G o v e r n o r s • S h o r e l i n e • S t o r m F o r c e Positive Reactions There's an old saying: 'It only takes one spark to start a fire.' Well, the spark in this case was the Spring issue'spiece 'Moving with the Times.' The fire was your overwhelmingly positive reaction in favour of proposed increases in subscription rates.

We had certainly expected to receive a large response, but had not anticipated the near-unanimous chorus of offers to increase your contributions to the lifeboat service.

The courage and endeavours of the volunteer lifeboat crews have fired the support of many generations. It is evident that today's generation of RNLI members, be they Shoreline members or Governors, continue to give the highest priority to their contribution to the Institution's work. This is especially encouraging when, at a time of particular strain on our domestic budgets, there are more charities than ever making demands on the pounds in our pockets. Your reaction to the article showed the high regard in which the RNLI is held, and deserves our vigilance in applying ever more efficient fundraising methods.

With this thought, let us look at some comments made by members.

Raising the rates Near-unanimous support was expressed for increasing current subscription rates, especially in the light of 50% inflation since the last increases in 1986. Many members are making financial sacrifices in order to continue their support. Caution was therefore urged that the lowest subscription be kept around £10-£15, an acceptable rise to all those who expressed an opinion.

One of the aims of the Membership scheme is to broaden the RNLI's base of support. A low subscription is thus important for recruiting as many new supporters as possible. You agreed that a tiered membership structure (with stepped rates) was valuable in enabling those who could not afford to contribute above this lower rate to continue doing so.

Paying by instalments While it would not be cost-effective to administer instalments for lower subscription rates, it was this method which could help make Life Governorship more attractive. The one-off payment could be increased to £300, with an alternative rate of £400 for those wishing to contribute four yearly instalments of £100, perhaps by Deed of Covenant.

Increased value without increased subscriptions Many members pointed out that conversion to direct debit and signing a covenant would increase the value of subscriptions without costing members anything! When you consider that it costs 40p in bank charges every time a cheque is cashed, or that a covenant will increase your contribution by a third (if you pay income tax), you will appreciate why the fund raising and marketing department is so keen on these cost-effective methods! The Lifeboat Journal A split-vote was recorded, with both sides commending the interesting and informative content of the journal. Half of you felt the journal should remain free with membership, as it is an important way of staying in touch with the Institution's work; while other members said they would willingly pay extra, over their subscription, to receive it. A few members felt it was not necessary and argued it was up to each member to decide whether or not to receive this.

How can I help without paying more? We have certainly noted your desire to help further, without having to give more money yourselves. Selling lottery tickets among your friends is one way; recruiting new members is another. Look out in the future for a member-get-member scheme and, by the way, do you have the RNLI credit card? And finally...

Your letters have been most valuable. The comments in them will certainly be considered in our future planning.

In the fund raising and marketing department we will endeavour to strike the right balance between having the most cost-effective membership scheme and safeguarding the needs of our existing members. Your feedback will guide us.

Meanwhile, we trust the endeavours of our lifeboat colleagues will continue to fire your support.

A representative selection of extracts from your letters are printed below: L n n 11—' n (B IE 1C (B (T S K X it IT Bl Some of your views on membership...

...thank you for the journal which I always enjoy reading. When my membership comes up for renewal in November I would be happy to add £5 to it, or agree to anything similar which is adopted...

RMW Bexhill-on-Sea ...my wife and I became Life Governors because the payment was £200, and by each signing deposited covenants the Institution received rather more. We would not have done so had the fee been £600. On the other hand we feel that the payment for annual Governorship could be raised...

SLM Crediton ...1 too believe that the subscriptions are not in keeping with today's prices and am prepared to double my yearly subscription from £6 to £12. I authorise you to charge this amount, or whatever sum you may agree to for your future rates...

RS Leigh-on-Sea ...your article has my full support. With inflation an annual subscription of £25 is not enough! For some time I have been thinking of increasing it to £50pa but haven't got to the bank with this weather. Meanwhile I enclose a cheque for £50...

Miss MB Worthing ... an optional magazine at, say, £5pa. Only those who really want it would buy it, saving you expense. I feel that a minimum of £20 would put off a number of potential annual members, since I guess that many such persons contribute to a number of worthy causes. £10 would be reasonable, plus the £5 for the magazine...

MJE Sompting ... I have supported the organisation for many years both by subscriptions and collections. I enjoy the magazine but would prefer to see more of the subscription used for the work of the Institution. I therefore would have no objection to paying, say, an annual subscription of £11 (£5 for the magazine plus £6 sub)...

MGC Edinburgh I am a new member of the RNLI, only joining in 1990 spurred into action by visiting the NE coast and seeing one or two of its lifeboats... £6 annual membership is very good value and could be increased, but £20 would possibly see a decline in numbers. I for one would not wish to spend quite so much. £10 would seem a reasonable compromise in view of the many other demands made by the myriad charities in existence today. The magazine, while interesting, is perhaps a perk that could be either decreased in frequency (say twice yearly) or paid for separately...

LS Headington ...with regard to the article in the current issue of The Lifeboat regarding an increase in fees. I would like to double my subscription, and this may include any increase made by the Institution during the coming year. My subscription is made by covenant and direct debit...

LHW Andover ...I feel that there may be people willing to pay a small membership fee to the Institution and forego the receipt of the magazine... which could be an in addition' cost to those willing to pay for it. Arrangements may have to be made for existing £6 membership who genuinely cannot afford more but who would like to continue to receive the magazine. I enclose a cheque for £5 to cover the cost of The Lifeboat for 1991, and wish you well...

WHM Stevenage . . .At the moment becoming a life governor is, I should think, within the reach of ordinary supporters like myself. Surely if you increase the fee from £200 to £600 you may severely suffer from overkill, as I have recently witnessed in my voluntary work for another organisation.

However I agree with your suggestion for possibly charging all members a nominal annual fee of £5 for the lifeboat journal...

RAE Letchworth ... I fully agree that an increase in subscription should be made, I also agree that some people find it difficult to find the sum required in one lump sum. Would it be possible to donate by monthly instalments? HWP Hounslow . . .it seems that to pick £600 as a threshold for life governors because of the provisions of Gift Aid is to ignore a less brutal and therefore more acceptable way of achieving Life Governor status while still enabling the Institution to recover income tax. If the subscription for life governors is raised it would seem sensible to follow the example of many other charitable bodies and allow life subscriptions in instalments, covenanted if the subscriber pays income tax...

BS Llanfairfechan . . . it seems clear that either the basic subscription should be increased to say £12 so as to cover the cost of four issues of the journal and leave £7 for the lifeboat service, or members should be asked to pay a subscription for the journal. I favour an increase in subscription because the collection of a separate contribution would entail further costs...

EG Goring Heath ... I feel that some can pay so much, while others can pay more. So I think it should be left to the individual . . .

WK London N13 . . . the minimum rate should remain at £6 for pensioners and those not at work, but I think £20 is not too much for those in employment . I think we should all be willing to subscribe £5 for four issues of The Lifeboat. . .

KL Crewe . . .viewed against the annual saving of 1,500 lives and efforts in Force 8+ gales the figures quoted seem minute.

If £20 were to be the standard fee, which I support, then OAPs and the unemployed could get a £10 discount .

The fact that Governors need only pay £20 flabbergasted me. . .anyone desiring the privilege of that title should certainly be asked to contribute £50pa. The ratio should probably be retained making a Life Governor £500. . .

Members already give a lot of their spe great deal of money on souvenirs. . .an increase t is unreasonable. Surely you are penalising the s are already ju jo ADE - Girvan ir time and spend a o say £20 ho be rea ea o souvenrs. ncrease o say s sector wh re contributing? I feel a modest increase can b ustified with your idea of adding the cost of the ournal being one to explore...

Coventry . . .membership fees are too low and in need of re-consideration.

In 1989 with 163,000 members £1.72m was raised, an average of £10.55 per member, yet in 1990 with 177,000 members £1.77m was raised at an average of £10 per member. So whilst membership continues to grow the average donation has decreased. . .

I consider that the idea of charging for The Lifeboat to be very reasonable . It is an excellent quality magazine and comparison with other single-interest quality magazines at the newsagents would find costs in the region of £1.50 to £2 per copy. I believe that £5 for four copies of The Lifeboat to be excellent value for money...

PH Fareham I have read with considerable concern the remarks which suggest that the Institution is considering discontinuing the free supply of the journal to Life Governors.

When some years ago I decided to pay the Life Governor's subscription the expense was for me a serious cost but I was willing to pay it to ensure that I should continue to enjoy the privileges without having to worry about future subscriptions when I had retired from salaried work. For the Institution even to contemplate withdrawing the free journal seems to me a grave injustice, particularly to senior Life Governors (I am 78)...

LSP Brentwood ...first of all I agree that a £5 annual fee for The Lifeboat seems to be very reasonable and would be acceptable to most readers. Secondly I think annual Governors'subscriptions could be doubled to £40 and Life Governors at least £400, bearing in mind the influence they have in running the Institution's activities...

CG Reading ...1 was recently involved in similar discussions as a committee member of a small society. One comment passed was VI would rather have 100,000 members paying £1 than 1,000 members paying £100.' In my view this is not the correct approach because membership administration can be expensive and is a variable cost depending on size...

a society must set its membership rates on the basis of generating the revenue surplus it needs to meet its expenditure objectives.I think that £10 is not an unreasonable amount for the base subscription, representing less than 20p per week. My view is that a top rate of say £100 will be acceptable to members and I will be willing to pay such a rate once my financial circumstances improve. Just to clarify matters, I have been unemployed since late last year but have budgeted my small income to be able to meet this year's Governors subscription at the current rates and hopefully any increase that may take effect...

CK Chelmsford.