian Homer has also been instrumental in making the website look MUCH more professional than at any time in the past.

there are, in my opinion, many areas still requiring a lot of redesign, but it's very important not to forget what a sorry mess everything was in the Rusty Era

sm

[Xplumberlives]

credit where it's due - whilst there are still some glaring 'holes' in the VTST website, the whole thing is 100% better than it was as recently as 18 months ago. with numerous omissions and unforgivable spelling mistakes, it always seemed impossible to get anything corrected.

since Rusty retired, though, VAST improvements have been made - almost immediately, Michael Trotter added financial info and pie-charts, which we had been screaming for for a VERY long time! Ian Homer has also been instrumental in keeping the website lookING MUCH more professional than at any time in the past.

there are, in my opinion, many areas still requiring a lot of redesign, but it's very important to forget what a sorry mess everything was in the Rusty Era

sm

PING!

[Saracenman]

beat you to it!

[Xplumberlives]

Obviously NOT!

[Sploosher]

I have just seen on the main page of the other side that there is a Count Down to Closure clock.

Scare tactics, thats all...............................

we have heard this before,

[Saracenman]

Obviously NOT!

pedantry, by its very nature, requires the utilisation of correct FACTS!

check the time of MY post (which was the time of my edit) and compare it to YOURS!

so, obviously i DID!

sm

[Xplumberlives]

Just a shame I quoted you original post then is it NOT?

[Saracenman]

Just a shame I quoted you original post then is it NOT?

you quoted my original post (or is it "me original post"?), which i edited a full minute before you posted your quote! what's your point XPL?

sm

[Xplumberlives]

Oh, I don't know, Horse and stable door come to mind!

[Saracenman]

yeah - i shut the stable door BEFORE the horse buggered off! you attempted to let it out after I'd sorted it!

sm

[Xplumberlives]

Funnily enough, I still remember being taught by you to quote anything you wanted preserved! Strange then that the post I quoted had the mistake!

[Sad Sam3]

I have just seen on the main page of the other side that there is a Count Down to Closure clock.

Scare tactics, thats all...............................

we have heard this before,

Yes you have heard it all before, and every time you hear it, it's true - if we don't get the money we will fold!

[Pujgnie]

Yes you have heard it all before, and every time you hear it, it's true - if we don't get the money we will fold!

Well - If that don't bring the message home - I don't know what will !!

Do you want it written in blood from Taff himself to explain the situation ? This is it - or End Of !

I know we have been there/done it/got the TShirt before now. 558 now treads the thin line of future existence as to a flyable aircraft.

We have till end of March to raise approx £600k... YES - a VERY HUGE ask, but attainable if everyone keeps the faith and donates what they can ASAP.

Every UK homeowner has a 2 month break from paying Council Tax... How about donating 1 Months payment to the cause, if every 'supporting' member were to donate that money - it would boost funds immediately.

JMO

[Spitfire]

Every UK homeowner has a 2 month break from paying Council Tax... How about donating 1 Months payment to the cause, if every 'supporting' member were to donate that money - it would boost funds immediately.
JMO

But as I said last year at this time - and the year before - some of us have already planned for this 2 free months within a very tight household budget - and as this is the third year this old chestnut has been raised then it just goes to prove that something is still very wrong somewhere

Lurching from crisis to crisis - warning of redundancies - starting a countdown doomsday clock - calling on so called 'free' council tax months from the same old people - these are not the actions of an organised and well oiled machine Even if - and it's a big IF - she is saved again this year then deja vu will strike again next year. It'll be - I know there are 2 free months of council tax lets blag for that - again......

Enough is enough - over the last 2 years - and way before - I've sent - donated - pledged and honoured far too much from a tight budget and as a 'supporting' member I'm afraid I'm all supported out. What was perhaps just a bucket with a small hole in it has become a reservoir with a breached dam and the rivers running in are exhausted.

[Pujgnie]

Yep... comments are noted Spitters.

Weve' all been here before I know. Unless a major miracle occurs I don't know what else to suggest for now

[Xplumberlives]

Every UK homeowner has a 2 month break from paying Council Tax... How about donating 1 Months payment to the cause, if every 'supporting' member were to donate that money - it would boost funds immediately.
JMO

But as I said last year at this time - and the year before - some of us have already planned for this 2 free months within a very tight household budget - and as this is the third year this old chestnut has been raised then it just goes to prove that something is still very wrong somewhere

Lurching from crisis to crisis - warning of redundancies - starting a countdown doomsday clock - calling on so called 'free' council tax months from the same old people - these are not the actions of an organised and well oiled machine Even if - and it's a big IF - she is saved again this year then deja vu will strike again next year. It'll be - I know there are 2 free months of council tax lets blag for that - again......

Enough is enough - over the last 2 years - and way before - I've sent - donated - pledged and honoured far too much from a tight budget and as a 'supporting' member I'm afraid I'm all supported out. What was perhaps just a bucket with a small hole in it has become a reservoir with a breached dam and the rivers running in are exhausted.

Well done Spitters, when will it be accepted?


My point of view;
So just what happens at the meetings that are invariably held to discuss the funding crisis, does some Charlie actually propose approaching the same people yet again! Most of us with an interest in seeing XH558 fly again have nothing left to give. We have volunteered time, ideas and contacts, many of us have annoyed both family members and work colleagues in the quest for funds. Far too often our offers of time or ideas have been either ignored or even worse rejected. I really would like to see her fly again, but can't see how the enterprise can continue.

[Mayfly]

At the end of the day it really is very simple

IF enough supporters donate - she will fly

IF they don't she will be grounded.

[Jigsaw]

At the end of the day it really is very simple

IF enough supporters donate - she will fly

IF they don't she will be grounded.

Says it all.

[Xplumberlives]

At the end of the day it really is very simple

IF enough supporters donate - she will fly

IF they don't she will be grounded.

Says it all.

I think that says it ALL!

[Dee]

Just had Mail from Dr P, not good.

[Mayfly]

but not totally unexpected sadly

[Sooty655]

It's on the website, and it ain't pretty.

[Jigsaw]

It's on the website, and it ain't pretty.

What? They included a pic of my ex wife as well. Jesus....all hope = LOST.

[Pujgnie]

To save people searching :

XH558 Survival Appeal Update

Dear Supporter,

XH558: the deadline has been set – the end of February.

Sadness and grim determination are the main emotions today: the Trust’s funds are such that the decision has now been taken to place all its employees on one month’s notice, as of 1st February.

We have so much to fight for, but with less than one month to avoid shutdown, the pressure is now really on.

On the few occasions when we have been in a similar position before, all XH558’s most loyal supporters have rallied to the cause, and somehow she has been saved. We are not assuming that the same will happen this time, which is why we are enlisting so many more people to help.

In 1941, Sir Winston Churchill said: “Never give in, never give in, never, never, never, never, in nothing, great or small, large or petty, never give in except to convictions of honor and good sense.” We are not giving in.

Mindful that we should not solicit donations whilst we are uncertain about XH558’s future, we are putting 100% of our efforts into the Survival Appeal Pledge Scheme.

We need to raise over £300,000 in new pledges by the end of February to justify a stay of execution, followed by a further £300,000 in March to reach our target of £800,000.

We are therefore launching a number of new activities to secure the immediate future:

· An attempt to set a WORLD RECORD for the number of signatures on a single birthday card for XH558.
· Re-design of the Appeal website to ensure visitors understand our urgent message, with a countdown timer to our deadline of 28th February..
· A sixty-second no-punches-pulled promotional VIDEO, spread via emails, with the goal of going “viral” with our message.
· A written notice and Pledge reply slip to all those on our databases.
· A SURVIVAL RAFFLE, launched by the Vulcan to the Sky Club, to create instant availability of working capital, once we are secured. (Prizes will be honoured by the Club if the worst happens).
· A PROMOTION PACK, distributed with the Club’s Winter magazine, to all club members.
· Targeted ADVERTISING in regional newspapers where affordable.
· Contact with national media and PR agencies to get XH558’s story in front of as many people as possible.
· And of course networking with all existing supporters, sponsors and industry leaders.

If we gather sufficient momentum over the next four weeks, we may well be able to start work on XH558 once again, but we will only do this if we are confident that the target will be met.

In the meantime, work continues at Marshall Aerospace on the detailed planning for the Winter Engineering Programme, whilst our own team are helping with the Appeal.

Assuming we are successful, with the new experienced gained over the past year, we will be building funds throughout the year in all ways possible to avoid the desperate measures we have had to take each winter to keep the dream alive.

Remember our ultimate goal: to be flying down the Mall on 4th June 2012 in celebration of Her Majesty the Queen’s – and the Vulcan’s – Diamond Jubilee.

As we count down the days of February, all the thousands of our loyal supporters know full well what they will be missing if the worst comes to the worst for XH558. What is most galling, is that there are millions of people who really don’t know what they will have missed. But if they did, they could well decide to help save her.

XH558 is the “People’s Aircraft”. Can the people save her again?

Robert Pleming

[PhantomAviator]

To save people searching :

XH558 Survival Appeal Update

Dear Supporter,

XH558: the deadline has been set – the end of February.

Sadness and grim determination are the main emotions today: the Trust’s funds are such that the decision has now been taken to place all its employees on one month’s notice, as of 1st February.

We have so much to fight for, but with less than one month to avoid shutdown, the pressure is now really on.

On the few occasions when we have been in a similar position before, all XH558’s most loyal supporters have rallied to the cause, and somehow she has been saved. We are not assuming that the same will happen this time, which is why we are enlisting so many more people to help.

In 1941, Sir Winston Churchill said: “Never give in, never give in, never, never, never, never, in nothing, great or small, large or petty, never give in except to convictions of honor and good sense.” We are not giving in.

Mindful that we should not solicit donations whilst we are uncertain about XH558’s future, we are putting 100% of our efforts into the Survival Appeal Pledge Scheme.

We need to raise over £300,000 in new pledges by the end of February to justify a stay of execution, followed by a further £300,000 in March to reach our target of £800,000.

We are therefore launching a number of new activities to secure the immediate future:

· An attempt to set a WORLD RECORD for the number of signatures on a single birthday card for XH558.
· Re-design of the Appeal website to ensure visitors understand our urgent message, with a countdown timer to our deadline of 28th February..
· A sixty-second no-punches-pulled promotional VIDEO, spread via emails, with the goal of going “viral” with our message.
· A written notice and Pledge reply slip to all those on our databases.
· A SURVIVAL RAFFLE, launched by the Vulcan to the Sky Club, to create instant availability of working capital, once we are secured. (Prizes will be honoured by the Club if the worst happens).
· A PROMOTION PACK, distributed with the Club’s Winter magazine, to all club members.
· Targeted ADVERTISING in regional newspapers where affordable.
· Contact with national media and PR agencies to get XH558’s story in front of as many people as possible.· And of course networking with all existing supporters, sponsors and industry leaders.

If we gather sufficient momentum over the next four weeks, we may well be able to start work on XH558 once again, but we will only do this if we are confident that the target will be met.

In the meantime, work continues at Marshall Aerospace on the detailed planning for the Winter Engineering Programme, whilst our own team are helping with the Appeal.

Assuming we are successful, with the new experienced gained over the past year, we will be building funds throughout the year in all ways possible to avoid the desperate measures we have had to take each winter to keep the dream alive.

Remember our ultimate goal: to be flying down the Mall on 4th June 2012 in celebration of Her Majesty the Queen’s – and the Vulcan’s – Diamond Jubilee.

As we count down the days of February, all the thousands of our loyal supporters know full well what they will be missing if the worst comes to the worst for XH558. What is most galling, is that there are millions of people who really don’t know what they will have missed. But if they did, they could well decide to help save her.

XH558 is the “People’s Aircraft”. Can the people save her again?

Robert Pleming

Last week I emailed several national press news reporters with regards to the appeal.
I am led to believe that they will not be doing anything as somewhere in the distant past an exclusivity was done with a national.