Hustings

[Muggle]

With the committee elections due to start tomorrow a couple of the candidates are well know but others not so.

I would like to give all the nominated candidates the opportunity to state their case for what they have to offer the Association and why I should vote for them.


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[moote01]

GAGB is an important part of this hobby, but in it's present form does little to paint it's glories to the wealth of the GeoCaching community. I see this as nothing major to overcome but it requires overcoming sooner rather than later.

If I was a committee member I would make it one of my priorities to improve communication links between the Committee and the caching community as a whole. I have ideas already on how this situation can be achieved without little or no cost in money terms and little in terms of time spent.

My reasons for wishing to be a committee member is not to be thought of as a higher god within the caching world, but more to be thought of as your personal butler serving you come rain or shine, and providing you with a truly visible facility.

I do believe in the aims of GAGB, I just think they need to publicly bring about a better face, so that we all know what is happening in the GAGB lodge.

Changes to the rules, new agreements and committee elections are only visible to people who visit the predominantly static site on a regular basis.

The forums on the whole appear to be somewhat quiet, also you have to go into these things, to see what might be going on. If they have not changed in days / sometimes weeks, then you feel that nothing happens and turn your head and start to ignore.

This is in no way a good thing, a good organisation should on the outside look dynamic but sadly I personally do not feel that GAGB portrays that dynamic feel (I'm sure they do a lot but I can't easily see it)

Having help on Committees I know and fully understand that new blood breaths new life, by the procreation of new ideas.

Milton (aka Moote)

[The Hokesters]

Just one small point. You will NEVER reach all of the caching community. I suspect only 30-40% of the caching community reads the GC.com forums let alone the GAGB forum. Just food for thought.

Simon

[Dorsetgal]

Originally posted by The Hokesters@Nov 18 2005, 11:48 AM
Just one small point. You will NEVER reach all of the caching community. I suspect only 30-40% of the caching community reads the GC.com forums let alone the GAGB forum. Just food for thought.

Simon

Unless of course you are a certain Scottish cacher who found a way to spam almost everyone&#33; <_<

[moote01]

Originally posted by The Hokesters@Nov 18 2005, 11:48 AM
Just one small point. You will NEVER reach all of the caching community. I suspect only 30-40% of the caching community reads the GC.com forums let alone the GAGB forum. Just food for thought.

Simon

This maybe the case but at least it is a greater proportion than would be

Milton (aka Moote)

[t.a.folk]

We would more info about such things as the nominees personal stance on polybags etc ?

How do the nominees intend or wish to try to get more of G.A.G.B. guidelines to have as much "clout" as G.C. Com Guidelines ?

[paul.admin]

Originally posted by t.a.folk@Nov 18 2005, 08:11 PM
We would more info about such things as the nominees personal stance on polybags etc ?

How do the nominees intend or wish to try to get more of G.A.G.B. guidelines to have as much "clout" as G.C. Com Guidelines ?

I would hope that anyone standing for the committee would be willing to 100% back the GAGB caching guidelines... which clearly say "no" to poly bags.

Re the guidelines: the GAGB, as an organisation, has no formal "position of power". So far, it has provided a location to provide useful information (the landowner permissions database) as well as being a "uk located first-place-of-contact" for anyone with any interest in caching in the UK (as such, we get emails from landowners who suddenly find that they are "hosts" to one or more caches, placed without permission; from external organisations -eg the press - with an interest in caching; from cachers needing help in gaining caching permission...).

But *because* we have no formal "power" the guidelines have to be just that... Many landowners are happy to use them as the basis for their permission for caching; the UK reviewers consider them when listing cachies (or not); and hopefully cache seekers & finders alike feel that the guidelines make good sense, and so keep to them. But really, that&#39;s where it ends.

I can&#39;t see HOW we can make the guidelines have any more "clout".



Paul

Not into long speeches

I am an active cacher who presently has a lot of time on his hands. I am therefore able to devote time to promoting caching and it&#39;s development.

I regularly visit the forums and am in contact with other cachers on a daily basis.

Not a rule freak but do believe we need to co operate with land owners where appropriate.

As to the question of bags, I don&#39;t believe they are necessary and that they do detract from caching.

[t.a.folk]

Thanks Mongoose for your last posting .
Nice clean concise statement .

[t.a.folk]

we get emails from landowners who suddenly find that they are "hosts" to one or more caches, placed without permission;

Interesting .
Muggle landowners know how to email G.A.G.B. but it&#39;s thought the majority of active cachers are unaware of G.A.G.B.

[moote01]

Originally posted by t.a.folk@Nov 18 2005, 09:50 PM

we get emails from landowners who suddenly find that they are "hosts" to one or more caches, placed without permission;

Interesting .
Muggle landowners know how to email G.A.G.B. but it&#39;s thought the majority of active cachers are unaware of G.A.G.B.

My feelings on GAGB&#39;s face to cachers is to improve this by opening better means of communications, I know that most would and do follow the accepted guidelines on placing caches, but there are still cachers who do things such as placing a cache in a bin liner. To me this makes a good cache a smelly mess and leaves the chance of an error-some placement of the hand into an old bag of discarded nappies greater&#33;

I want to put GAGB into the front of British caching and make it a respected organisation where there is no need for the recent events. It is not the committees fault this has happened; it is just they have lots to think about, but if someone comes in who is interested in getting the main person interface working then that is a good thing. I hope that this stands me in a good light when the election takes place.

Milton (aka Moote)

[Bill D (wwh)]

t.a.folk wrote:
Interesting .
Muggle landowners know how to email G.A.G.B. but it&#39;s thought the majority of active cachers are unaware of G.A.G.B.

Some landowners who&#39;ve contacted us appear to have found us through a web search. But some cachers include GAGB contact details in caches. There&#39;s an answerphone number on GAGB&#39;s home page which any UK cacher can use in a cache rather than give their own number - messages come (at present) to me, and I put relevant parties in touch with each other.

[Dorsetgal]

Originally posted by t.a.folk@Nov 18 2005, 09:50 PM
but it&#39;s thought the majority of active cachers are unaware of G.A.G.B.

Really?
I&#39;m not so sure that is so true, I suspect they know of the existence but might not know a lot more&#33; Several people I have spoken to over previous weeks have iundicated that GAGB is all about landowners permissions and nothing more, and as such doesn&#39;t concern them.

Even if the former were true, permission is something everyone should be concerned with.

[moote01]

Originally posted by Dorsetgal@Nov 19 2005, 12:12 AM
I suspect they know of the existence but might not know a lot more&#33;

Yes and hopefully someone who has a dynamic attitude can motivate people, might join the committee to motivate people into looking at this site more often.

Moote (aka Moote)

edited due to drunkenness

[The Hokesters]

Originally posted by t.a.folk@Nov 18 2005, 10:50 PM

we get emails from landowners who suddenly find that they are "hosts" to one or more caches, placed without permission;

Interesting .
Muggle landowners know how to email G.A.G.B. but it&#39;s thought the majority of active cachers are unaware of G.A.G.B.

Interesting to note that if you &#39;Google&#39; - "Geocaching" as a UK search - GAGB is the FIRST result back.

That&#39;s perhaps why a lot of people contact GAGB particularly with the use of &#39;Association&#39; in the name of the organisation. I think it is seen as an authoritative body.

[paul.blitz]

Originally posted by The Hokesters@Nov 19 2005, 10:17 AM
That&#39;s perhaps why a lot of people contact GAGB particularly with the use of &#39;Association&#39; in the name of the organisation. I think it is seen as an authoritative body.

Apart from the landowners, we&#39;ve also had several contacts from the press, which have lead to several cachers being involved in various press / radio items on caching.... so I guess our desire to act as "first point of contact for interested parties" has happened.

If you look at things from an outsiders point of view, who ELSE can you contact? "Geocaching UK" has still to really get going. "Geocacheuk.com" has a great website, but is NOT any form of organisation with contacts. "Geocaching.com" is not in the UK. By comparison, GAGB has specifically put itself there to be contacted.

The only problem is that, whilst we appear to be an "authoritative body", we actually have little real authority&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33; :huh:


Paul

[paul.blitz]

Originally posted by moote01@Nov 18 2005, 10:08 PM
I want to put GAGB into the front of British caching and make it a respected organisation where there is no need for the recent events. It is not the committees fault this has happened; it is just they have lots to think about, but if someone comes in who is interested in getting the main person interface working then that is a good thing. I hope that this stands me in a good light when the election takes place.

As you say, the committee members have had limited time, so the time has been devoted to interacting with landowners to get permissions sorted out (after all, without that, we don&#39;t have Geocaching&#33.

But we&#39;re now 2 years down the line, so maybe it *is* time to start making more cachers aware of our existance, and the fact that we&#39;re here to work "BOTH ways"... one way being OUTwards... for landowners, press etc, the other being INwards... for the cachers themselves.

Election? what&#39;s one of those? :unsure:


Paul

[Muggle]

Could I ask everyone to keep this ON TOPIC.
There are other threads running which are exploring the role of GAGB in UK geocaching.

Please keep this one open ONLY for statements from those nominated for committee.

Thanks

[markandlynn]

Where do you stand on the subject of members only caches as these by definition can not be "for all".

Members only caches should be and are at the duscression of the owner of the cache. I will occassionaly make a cache Premium members only until after the ftf.

Cheers

Tony

[Dorsetgal]

What do the candidates intend to do in order to encourage the wider caching community within the UK to rate* caches that they visit, if anything?


*Two ways of doing this, at www.handicaching.com for those who may wish to know more about the terrain and www.geocacheuk.com to share what the enjoyment level of the cache was in their opinion.

Hmm that&#39;s a difficult one.

I rate caches using GUK and I have looked at the handicaching site. Though to be honest after a days caching I am barely capable of staying awake and logging my finds.

Perhaps working with GUK to add to the new cache placed email would be useful.

Also perhaps by encouraging anyone who has someone new find one of their caches to point in the direction of the appropriate web sites.

Hope that makes sense as I am falling asleep here.

Thanks

Tony

[moote01]

Originally posted by Dorsetgal@Nov 19 2005, 09:38 PM
What do the candidates intend to do in order to encourage the wider caching community within the UK to rate* caches that they visit, if anything?


*Two ways of doing this, at www.handicaching.com for those who may wish to know more about the terrain and www.geocacheuk.com to share what the enjoyment level of the cache was in their opinion.

Wendy

Personally I do rate every cache it terms of quality/enjoyment using GUK. I have also rate some of my caches using the handicap caching site. I do personally believe that all activities should be inclusive, but saying that I&#39;m very much aware that this can&#39;t always be 100% of the time.

I realise that I have been very vocal in the UK forums about the introduction of Waypointing.com and it has been openly pointed out to me that this is going to give many more the chance to find things. Yes It might; but logging a Mc D is in no way as exciting as finding a little pot of treasure.

I do think long and hard about where I place a cache and I also have deliberated on placing a truly accessible cache for chair users, at present my best effort has been the News at M.E.N. webcam cache I had other similar cams to put in place in Stockport but unfortunately GC.com decided that they were no longer caches. I would like to champion the cause to bring back Virtual / Locationless / Earthcaches / and Webcams back, as GC.com are not being inclusive.

Milton

[paul.blitz]

Dear all

Whilst the formal "elections" (ok, the non-elections&#33 are over, it looks like a lot of useful and positive discussion is going on here, about where you the the GAGB committee should be taking the organisation.

Can I therefore encourage you all to continue the discussions?&#33;


Paul

[Teasel]

Originally posted by t.a.folk@Nov 18 2005, 09:50 PM
Interesting .
Muggle landowners know how to email G.A.G.B. but it&#39;s thought the majority of active cachers are unaware of G.A.G.B.

I guess once most geocachers have found geocaching.com, they stop googling&#33;

Since October anyone who places a new cache, or finds their first cache, has been sent a thank you / welcome email by Lactodorum & Eckington. This includes a link to the GAGB guidelines, so hopefully more geocachers will become aware of us that way.