Funding Cwf

[Zayna]

Done, and worth every single penny. Thank you so much for everything.

 

I've learned so much from this forum over the years, I couldn't bear to be without it.

[Guest]

Just a thought but if sending money via. PayPal ISTR they take a fee from the amount sent if you say it's for 'goods or services' rather say you are sending money to 'friends or family'.

[ditchcrawler]

Thank you for your kind offer but currently, donations are only accepted by PayPal.

 

PayPal is simple and trouble-free for the site administrators, and the majority of internet-savvy people use PayPal.

 

Unfortunately there will always be a rump of people who want to do it differently, it's in the nature of boaters!

I remember a few years back when the site was in the red some one collected real paper money in brown envelopes and paid it to Dan anonymously for us. Probably 5 years ago.

[Nightwatch]

What does it cost to run the site?

 

Are we talking mega money?

 

Just being nosey.

[carlt]

What does it cost to run the site?

 

Mike mentions £80 per month in the OP.

[cotswoldsman]

Thanks Hound of the Cut!

 

I'll do a tally up of the numbers setting up regular contributions later, and a list of who is supporting CWF with regular monthly payments.

 

 

MtB

 

 

 

.

That seems like good way of setting up a them and us list or is it a sort of name and shame list?

[bassplayer]

Mike mentions £80 per month in the OP.

But I doubt any wages come out of it. Isn't all the labor voluntary?

 

I'd be interested in Dan's story behind how CWF was born.

[Guest]

But I doubt any wages come out of it. Isn't all the labor voluntary?

 

I'd be interested in Dan's story behind how CWF was born.

Dan wasn't the site owner when it was born.

[Ray T]

Dan wasn't the site owner when it was born.

 

I believe it was this gent:

 

http://www.canalworld.net/forums/index.php?showuser=13

[wrigglefingers]

I remember a few years back when the site was in the red some one collected real paper money in brown envelopes and paid it to Dan anonymously for us. Probably 5 years ago.

 

'Twas me in December 2010. And pleased to do it. It ended up being me because I was working in Uttoxeter which is Dan's home town. And a fine home town it is too.

 

We had a whipround at one of the Gnosall Easter banters the year it snowed (2013) and everyone except me and Stuart got flu (spot the teachers with multiple exposure to the virus-ridden swamps that are children) and donated the ill-gotten gains from the Pub Quiz too.

[wrigglefingers]

 

I believe it was this gent:

 

http://www.canalworld.net/forums/index.php?showuser=13

 

No it wasn't John Orentas although he was a major contributor on the old site. It was http://www.canalworld.net/forums/index.php?showuser=1 aka Jon.

 

Jon passed the site over to Dan when it became clear that it was taking up too much time, he was getting married and there was a hint that it was in conflict with his duties as a policeman due to some of the opinions that were being expressed.

Edited June 17, 2015 by wrigglefingers

[Theo]

Blimey still more peeps to credit!

 

Thanks to the latest members to set up a scheduled monthly contribution, Scholar Gypsy, Giant, NB Ellisiana, Bloomsbury, Davidb, BruceinSanity, and possibly TimYoung who implies it but didn't actually say so! Tim?

 

And the several more who have said they'll do it when they get to a desktop PC, or when payday comes around... Wanted, Keble, Saltysplash, Cuthound.

 

 

For those asking for a bank account to set up a standing order instead of PayPal, this isn't going to happen. Publishing a bank account and sort code is too much of a risk and PayPal is the way chosen to insulate the CWF bank account from this risk. I appreciate this reduces the CWF income a little but that's the price being paid for better security. I hope those of you kindly offering standing orders etc will understand.

 

 

MtB

 

I can't see how publishing Sort Code and Account number can be a significant risk. This information is printed on every cheque that you write.

 

N

[5thHorseman]

Done

[ditchcrawler]

 

'Twas me in December 2010. And pleased to do it. It ended up being me because I was working in Uttoxeter which is Dan's home town. And a fine home town it is too.

 

We had a whipround at one of the Gnosall Easter banters the year it snowed (2013) and everyone except me and Stuart got flu (spot the teachers with multiple exposure to the virus-ridden swamps that are children) and donated the ill-gotten gains from the Pub Quiz too.

Not bad the 5 year guess

[TimYoung]

Mike,

 

I did both!

Paypal told me I donated on the 16th but not that it was monthly, so I did it again to make sure.

 

Tim

[Murflynn]

Well I can't use PayPal or won't, it's a moral issue dating from the days it was a wholly owned subsiduary of a online auction house so who do I send a cheque or or DD TO

oh dear me !!!

[PeterG]

Done.

[b0atman]

I have also done a separate donation for last year when I joined and would like to thank all for advice freely given that indirectly has saved me money.

One point I would like to raise is that we need a section along the lines of Trust A Trade as I prefer to give my money to fellow boaters for work done as against overcharging businesses that seem to exist to fleece boaters.

If CRT get wind of this topic will they be head hunting MTB as fund raising manager ?

[ditchcrawler]

 

If CRT get wind of this topic will they be head hunting MTB as fund raising manager ?

Then he would have to give up boating

[DHutch]

I was out all last night in a field in Leicestershire and at work all day today, however having has a quick read of the thread over lunch let me brielfy answer some questions.

 

- The new host costs around twice as much, at circa £80/mth up from £44/mnth.

- Other than the site staffs time, the other main overhead is the software fee which is currently around £40/6mnth.

 

To date the costs have been covered, as Mike RLWP et have said, by ad-hoc voluntary donations, more recently via online payments, but also by significant donations gathered at ralies and banters and other events.

 

Of late keeping onto of the accounts has fell to a back burner due to the limitations of my own time. All bills have been paid, and all donations safely received, but we are over due an audit of the fund situation.

 

With this and the ever growning nature of the site we have appointed Ange as the sites accountant as of yesterday (see separate announcement) and once she as hass to the figures we will know much better where we are.

 

- The site has its own PayPal account, which will take payments from all major credit and debit card, as well as other PayPal accounts. It is our preferred method of taking such payments at present and works well. It is also the method we currently use for paying for the sites hosting.

- The site has a dedicated bank account, but currently this is in the form of a personal account is my name and until we had has a review of the way we move forward from here I do not plan to share the bank details publicly, nor does it appear sensible to have people set up standing orders to the account if there is a chance it may be changing.

 

 

The site was indeed founded by Jon in march 2001, moved to an early version of the current software in 2004, and after a number of years of running the site for Jon, passed into my ownership in 2009.

 

The site has always been a site for the members, run by the members, with voluntary donation of time and money core to its success.

 

I cannot thank members past or present enough for their supoort of the last 14years and and sure Jon would do the same.

 

- I do currently live in Uttoxeter N.Staffordshire near work, although I grew up in Cheshire near Beeston.

 

 

For me being open and welcoming to all is a key value of the site, and I have never been a fan of sites that make a devision in the members between those that have paid and those that have not, in fact I would in fact in the main prefer not to know myself. I would never rule out having elements of membership the are chargeable options, should we fine ourselves wishing to offer that, but it remains core to the sites roots for access to the main forum to be free to all at point of use.

 

 

Daniel

[adam1uk]

That seems like good way of setting up a them and us list or is it a sort of name and shame list?

 

What's more, there might well be people who've contributed without coming on here and telling everyone.

[KevMc]

great idea .... and made simple with the link - nice one

 

Done

[bassplayer]

 

What's more, there might well be people who've contributed without coming on here and telling everyone.

I agree but it did kind of work. Well done Mike.

 

It's just not a good idea to alienate those who make one off small contributions. If everyone who used CWF donated a one off lifetime payment of say £25 the total would run over £100,000!

 

What I'm saying is everything counts...

[Lmcgrath87]

How on earth did I miss this?! anywhooo done.

[Jamboat]

Done, worth it to get my "fix"