New 100 Club??

Have just received this through via e-mail and thought I would post it on here so that other people can voice their opinions. I replied saying that I think that all it needs are some new people to take over the running of the existing club, but then that's my opinion. The address that it came from is:

letterboxingclub@yahoo.co.uk

Hi Letterboxing Associates/Companions,

As it seems the 100 Club is or Maybe coming to an end. I am just putting my fellers out to see if you would object to a NEW "LETTERBOXING CLUB" to start up. I am not willing to disclose who I am at this current time, but will let you know in due course (depending on the feed back). Also depending on the feed back and if I am to go ahead with this I will send another email out with the rules of the club and how it maybe run (which will depend on you).

All comments welcome good or bad.

Please pass this message onto your letterboxing friends, the more feedback the better.

Yours Sincerely

A long term member of the 100 Club.

Hmm...very interesting.

Why is he sending out fellers to find out more? Is that a kind of pixie?

I think it would be better to work with the current 100 club organisers to ensure that the club continues, rather than staging an underground coup.

On the other hand though, I don't see anything wrong with starting an alternative club. For example, a handcut stamp club or a cryptic clue club...

strange! but maywell be a good thing?? who knows!

I personally don't like this idea unless the current letterboxing club folds. Thes best option is for someone to continue with the same club.

Starting a new club would involve a lot of hard work, advertising, merchandising, cataloging and a mass of paperwork. These person/s would have to take minimal profite so as to not make it a business venture.

If Tony & Sylvia are unable to continue then I hope they hand it over to someone that is as dedicated as they are. Their system works great and is definately tried and tested after all these years.

Dizzy

I have to totally agree with Dizzy here - I know there are others out there who are interested in keeping the 100 club running.

I know there are one or two "old fashioned" types out there who have never agreed with the 100 club, but when Godfrey and Tony took task into hand Letterboxing was a real disaster compared to what we know it is today.
As one can appreciate, the whole thing was word of mouth, and no one had a complete set of clues!
Ok - the Word of mouth thing still runs in parallel with the 100 club, but look at the implications if the 100 club were to collapse. A fortune would be lost to Dartmoor in the form of tourism. Easily 70% of the return visitors to Dartmoor are involved in letterboxing in one form or another.
Ice cream sellers would probably go bust due to the lack of trade.
Letterboxing as we know it would not exist it would go back to the early days when people could only get the clues for boxes if they are given them!
I suspect the person who wants to start up a new letterboxing club would only be in it for the money. I have a suspicion as to whom that third party might be.
I also suspect I might know who would and could take over the 100 club with minimal disruption to the running of the whole thing.

Let us wait and see what happens....

I agree, it is sad that Tony and Sylvia are having to give it up, but hopefully there will be someone of like mind and as organised who will take it on. It would be tragic to have it destroyed by any big money making ventures. This chap might mean well, but would be best to have the existing Club continue if possible, in the right hands.

Tina

Two people have stated the original post came from a male. Do they know something or were they merely assuming?

I'm seriously unhappy about what looks like a takeover attempt and I won't give my support to anyone unless they have the approval of Sylvia/Tony and Godfrey. I can see it disintegrating into chaos and acrimony.

Lost Legionnaire...the first I heard of this was when I saw MMM's copy of the email. I said, 'he', but you're right, it could be a she.

For what it's worth, I think trying to set up a new 100 club is a crazy idea. Why set up a new club, when one already exists? Starting a club from scratch would be a logistical nightmare with no obvious benefits.

I certainly wouldn't join this person's renegade club. The only possible benefit, I think, would be to him (or her!)

As I said before, my suggestion would be for the person work with the current organisers to ensure the club continues.

Tom

Jasper and I agree with Nik and Dizzy - the 'new' club should be a continuation of the old. It's really decent of the anonymous bod to offer to undertake the running of it, and I'm sure his ideas are excellent. But to simply sidestep or sweep away the original organisation would be, imo, to cr*p on all the hard work done by Godfrey and Tony and their colleagues over the years. Now that they have established a 'system' that works well, is recognised by the authorities, and understood by people, why get rid of that and start all over?

I really wish I could take over to help Sylvia and Tony - I'd love to do all that. But time, space and the A303 are all against me at the moment.

It's good to be back with the forum after a brief absence! I've been writing a play before putting it on locally. A surprising and very flattering big success, but it'll be a while before I "volunteer" to do that again!!

Hope you're all well and happy.

I must agree with you all here.

A "new" 100 Club is not what we need. Just a volunteer to take over what is already a great establishment. I always thought of myself taking over the role when I was a teenager (knowing that someone would have to do it one day). But like Roo says, work and the rest of it, well, it was a dream.

I am concerned about the anonimity of this new idea. I like the saying: 'If it ain't broke, don't fix it'

Heh heh, looks like you and I shared the same teenage dreams there, Sly Fox

In life when you purchase a thriving business you pay a certain amount for the 'goodwill & contacts', starting one from scratch is harder to make a success.

Same applies here.

I really wish I could take over to help Sylvia and Tony - I'd love to do all that. But time, space and the A303 are all against me at the moment

I think that line sums it up for most of the people who want to do it
I suspect I might know who would be prepared to take over the whole thing - as it is really a job for someone who has just retired or is coming close to it.
The infrastucture that is in place is to do with the printing and publishing and the base of established customers - starting from scratch would be a logistical nightmare with which I agree with and anyone in their right mind wouldn't touch this with a barge pole unless they have a lot of money and friends in high places

Because I know that this really does not make enough money to make a profit from.
To make a profit you would have to sell about a million clue books and habve the updates going to each and everyone who bought the book going at about £1 each.

Nik - KOTM wrote:

I really wish I could take over to help Sylvia and Tony - I'd love to do all that. But time, space and the A303 are all against me at the moment

Because I know that this really does not make enough money to make a profit from.
To make a profit you would have to sell about a million clue books and habve the updates going to each and everyone who bought the book going at about £1 each.

I always thought it was a service anyway, and not for profit. The costs are kept to such a minimum that I'd be surprised if it breaks even. I'd still want to do it, under that assumption anyway. When Jasper and I win the lottery, perhaps...!

Have a nice weekend everyone.

Posted: Thu Apr 12, 2007 11:45 am Post subject:

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I'm seriously unhappy about what looks like a takeover attempt and I won't give my support to anyone unless they have the approval of Sylvia/Tony and Godfrey. I can see it disintegrating into chaos and acrimony.

Absolutly!!!

The 100 Club has to continue as it is. NO NEW CLUB!!!!!!!

I would love to take over the admin because I've had such fun letterboxing over the years and I would hate to see it disintegrate, but I really don't have the time at present and I would hate to make a poor job of it as a result.

Hey Roo,

If you do win the lottery, you could buy the tor that is named after you. I never realised you were so famous!!

Rob

The Sly Fox wrote:Hey Roo,

If you do win the lottery, you could buy the tor that is named after you. I never realised you were so famous!!

Rob

Hi Rob,

Oh yes! Mine would be the one with the flagpole standing proud on it, heh heh

And if I didn't studiously apply the ol' Oil of Olay every morning, there'd be an uncanny resemblance between me and my tor!

You're alright though - lots of foxy tors out there. But only one Roo.

Cheeky monkey.

I have a Dartmoor name too, my family name is Cater. I really should put a box up on Cater's Beam one of these days.

DO IT! Why wait?

There may be a Fox Tor and Foxworthy and the rest ....

Like Cranmere, I have a name on Dartmoor too. My surname is Fice (a good ol' Devonshire name) and there is a Fice's Well not far from Princetown.
I carry a travellers stamp bearing the name.

Alas, no tor though

The Sly Fox wrote:There may be a Fox Tor and Foxworthy and the rest ....

Don't forget Vixen Tor. For your more feminine side... Jasper should probably have Little Cocks Tor, but that's for a whole other reason...

Jasper should probably have Little Cocks Tor

That was a bit below the belt innit?

Nik - KOTM wrote:

Jasper should probably have Little Cocks Tor

That was a bit below the belt innit?

Not far ENOUGH below the belt. And therein lies the problem... His spaniel-wife and terrier-girlfriend are very patient young ladies.