FROM THE TREASURER
Subscriptions – With this issue of the Journal, you will receive a Membership
Renewal Form for 2024 (unless you pay by Standing Order – please see below).
Subscriptions have remained unchanged for many years but now, unfortunately, have
to be increased. As can be seen in the Accounts for 2022 (published in May’s
Journal), the Society spent £5,000 more in 2022 than in the previous year, leaving no
surplus. Some of this was due to increased hall hire costs, which remain high; but almost
half the amount was due to increased Journal costs, both printing and, particularly,
postage which will continue to increase. Because of this we will, almost certainly,
incur a deficit in the Accounts for 2023 and, so that the deficit does not increase year
on year, a subscription increase is required. Hence, the subscription rates for 2024 are
as follows:-
Single UK: £25
Single Europe: £25 + £10 postage = £35
Single Rest of World: £25 + £15 postage = £40
In each case, please add £5 for each additional member living at the same address
For a young person’s single membership (aged 21 or under), please deduct £5 from
the cost
We hope that you continue to consider membership in the O.S.G.B. to be a very good
value for money, and would appreciate it if you could send your subscription to the
Membership Secretary before the end of the year, so that your membership card can
be sent with the next issue of the Journal.
Standing Orders – Please change your standing order to reflect the new subscription
rate before 1st January 2024. Remember, it is you who has to change the standing
order, the O.S.G.B. cannot do this for you.
Colour Fund – This fund was started many years ago to provide money for colour
pictures in the Journal. If you would like to help your Society to continue to produce
our high-quality, all-colour Journal, please consider sending a contribution to the
Colour Fund.
Gift Aid – If you are eligible for the Gift Aid scheme, please tick the box on your
Renewal Form and help your Society to reclaim tax from subscription money. In
2022, the O.S.G.B. received a Gift Aid refund of £2,809 from HMRC so, if you
haven’t already done so, please do tick the Gift Aid box. Please print your name in
full at the top of your Renewal Form and make sure that you include your house
number (or name) and your postcode as the Gift Aid scheme requires this.
PayPal – The Society has a PayPal account accessible through the Website. This is a
convenient way to pay your Subscription if you have access to the internet, so please
consider paying by this means rather than with a credit or debit card. The O.S.G.B.
pays a lower transaction fee for PayPal than it does for credit and debit cards.
Correspondence – We would appreciate it if members would include an e-mail
address, or a stamped addressed envelope, if they require a reply from any
correspondence that they send to the Treasurer or Membership Secretary.
Thank-you
Sally Mill