[Closed] I've just joined the RSPB, what organisations are you members of??

The Micropaleontology Society, because microfossils are frigging amazing.

Having seen the devastation the RSPB have wreaked on the local forests around my area in the name of ground nesting birds they would be last on my list.

AA, SAS and RSPB

BCS - because work pays for it.
National Trust - because the car sticker immediately promotes me to middle-class.
Dennis the Menace Fan Cub, but I think this may have lapsed.

Labour Party. Joined the day after the election..

Karabiner Mountaineering Club.
Nice people.

Ex Sons of the Desert, CAMRA, Oldham Motorcycle Club, Labour Party, 53rd Manchester Scouts, Brittania Music Club and Dennis The Menace fan club.

D.I.N.G, indeed.

What sort of 'devastation' is this then allthepies? Do tell...

CTC though I don't do any cycle touring. On the other hand I'm not a member of the RSPB but do have a set of binoculars.

What sort of 'devastation' is this then allthepies?

Don't know about allthepies but around here nice little bits of woods get wiped out to create moorland. Maybe ecologically sound but nowhere near as nice to go for a walk or ride. Don't appear to hold as much wildlife either but maybe we didn't have the right kind of wildlife.

RSPB
Sustrans
CTC
British Cycling
Newcastle Cycle Campaign
National Trust
Gourmet Society
RAC
Snowboard Club UK

[quote=bloodynora said]What sort of 'devastation' is this then allthepies? Do tell...

Mature woodland, which happened to contain lovely singletrack, completely felled. Now resembles a lunar landscape.

RB I don't think the RSPB's remit is to provide you with 'nice walks or rides' is it? They are there to protect habitats and wildlife (specifically bird species) or create new habitats where endangered native species are at risk. In general they are a force for good as regards British wildlife.

Yes, I don't doubt they are doing the right thing. It just feels like a bit of a shame when the woods go all the same.

So allthepies the RSPB destroyed your lovely singletrack? Aw my heart bleeds for you. The lunar landscape you describe may have been done to promote native woodland/shrub to get a foothold where they couldn't before and encourage wildlife not used to tree cover in that particular woodland.

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CTC
Audax UK
Cyclo Monster CC
Derby Cycling
Civil Service Sports Club which gives me English Heritage as well.
Scouts, though I seem to spend just as much time running round after my wife's Guides stuff!

So the RSPB didn't cull any parakeets in 2013/14, shame on them.

[quote=ernie_lynch said]So the RSPB didn't cull any parakeets in 2013/14, shame on them.

They've got 'em marked down for a big hit in 2015

RSPB can be a bit focussed on saving one species at the detriment of all others around them. They are starting to think outside the box in places though and of whole ecosystems rather than key species numbers.

CADW member because I love castles.
RFS through my work.

Honorary Life Member of the National Trust for Scotland.

They've got 'em marked down for a big hit in 2015

Well the big hit for 2015 doesn't appear to be having much effect on Croydon - their numbers seem to be increasing significantly on a daily basis.

I'm immensely proud of Croydon's multicultural character but the ring-necked parakeet population really is completely out of control 😐

EDIT : Unless they're all finding refuge in Croydon........bleeding asylum seekers !

I am convinced the National Trust own every car park in the South West within a mile of the coast so membership is essential.

National Trust (Scotland); Greenpeace; John Muir Trust; local MTB club, local mountaineering club; Historic Scotland; Woodland Trust.

RSPB.
National Trust. (not my idea but we only need to go to Fountains Abbey 4 times in a year & It's paid for itself)
UKIP. Joined the day after the election.

NTS
Historic Scotland
Whatever the Scottish Kayakerists/Canoeists club is called
Mountain Bothies Association (really do need to do a work party)

Mature woodland, which happened to contain lovely singletrack, completely felled. Now resembles a lunar landscape.

Bourne Woods?

I'm - sorry, we're - National Trust members. As Pablo says, it almost pays for itself in parking savings. But it's great for the "we've no money and want to go out" days, and of course it's a good thing to support (IMHO).

John Muir Trust

NUJ
National Trust (I think)
The Self-Preservation Society

And this thread has reminded me to rejoin CTC

NT
Tricycle association
Rough Stuff Fellowship
Local m/c club, West Glos and Dean Forest
Local cycling club, Royal Dean Forest
BC

NINFAN I'm amazed the UK had 20 feral goats for the RSPB to kill. Of course the clue is in the name, the RSPB ain't going to be preserving no goats are they 🙂

Edit to add; the anti fox hunting folks may be a little upset too though personally I think the foxes had it coming.

They killed 13 crows for "animal welfare during lambing" which suggests that they are not always biased in favour of birds.

I'm a member of the NIMBA, and FAPNLM.

What's most important, I'm active. Not like the badge wearing saddos, buying a name with an annual subscription, but no actual contribution or pushing of the boundaries.

Always something to learn. I've been involved in lambing in the past and have no idea what threat crows are at lambing time. They are evil little bastards though so nothing will surprise me that much.

Of course the clue is in the name, the RSPB ain't going to be preserving no goats are they

To be fair they do a bit for other animals too (according to their bumph), but yeah birds is their main gig, obviously.

They are evil little bastards .....

No animal is evil and crows are right cool clever little ****ers, imo.

Btw I'm not a member of the RSPB but I am an associate member of this lot :

http://beddingtonfarmlands.org.uk/

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I'm going bird watching with them tomorrow morning as it happens.

I'm a member of the NAMBLA.
What's most important, I'm active. Not like the badge wearing saddos, buying a name with an annual subscription, but no actual contribution or pushing of the boundaries.

😯

RSPB
National Trust
Hampshire and Isle of Wight Naturalist Trust

Would like to join

Historic Houses Association - and probably will sometime soon

feel [s]more[/s] Machala Stachan TBH.

That brings back a teenage years dream...

[quote=suburbanreuben said]
Bourne Woods?

Yup.

RMT and Dennis The Menace Fan Club.
RMT is a joke though and I don't agree with 99% of what goes on.

What point are you attempting to make ninfan?

National trust.
Unison
Green party.
And from what the mail i get tells me it would seem that having a loyalty card from the co-op makes me more of a 'member' than a tesco clubcard does. 😕

Ninfan, go on what are you a member of then?
Can we guess?

[edit] also remembered local cycling campaign group, local little arts theatre/centre, and lapsed membership of the mighty Gawton Gravity Hub.

Have been a member of RSPB in the past.
Have been a member of BCF in the past.
Think I might have been a member of CTC once upon a time too.
Used to be a member of the Scouting Association.

Now only a member of the Tripoli Rocketry Association, until I get around to renewing other memberships. And that is because most renew in January, except one which is in August.

On the whole, I'm more for informal meetups of like minded individuals with none of that committee nonsense, but I'd probably cough up to something like NT if I ever go back home, just for the parking access.

I wouldn't join any club that would have me as a member.

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Read Ian Mitchell's book 'Isles of the West' for an interesting view of the RSPB.

British Geological Society, MX5 owner's club, National Trust And RSPB for me. Would swap RSPB for the Wildlife Trust if they weren't such backward stick in the muds with regards to access.

Going back to crows at lambing time, they peck out the eyes of lambs while the mother is sleeping. The lamb will then die and the crows eat them. I don't object to a few crows being killed to stop that.

crows at lambing time, they peck out the eyes of lambs while the mother is sleeping. The lamb will then die and the crows eat them

Now that's what I call a carefully thought out plan. I wouldn't put it past them to make gentle cooing sounds just to encourage the mothers to fall asleep. Clever ****ers.

NIMBY and FOYC

Ernie, you may say no animal is evil but pecking out eyeballs certainly isn't a nice way to get a dinner 🙁

But it's clever and very tricky. What happens if the lamb makes a noise while it's having its eyes pecked out and wakes up his/her mother? What happens if the farmer doesn't leave a blind lamb in a field to
die ? That's a lot of wasted effort by the crow.

And how long does it take for a blind lamb to die ? Bearing in mind that it only needs to find its mother's nipple to survive, and many young blind mammals can do that without any problem, it could take a very long time I imagine.

Yep, crows certainly like to play a long game, it's a bit like shopping - buy now eat later. But then crows are very clever indeed. And some humans are a bit daft.

At present, the SVAS. Not convinced that the Shuttleworth Trust are going in the right direction any more so this may well be the last year. I used to volunteer monthly in the winter until the distance I had to travel and the percieved lack of interest in the work we were doing made me decide to stop.

Higher Education Academy
University and College Union
Dennis the Menace Fan Club

Can those who've quoted initials of organisations please expand for the benefit of us who, er, haven't a clue.

Thanks. 🙂

Sorry. Shuttleworth Veteran Aviation Society (SVAS). The Shuttleworth Trust owns and operates the largest UK airworthy collection of veteran and vintage aircraft. My first main area of interest as a kid, before bikes even.

The oldest is a 1909 Bleriot, the newest is a 1965 Piper Super Cub, but most are in the 1910-1945 era

Thanks jim, very helpful, and that sounds terrific. I guess you get to take to the skies?

I belong to the CTC as well as the Churches Conservation Trust.

I'll open this out a bit, I'm a member of other clubs too but I posted the RSPB membership in part because we had a garden full of birds last night, and tonight as it happens.

I do wonder about the National Trust. Is it really worth it? I'm not a massive fan of dusty stately homes and gingham, but surely there's more to them than that ? Is there ? I did read somewhere they offer Hotels and Guest Houses of some quality and in nice places, that appeals.. But are these full of Chinz? That would put me off, and the gingham 😆

So, worth it or bin the idea ?

I wish one could get to fly in them, unfortunately unless you are a "celebrity" or an historian , or preferably both (e.g Dan Snow) you have no chance, CIvil Aviation Authority rules.

jim - oh, bad luck. Not sure what part of the country you're in but this starts tomorrow and Dan Snow will be there amongst other well-known people.

Chalke Valley History Festival, Wiltshire

http://cvhf.org.uk/

bb - to my mind the NT has always been for the braying middle classes as certainly poor people couldn't afford to visit these places, let alone getting fleeced in the cafe and gift shop. Their 'protection' is not for the benefit of the nation, only those with disposable income.

CG - I made a post earlier to a similar effect, but tongue in cheek.

Their politics aside, NT membership is well worth it if you live in a reasonable distance from some of the locations.

You're not forced to get buggered for a slice of £5 lemon drizzle & tea, served by a well-meaning but frazzled student; grab a flask and just enjoy what's on offer from the membership - fabulous outdoor locations and free parking 😉

FWIW walking around stately homes bores me to tears!

[i]Not convinced that the Shuttleworth Trust are going in the right direction any more [/i]

I've had some lovely times at over there with my dad 😀 , could you say a bit more about why you think they're going in the wrong direction?

Spanish mountain sports and climbing federation. Mainly as it gets me cheaper (running) race entry, although I do sort of support their aims.

Nickc, there have been a few strange purchasing decisons that seemed, from the outside at least, to have been made for reasons that don't necessarily fit the Trust's stated aims, to be more on personal whims. Sorry, can't be more specific than that. Also the relationship between some members of the SVAS, which historically provides a substantial portion of the operational and spares cost and the Trust,which actually owns and operate the aircraft and the Swiss Gardens etc. is a tad strained at the moment as a result.
They are currently advertising for a chief executive to run the trust , at a £90,000 salary which has also raised a few eyebrows, but their argument this is the going rate to attract a suitably experienced person.
In the perhaps understandable aim to make the Trust financially secure, the concessions for SVAS members and volunteers are less generous, and the rules underwhich the volunteers work are less flexible. This is what I am refering to.

As a visitor to the collection, none of the above is likely to be apparent, and indeed the Trust does need to be run on a more professional basis to survive, and many of the changes are likely to improve the visitor experience, but inevitably it will be more expensive.

bear - just found your comment! If you're <shock horror> parking in the grounds of a stately home, does usage of that parking space actually give you the right to just bu$$er off somewhere else, perhaps with your bike? Sorry, just being a bit pedantic!

The best 'stately' homes are the non-NT ones in my experience. 🙂

Edit: £60 a year membership!!! No reductions for seniors either as reported in the press recently.

thanks jimw, sounds like it's a painful experience for you, I hope it's resolved soon.

Cinnamon_girl, that festival looks facinating, and the aircraft due to attend look good as well.

I'm a member of the Coordination of United New Teachers and Students.

Membership is automatically renewed each year, decent organization to be part of if you are in education.

My Mrs just joined us in the NT for £99 for 2 of us for a year.
We live near Fountains Abbey & non members pay £12.50 each to get in! (no way I'd even pay that) So it's a cheap membership AFAIC.

Wrong thread.

Don't forget that those with close foreign ties may choose to support the national trust of their own country of origin or emotional connection, in which case there is often a reciprocal agreement with UK national trust sites while they are visiting...

I'm a member of Hinckley Canoe Club and the BCU. That's it.

Geol Soc London, NTScot, two steam railway socs. The NT membership gets me free car parking lots of places, and the Cornwall coast footpaths are superb, over land that the NT protects. I have little interest in the big houses, but like the gardens and grounds.

Someone commented on the NT's acquisition policy - Tyntesfield seemed yet another Victorian country house, one too many to me, but they did have help. They do have a legacy of big country houses taken over in the fifties and sixties.

And someone else commented about the RSPB and other wildlife. The latest Brit Wildlife mag has an article about the re-introduction of lost bumblebees on the south coast, supported by the Bumblebee Conservation Trust, the RSPB and others.

to my mind the NT has always been for the braying middle classes as certainly poor people couldn't afford to visit these places

What are you comparing it to as a day out though?

I wouldn't say the cinema is only for "the braying middle classes" and that's more expensive than most NT places - so I think there [i]may[/i] be something more at play than just price.

Don't forget that those with close foreign ties may choose to support the national trust of their own country of origin or emotional connection, in which case there is often a reciprocal agreement with UK national trust sites while they are visiting...

It's cheaper too!

National Trust are quite a bit more than posh houses, they just happen to be more obvious. The property I work at looks after a bit over 40,000 acres and not a single big house / tea shop / gift shop in it. Large areas of land are held and managed for conservation and access.

CADW = no idea what the letters are, Welsh equivalent of English Heritage
RFS = Royal Forestry Society

I'm with Groucho on this one

I don't see the issue with the Parakeets in Greater London, they add a bit of colour to an otherwise grey, drab, giant steaming shitheap.

Workwise:

IMechE (student, institute of choice)
NI (student, relevant industrial institute)
GMB (unwilling participant, if Unite decide to stop supporting Labour I'll probably switch)

Outside of work:

Hmm, looks like I'm a sad **** and have no memberships outside of work. Oh well.