Club Arnage server hosting - contributions gratefully received

[smokie]

Grand Fromage PM'd me a week or so back with the serious news that the costs of running CA were beyond his current means. There is an outstanding bill of £500 for the server hosting which, if it doesn't get settled soon, could result in the site closing down.

We discussed the issue a little at the Reading planning meeting and, while longer term there are some good ideas to generate a flow of income (e.g. Sell or Swap becomes a subscription forum, charge a little more mark-up on Club merchandise, charge for downloading the Guide etc etc) we didn't really come up with a good short-term method of cash injection to pay the bills.

I'm sure that the regulars here would not mind stumping up a bob or two, but I don't think this would raise even half of what is needed. Nevertheless, when I get some time I will look at setting up a PayPal account to receive donations (which I would personally prefer were made anonymously) that could provide a start. (I'd set it up with joint ownership - probably Steve, Dave D and myself - to ensure fair play)

There are two events during LM week where CA gets big exposure and where some tin rattling could take place, if 1) it's thought to be an appropriate way to go and 2) we can find some tins and people to rattle them. These are at the poo bar and the Friday calvacade.

So, let's start the discussion. Bear in mind that we are really too late for any changes to the site or merchandising this year, and we have an immediate target of £500. And please at the moment try to stick just to short term ideas, although we need to be considering long term plans as well.

Thanks!! 

[termietermite]

For the short term maybe say, ten of us could find  £50.00 as a short-term interest free loan just to pay the bill?  Then start on the serious fund-raising effort.  We can't let this happen.  No way!

[smokie]

Blinding - hadn't even thought of that...any volunteers please PM me, including the max amount of pledge you wish to make.

(But do bear in mind you may have to write off the money)

[termietermite]

I'd like to think that there'd be rather more than 10 willing to pitch in so the debt wouldn't be that much anyway if it had to be written off.  100 giving a fiver and I doubt if any of us would want it back.  Somebody with a bit more money maybe would be happy to write off their entire £50 - don't know.

Other thoughts : a prize draw?  With LM entry tickets as the prize?  Could Pieter get us a pit visit with RFH?  Anybody who could donate nice motor racing related prizes? Memorabilia gathering dust?  Perhaps if you wanted to do a voluntary membership fee then free entry to the draw could be the lure?

Gear sales on the site would be good. Hats?  As a quick fix, would anybody else pay £4 not £3.50 for their lanyards?  I would.

A fee for the successful sales/swaps?  Paypal is a safe way for buyers and sellers to exchange money, and maybe this can be fixed up so there's an automatic percentage rake-off for CA for anybody who uses it?  Nothing scary, just a small amount.

Tin rattling's fine but maybe with say a little CA badge - 2 euros a pop if you cough up? Wear your CA badge with pride!

Long-term members with business web-sites could pay a small fee for putting a link on?

All off the top of my head sans thinking cap!

EDIT : Hindy suggested that we should contribute to RLM.  If we're going to do fundraising then we need to swell our membership.  I'm sure he'd be willing to interview one of us over LM weekend.  Then we can get the web address out there a bit more.

[Jay (Team Cannonball)]

I'd be quite happy to contribute say £10-20 towards the running of the site in the short term to help pay the bills. In the long term we can consider fundraising for the site/ merchandise etc.

If there is enough like minded individuals then I would go with setting up the paypal account. I would stress this should be a one-off arrangement and the site owners in collaboration with the members should plan a longer term strategy for keeping the site afloat.

[Lawnmower Man]

I'd like to think that there'd be rather more than 10 willing to pitch in so the debt wouldn't be that much anyway if it had to be written off.  100 giving a fiver and I doubt if any of us would want it back.  Somebody with a bit more money maybe would be happy to write off their entire £50 - don't know.

I think we could do both loans and donations.  The forum has got to be worth a £5 of anyones money.

Gear sales on the site would be good. Hats?  As a quick fix, would anybody else pay £4 not £3.50 for their lanyards?  I would.

I do plan to charge more for those that don't pay before I leave. €6 ~ £4.  I'm just composing the post about paying.
At £3.50 If I sell all 200 and it looks a distinct possibility there will be £200 to help out.

Long-term members with business web-sites could pay a small fee for putting a link on?

When I spoke to Dave earlier in the week to get the OK to use the LOGO etc. I did mention to him the costs of the Server.  He specificaly said he's not keen on running Adverts on the site.

t.

[termietermite]

I wasn't thinking of bold and obvious advertising, L/M, simply a discreet website link in the profile, much as we have now for some members. (And I don't mean to photostreams etc, just potentially profit-making sites).

[Nordic]

how about a Club Arnage Calander, there are enough good photographers on CA to donate a few pictures.

I know the ACO can be a bit protective of their image rights and a way around that would need to be found, but there is a lack of a good one I think.

I would not mind paying an annual sub to keep the site going, maybe the lure could be prizes and access to the sell and swap section and maybe a members only area.

Sell and sawp would need to be free I think to sell, but in order to buy you need to pay. The downside would be the possibility of driving potential sellers to other sites.

[lynxd67]

I'm quite willing to set up a bucket at the entry to the St. Saturnin Friday with a notice explaining why and asking for donations if you need. I appreciate you'd have to trust me on this but if you want I'll be there from 9am until 4pm and can, I'm told be quite persuasive!

[Stu]

For starters, change hosts. I run my Rugby clubs site on Streamlinenet which although probably not the best host, it will run the CA site and forum no bother. It has unlimited space and unlimited bandwidth all for £80 for 2 years. I've also got 3 spare databases which I run a gallery on one and am about to put up 2 more club sites.

[rcutler]

For starters, change hosts. I run my Rugby clubs site on Streamlinenet which although probably not the best host, it will run the CA site and forum no bother. It has unlimited space and unlimited bandwidth all for £80 for 2 years. I've also got 3 spare databases which I run a gallery on one and am about to put up 2 more club sites.

Same company I use, but I think Dave Davies want to leave it with the current provider. There may be another business reason for this.

[BigH]

Hmm, that sounds like bad news for Kidney Research, Black Granny and his inspectors were planning to rattle a few buckets at the DFH gig, and people aren't going to dip into their pockets twice.
I've suggested charging for buying tickets at cost from contacts on this site before, something like a charge to log on to 'Sell or Swap' section seems like a good idea to me.
How dire are these straits? Is this something that needs sorting out right now, or can it wait till after June?
Pistonheads never seem short of sponsors, it could be worth taking a closer look at their site to get a few ideas.
Of course, all of our crew are willing to sell their bodies for a small fee over the race weekend, although most are slightly worn...
H

[Werner]

Blinding - hadn't even thought of that...any volunteers please PM me.

(But do bear in mind you may have to write off the £50)

You've got mail

[Lazy B'stard]

Blinding - hadn't even thought of that...any volunteers please PM me.

(But do bear in mind you may have to write off the £50)

You have mail

[termietermite]

All in favour of keeping names private Smokie, but how about a target and a note of how close we're getting?  Might egg more on?