Calendars 2007

[StuartDH]

For continuity I've kept the original text of this post in place, but things are changing quickly. Please read the rest of this thread and help to make the 2007 calendar a reality so they can be hanging on the walls of our homes and offices by Christmas .

Thanks

Stu

The original post:

"After the past few months, despite many members putting together some superb images for a 2007 calendar and emailing and phoning around trying to drum up sponsors, it looks as though we unfortunately won't be able to produce a calendar for 2007.

The Charity Commission doesn't allow us to use any donation money (of which we have very little anyway) to gamble on being able to sell 2,000 calendars, so we needed sponsors for about £2,500 to cover all costs. However, the past few weeks have been quite chaotic both on and off the project and unfortunately it looks like we're fast running out of time to have calendars produced, sold and distributed by Christmas.

It's a great shame because it would've been a big source of much needed income for the charity, so I intend to start working now to make sure it'll happen for a calendar in 2008. Over the next 12 months we'll produce a range of car stickers, key rings, t-shirts and gifts to build the funds and find the sponsors for the following year's calendar and any similar projects.

In the meantime, if anyone has a magic wand that could get the sponsors for a 2007 calendar within the next week or so, we'd still really like to make it happen. I'd be more than willing to spend every weekend up until Christmas selling them out on the streets of Britain

Stu"

[matt_xyz]

That's a shame Stu, but can't be helped, we gave it our best shot. I suppose one option (for 2007 or 2008) would be to print fewer calendars, it may be quite a tall order to sell 2000 and £2500 is always going to be tough to raise. If, say, 500 or 1000 were printed the cost per calendar would presumably be higher but the total outlay would be signficantly less. Less of a gamble as well. If they sell well we could always print more the following year. Just a thought.

Matt

[StuartDH]

Hi Matt,

The cost of producing the calendars should hopefully come down by next year anyway, as the cost of getting an online merchant account and secure online shopping software should be absorbed by the other projects by then. By next year, I'd also really like to have a few stalls out and about across the UK in the run up to Christmas where we could sell the calendars and other items to the public, and we could sell 2,000 more easily.

Stu

[Owl-Light]

Yeah that is a shame about the calendar Stu. They would have made nice Christmas gifts too.

How about a smart little WAB badge or pin among the forthcoming merchandise plans? Something subtle you could even wear to work? I'd have one today if they were available. It would be great fun accidently spotting someone else wearing one, when we're out and about and might quietly generate interest from those who see it and want to know what WAB is all about.

[Earth Hart]

Stu, have you approached any of the camera manufacturers, Cannon, Nikon, Pentax etc? For next year, look into funds from the EU pot & National Lottery. Will get you more info in the next few days.

[eeyore]

Unfortunately neither the EU pot or the national lottery funds (HLF and BIG) are likely to put money into setting up a merchandising programme - I do a lot of grant apps at work so I know my awards for all from my elbow.

There are grant givers arround who might fund something like that , mainly the private and company trusts but grant applications are a heck of a lot of work and not something to jump into lightly.

We have been discussing the calendar project in the marketing forum and it seems that the only way to save it now would be if a significant number of members are willing to pre order and pre pay. We would need to sell about 200 to break even. Therefore if you would be up for this in theory please say below how many you would be up for buying if we did still get it together.

[matt_xyz]

I'd take 5.

Matt

[eeyore]

So will I so thats 10 , only another 190 to go , come on folks ...

[Ollie]

I would definitely take five
Roger

[Earth Hart]

If we can have Kev's Chaffinches front & centre, I'll take 5 as well.

[eeyore]

Originally Posted by Earth Hart

If we can have Kev's Chaffinches front & centre, I'll take 5 as well.

"sadly" the pictures were picked before kev won that competition, but they are all very high quality pics so you wont be disapointed

[gez]

you could put me down for at least 5...i thought they were a great idea. hope it works out for next yr if not this.!! gez

[eeyore]

thats 25 - come on folks we can do this , we're already an eighth of the way there in just over an hour,

Any sales people out there who might persuade their companies to buy them as corporate gifts ?

[Fourwings]

I'd have 5 as well, do you know which images were selected Pete?

[eeyore]

I've asked Stu to put them up , I have an idea but i was away when the final decision was made so its better he does it

[glsammy]

Count me in for 5, at least.

[Jennywrenny]

We would take 5 - they'll make lovely Christmas pressies

[matt_xyz]

OK, that's 40. Are there anymore members who would buy a copy of a 2007 WAB calendar?

[jennyb]

I can only take one.

Jenny

[Owl-Light]

Can you tell me how much they would cost, please? I'm not working at the moment and finances are very tight but I'd like to have at least one. If I know how much they'll be I may be able to pre-order more.

[StuartDH]

I'll have at least 5

We had been planning on a price of about £6 each, inc P&P, but we'd need to double check the cost of sending out the calendars using Royal Mail's new pricing system.

I think I've just found an online merchant account that has reduced rates for charites, and we should be able to get an online shop with some of the money that we've raised from the google ads. If we can get the 200 pre-orders in place then this could still all be on for this year

Not sure whether or not to post the chosen pics just yet. The other trustees thought that we should maybe leave them as a surprise for the final print, so I'll need to talk them first...although one of them is abroad at the moment.

Stu

[Owl-Light]

Count me in for 2 for now then.

[matt_xyz]

that's about 48 calendars (including Stu's 5 )

Would anyone else buy a 2007 WAB calendar?

[eeyore]

So thats 48 so far folks - nearly a quarter of the way there

[matt_xyz]

Originally Posted by eeyore

So thats 48 so far folks - nearly a quarter of the way there

is there an echo in here?