The British Fantasy Society Forum

[Peter Coleborn]

Because Stephen Theaker named and shamed me, here is a full response. I did not raise the issue of an extended period of grace to my BFS membership, so I wish he hadn't included me in his reply to Jan's comments. However, since Stephen mentioned it: I may have stepped down from DH in 2008 but that's so I could edit and produce the FCon programme book for FC2008 and then I chaired FC2009. All of this was done for the benefit of the BFS, or so I thought. For months now I have been researching and editing and posting news on the BFS website (no one else was posting much). And until a few months ago I was running the art show for FC2010 (personal reasons meant I had to step down). So just to be clear, I was intimately involved with the running of the society and its convention until a few months ago. Or does my work for the BFS after I left DH count for nothing?

What am I most concerned about? This: I was not informed either by post or email that my membership was now due. But I was informed in March at WHC2010 that my sub was still OK. I only learned about my possible lapsed membership after reading comments that the mailing had gone out to members. It took several emails before I found out that, according to Stephen using an (older?) list, my membership expired with the March/April mailing. Bit of a conflict there!

I reiterate that my beef is the lack of response to my membership queries. I repeat: I did not ask for an extension of free membership until September 2010 -- and even if offered one I would refuse it. I have now paid my £30 for a year's sub -- only to be told by Stephen that there probably isn't sufficient numbers of Prism and New Horizons for me and other people joining and renewing now. I will be quite upset if I don't get the current mailing. If anyone has extra/unwanted copies please send them to me (I'll certainly pay postage at least).

[Stephen Theaker]

Jan and Peter left the BFS committee in March 2008, when they stepped down from editing Dark Horizons.

And I then immediately edited the prog book for FC2008 and then organised FC2009. Obviously none of this counts as BFS activity?!

Apparently we were none of us on the FCon 2009 committee - which came into existence in September 2008- September 2009. Makes me wonder who the hell did all the hard work then, since it clearly wasn't us.

I don't understand this, Debbie. You were of course on the FantasyCon committee - no one has said you weren't - but that's clearly not the same thing as being on the BFS committee. The BFS constitution lists the members of the BFS committee, and the FantasyCon committee - even the chair of FantasyCon - are not included.

[Stephen Theaker]

Named and shamed, Peter..? I mentioned you in that context because you and Jan shared a committee post - Dark Horizons editor - and hence stepped down from the committee together.

[Jen]

Correct my faulty memory if I'm wrong but hasn't the Fcon committee usually been made up of people who were also doing jobs on the BFS committee.  Except for last year where we were mainly Fcon only bods.  Which might be where some of the confusion is coming in?
(Shutting up now.  )

[Debbie]

Jan and Peter left the BFS committee in March 2008, when they stepped down from editing Dark Horizons.

And I then immediately edited the prog book for FC2008 and then organised FC2009. Obviously none of this counts as BFS activity?!

Apparently we were none of us on the FCon 2009 committee - which came into existence in September 2008- September 2009. Makes me wonder who the hell did all the hard work then, since it clearly wasn't us.

I don't understand this, Debbie. You were of course on the FantasyCon committee - no one has said you weren't - but that's clearly not the same thing as being on the BFS committee. The BFS constitution lists the members of the BFS committee, and the FantasyCon committee - even the chair of FantasyCon - are not included.

That's fair enough Stephen, if that's the way it's now done. I'm not complaining. As Jen says - last year was the first time FCon wasn't run by BFS committee. I would just like to have known what was happening.

[David A. Riley]

Because Stephen Theaker named and shamed me, here is a full response. I did not raise the issue of an extended period of grace to my BFS membership, so I wish he hadn't included me in his reply to Jan's comments. However, since Stephen mentioned it: I may have stepped down from DH in 2008 but that's so I could edit and produce the FCon programme book for FC2008 and then I chaired FC2009. All of this was done for the benefit of the BFS, or so I thought. For months now I have been researching and editing and posting news on the BFS website (no one else was posting much). And until a few months ago I was running the art show for FC2010 (personal reasons meant I had to step down). So just to be clear, I was intimately involved with the running of the society and its convention until a few months ago. Or does my work for the BFS after I left DH count for nothing?

What am I most concerned about? This: I was not informed either by post or email that my membership was now due. But I was informed in March at WHC2010 that my sub was still OK. I only learned about my possible lapsed membership after reading comments that the mailing had gone out to members. It took several emails before I found out that, according to Stephen using an (older?) list, my membership expired with the March/April mailing. Bit of a conflict there!

I reiterate that my beef is the lack of response to my membership queries. I repeat: I did not ask for an extension of free membership until September 2010 -- and even if offered one I would refuse it. I have now paid my £30 for a year's sub -- only to be told by Stephen that there probably isn't sufficient numbers of Prism and New Horizons for me and other people joining and renewing now. I will be quite upset if I don't get the current mailing. If anyone has extra/unwanted copies please send them to me (I'll certainly pay postage at least).

There's a copy of the latest Prism in the post to you today, Peter.

David

[Peter Coleborn]

Many thanks, David. You are a hero 

[Peter Coleborn]

Thanks to all concerned -- got my mailing today.

[Martin Roberts]

Just to clarify from Helen and my involvement in this membership problem (I help with all the members mailings)... last year Helen asked Guy if we should offer the FCon committee a complimentary membership I was the only official BFS committee member on the FCon committee.

Guy thought this gesture was applicable in this situation given the amount of roles people took on board for last years convention.

The fact that Peter was posting news had nothing to do with this offer - Helen would not have known Peter was even posting if it was not for me mentioning the fact that I found many news items that I would have posted had already been uploaded by Peter whilst I was at work, which left me with less to post.

Neither of our committee roles in the last couple of years had anything to do with posting external news on the website, Alistair was the official newshound for the society for which he does not receive a FREE membership for.

All BFS members have three ways to check their membership renewal dates... the first is an expiry date is printed alongside your membership number on the bottom right hand corner of the label attached to the envelope of all 4 mailings. The second is a reminder slip is inserted in your 4th and final mailing of your membership year.

This was decided as the best approach at last years AGM, the postage costs for separate letters is far too high and it was also decided that email reminders did not work due to spam protection and changes of email address etc.

The third way... If you are not sure and don't want to miss the September mailing then send Helen an email but don't forget to copy me in events@britishfantasysociety.org. I have better access to my email throughout the day and can inform Helen of your request in person (until September when Helen steps down from the role).

Occasionally we make mistakes and can only apologise for them... Peter and anyone else due to expire in Jan, Feb Mar 2010 should have received a reminder slip in the December mailing, which was a total nightmare in part due to September's late PRISM. Its entirely possible that we missed the odd slip during this mailing (I recall  we had over 6 combinations of envelopes in Dec/Jan).

The latest mailing (June) had a grand total of 46 reminders sent out, covering memberships that are due to lapse in July, August and September.

September's mailing will of course cover expiry dates from October through to the end of December.

On a final note we posted Peter a June mailing early last week after Helen spotted he had renewed his membership and we have saved Debbie copies of her missed March mailing.

None of these kinks are ever intentional and hopefully we now have a happy ending for all involved.

M xxx

[Mike Chinn]

... Helen would not have known Peter was even posting if it was not for me mentioning the fact that I found many news items that I would have posted had already been uploaded by Peter whilst I was at work, which left me with less to post.

I note Peter hasn't posted anything for a month - since when the Home Page has had nothing but reviews on it. Surely they belong in the reviews section?

[Stephen Theaker]

The BFS home page isn't a news page as such - it's just where our latest content, of all kinds, news, articles, reviews etc, is displayed. If no one's posting much news, everything else carries on appearing as usual.

(Edited to soften the terseness brought on by replying using the iPad's touchscreen keyboard...)