Are you a GAGB Member ?

[StuartP]

As has been discussed in a previous thread, the membership of the GAGB could be views as no representative of cachers in the UK.

It would be helpful to understand why people are or are not members of the GAGB. Perhaps you could take the time to complete the following statement......

I [am / am not] a member of the GAGB because:



PS: you can check on your membership status here: https://www.gagb.org.uk/forums/register.php

[keehotee]

I am a member of the GAGB because:

When I joined there was only one type of membership, as forum membership had not yet been introduced.
My membership should not, however, be seen as my acceptance of the guidelines or objectives of the GAGB, or the manner in which the GAGB is run (although if I had particular issue with either of these you would know ), any more than my membership of any other body would indicate that I was 100% in favour of every one of their policies.

[markandlynn]

I am a member of the GAGB because the alternative is being represented by a commercial organisation based in america also a UK organisation independent of the listing sites ensures should a UK issue arrise UK cachers with only the sport in mind can represent thier interests.

[uktim]

As has been discussed in a previous thread, the membership of the GAGB could be views as no representative of cachers in the UK.

It would be helpful to understand why people are or are not members of the GAGB. Perhaps you could take the time to complete the following statement......

I don't know if I'm counted as a member of the GAGB because of the rather haphazard way that membership was a default attribute of forum membership in the early days. I don't count myself as a member or see GAGB as representing my views. I find it rather hard to view an association where most (all?) of the committee hide behind false screen names as an open and transparent body. How can you vote for someone if you don't even know their name or address?

[markandlynn]

I don't know if I'm counted as a member of the GAGB because of the rather haphazard way that membership was a default attribute of forum membership in the early days. I don't count myself as a member or see GAGB as representing my views. I find it rather hard to view an association where most (all?) of the committee hide behind false screen names as an open and transparent body. How can you vote for someone if you don't even know their name or address?

I would be more suspicious of someone who did not reveal their caching identity being on the GAGB committee.
StuartP could be anyone anywhere but his geocaching profile of finds and hides is very visible to me and a much more important attribute than his real name (is it dave ?) and address.

Having been involved in the odd landowner negotiation i can uderstand the need to have a private area to discuss the finer points.

[Happy Humphrey]

I find it rather hard to view an association where most (all?) of the committee hide behind false screen names as an open and transparent body. How can you vote for someone if you don't even know their name or address?

To be fair, this isn't the case. See https://www.gagb.org.uk/index.php for a list of actual names. I wouldn't expect to see addresses on there; it would be a bit much to ask.

I imagine that, should you wish to contact a committee member using their real name and address, you could just e-mail them and ask for it.

[Just Roger]

As has been discussed in a previous thread, the membership of the GAGB could be views as no representative of cachers in the UK.

It would be helpful to understand why people are or are not members of the GAGB. Perhaps you could take the time to complete the following statement......

I [am / am not] a member of the GAGB because:

Like others, when I joined there was no separation of the forums from the rest of the site though, in practice, at that time (Jan 2005) the forums were pretty dead compared to now. The main reason I joined, at the time was the Landowner permissions database and the idea of having a local body in the UK.

[Happy Humphrey]

I am not a member of the GAGB because:
I don't have any burning reason to join.

As well as some misgivings about the GAGB attitude to cache permission and the perceived role of a geocaching association, there doesn't appear to be any clear benefit to actually joining.

This is partly selfish, of course, as the principle of a GB geocaching association is a good one and should receive some support; even if I personally don't see any direct gain in joining up.

I'm a member of several other organisations, but I can always recall joining because of some immediate benefit (e.g. insurance, membership perks, discount entry to something, quarterly magazines, social events). On top of which, I can almost completely agree with the organisation's motivation and approach.

Quite rightly, non-members can post on the GAGB forums, and the Land Agreements database is open to all. It's useful to the GAGB and the public that these are open and free. But what does that leave as a benefit?

By the nature of geocaching, which is essentially an individual and informal activity, an Association is not something you "need" as a cacher. You can place a cache almost anywhere without reference to anyone, and if you know the coordinates of a cache you can seek it; in which case you're geocaching. Forget cache listing sites and landowner agreements; they're only optional extras.

So if you're not sure that the GAGB is moving in the right direction, and you can't see any perks in joining up, it's easy to give it a miss.

I am not a member of the GAGB because:
I don't have any burning reason to join.

As well as some misgivings about the GAGB attitude to cache permission and the perceived role of a geocaching association, there doesn't appear to be any clear benefit to actually joining.

This is partly selfish, of course, as the principle of a GB geocaching association is a good one and should receive some support; even if I personally don't see any direct gain in joining up.

I'm a member of several other organisations, but I can always recall joining because of some immediate benefit (e.g. insurance, membership perks, discount entry to something, quarterly magazines, social events). On top of which, I can almost completely agree with the organisation's motivation and approach.

Quite rightly, non-members can post on the GAGB forums, and the Land Agreements database is open to all. It's useful to the GAGB and the public that these are open and free. But what does that leave as a benefit?

By the nature of geocaching, which is essentially an individual and informal activity, an Association is not something you "need" as a cacher. You can place a cache almost anywhere without reference to anyone, and if you know the coordinates of a cache you can seek it; in which case you're geocaching. Forget cache listing sites and landowner agreements; they're only optional extras.

So if you're not sure that the GAGB is moving in the right direction, and you can't see any perks in joining up, it's easy to give it a miss.

I can see your point about benefits, even as just an associated club, the climbing club I am a member of has a range of benefits from being members of the BMC, access to huts insurance etc.

[Mrs Blorenge]

I am a member of GAGB because, as HH says, I believe that

...the principle of a GB geocaching association is a good one and should receive some support; even if I personally don't see any direct gain in joining up.

As we are able to afford to put $30 a year across The Pond to have PM on Geocaching.com, I think we should at least support our national geocaching organisation too.

I have no problems with the various 'agreements' which have been negotiated by the GAGB over the years. However much we may like the idea of geocaching as a free-and-easy-anything-goes-anywhere type of activity, I believe such restrictions are going to become more and more prevalent in the future and I'm happy to trust the GAGB committee to try and find suitable solutions that will keep both sides relatively happy so that geocaching can maintain its good image as it continues to grow in popularity. When problems arise, as inevitably they will from time to time, I feel that the GAGB is a suitable body to mediate between landowners and reviewers and listing sites to try and resolve such matters.

The forum here is also important for discussion: I think it's good to have an alternative from the Groundspeak forums. Not everyone is happy with 'the forums over there' so it's good that this place provides somewhere else for talking about geocaching matters and Off Topic stuff.

If I think of other 'reasons to be happy' I'll add them later.

Oh, the Mahjong's pretty good too.

[Matrix]

As I am able to afford to put $30 a year across The Pond to have PM on Geocaching.com, I think we should at least support our national geocaching organisation too.

That is one of the reasons I support the GAGB .


[Shamless Plug]

I have also replied to Tony's post on the South Wales Geocachers forum

[/Shamless Plug]

[Happy Humphrey]

I have no problems with the various 'agreements' which have been negotiated by the GAGB over the years. However much we may like the idea of geocaching as a free-and-easy-anything-goes-anywhere type of activity, I believe such restrictions are going to become more and more prevalent in the future

I might not have explained it well enough, but the point is that, in many sports and pastimes you're actually reliant on the national or local association to allow you to play.

For instance, if you don't join a football club you can't play competitive football. If you don't join a golf club (of some sort) you don't get a handicap and you can't play in competitions. For others, you might need a licence or special equipment.

In geocaching you can play without joining any organisation.

So there is not the usual need to join an association or club just to get started. The only way to attract members is by offering some perks; and I don't see too much on offer (yet! - how about discounts at geocaching shops? ).

[sandvika]

I became a member of the GAGB because the I recognise the fundamental importance of obtaining landowner consent in what is not a clandestine pursuit. I want GAGB to become the de-facto focus of and representative for the UK caching community by extending its remit beyond consent agreements to embrace the community it serves and be its advocate to other organisations.

[uktim]

As we are able to afford to put $30 a year across The Pond to have PM on Geocaching.com, I think we should at least support our national geocaching organisation too.

The $30 to GS is excellent value for money. At present the GAGB seems to be struggling to justify it's membership fee. It could be suggested that it seems to be a vehicle to allow a vocal and highly opinionated minority to stamp their authority on the game

Well observed

[lost it]

The $30 to GS is excellent value for money. At present the GAGB seems to be struggling to justify it's membership fee. It could be suggested that it seems to be a vehicle to allow a vocal and highly opinionated minority to stamp their authority on the game

what fee would that be? GAGB is free!

oops someone doesn't know what they are talking about

[*mouse*]

I'm a member of the GAGB because when I first found out about geocaching I joined various different web based organisations in order to find out about the hobby - no other reason.

Since then I have made regular use of the forum as the site is a way for me to chat and discuss issues with other UK cachers, but I have never really felt that the views of the GAGB represent my own.

[Morton]

I am a member of the GAGB because I support the existence of the guidelines and the agreements database.

[keehotee]

As has been discussed in a previous thread, the membership of the GAGB could be views as no representative of cachers in the UK.

It would be helpful to understand why people are or are not members of the GAGB. Perhaps you could take the time to complete the following statement......

I [am / am not] a member of the GAGB because:

I am a member of the GAGB because it's far easier to bend a branch to point where you'd like it to point, than to tear down the tree and grow a new one.

[t.a.folk]

As has been discussed in a previous thread, the membership of the GAGB could be views as no representative of cachers in the UK.

It would be helpful to understand why people are or are not members of the GAGB. Perhaps you could take the time to complete the following statement......

I [am / am not] a member of the GAGB because:

.... because we don't have anti-issues with what GAGB has achieved
and is continuing to achieve .

[DrDick&Vick]

I am a member of the GAGB because I enjoy my hobby of hunting plastic boxes around various parts of the country.
I am only to happy to adhere to the very sensible guidlines (IMHO) that the GAGB have published and am also happy that the UK Reviewers use these guidlines when reviewing a cache.
I appreciate what the 'volunteer' members of the commitee do to further the cause of cachers in the UK and feel that more UK cachers should join the GAGB and give support to the commitee.
So from me a very big thank you to the Committe members

[minstrelcat]

I wasn't a GAGB member (until I re-joined) as I thought I still was a member! I don't know if I was notified about this review annually thing - if I was I totally missed it.

[Rampton Broadmoore]

As has been discussed in a previous thread, the membership of the GAGB could be views as no representative of cachers in the UK.

It would be helpful to understand why people are or are not members of the GAGB. Perhaps you could take the time to complete the following statement......

I [am / am not] a member of the GAGB because:

I thought I was a full member because I joined before the cutoff... Looks like I have been demoted to just forum member..... And I even contributed to the funds with no acknowledgement either....
Oh well, back to the spiders and rubber room for me..

RAMPTON.

[studlyone]

I thought I was a full member because I joined before the cutoff... Looks like I have been demoted to just forum member..... And I even contributed to the funds with no acknowledgement either....
Oh well, back to the spiders and rubber room for me..

RAMPTON.

You need to re-join, the new membership system was put in place so that we can accurately state how many 'active' members we have as the old system was just confusing. You can change your membership status here:
https://www.gagb.org.uk/forums/register.php
Once you renew your forum status will be manually changed GAGB Supporter due to your donation.
Ian

[Rampton Broadmoore]

You need to re-join, the new membership system was put in place so that we can accurately state how many 'active' members we have as the old system was just confusing. You can change your membership status here:
https://www.gagb.org.uk/forums/register.php
Once you renew your forum status will be manually changed GAGB Supporter due to your donation.
Ian

ALL DONE!!

Cheers,
Rampton

[Bill D (wwh)]

ALL DONE!!

Cheers,
Rampton

And I've changed your forum status accordingly.