I've just had a comment posted to another text from Andy Baines with a request. I am sure he will not mind me posting it here too:
Hi again Paul, I have created a little video to try to raise awareness for the PAS plea to raise money through donations for their funds. I know a lot of detectorists read your blog to see what your writing and you reach a far bigger audience than I can. Would it be possible for you to link a post to my video? I don't even mind if you write it taking the p*** out of my video just as long as it drives detectorist traffic to it and raises some money. Its about time we put something back in the pot. Regards Andy BainesNow, as if I'd take the michael... Moi? What I will say about the video is nice beginning, but the format was a bit too "Deep Digger Dan-ish" (I'd advise getting rid of the "Let's get started" and the talking head on a sofa). Andy gave 5 quid. If sixteen thousand UK metal detectorists each gave a fiver, that'd be 80,000 quid. If they gave a fiver a month (so the equivalent of a few Roman grots added to the value of their growing collection), that'd be 960,000 pounds a year, not far short of what the taxpayer gives the PAS. I've plugged the video, now it's up to artefact hunters to do their bit to help keep their "partner" in the black.
Now this is something we all need to do something about , I have heard that P.A.S were in trouble .
ReplyDeleteWe all use the FLO's to record and help us identify coins and artefacts and without them at our club meetings where would we be
I think and I will be suggesting this at the next AGM that we all as members pay an extra 12 quid a year in subscriptions to be donated to the PAS
That's the spirit, put back something for what you take. But why only 12 quid? Have a look at the valuation pages of "The Searcher" etc. even common or garden artefacts added to your collection increase its value by forty quid a time. I think on that scale of comparison, each of you can afford to be more generous with the only thing that legitimates your artefact hunting.
ReplyDeleteLol true enough Paul but every penny helps
ReplyDeleteRunning a PAS which is the only thing that legitimises your hobby requires a constant input of "pennies" and quite a lot of them. Either it continues, or another approach to artefact hunting has to be created. Ball's in your court now. Support it properly or lose it and experience the consequences.
ReplyDeleteRob, I presume you read the same forums as me so surely you'll know there's no chance your colleagues will agree to paying £12 a year to support PAS? So far they've contributed at the rate of 5p a year each.
ReplyDeletePutting a "gesture politics" proposal to NCMD isn't going to change hearts and minds. Indeed, if you want to bring about any change that would benefit either detectorists or PAS the NCMD is the least likely place to try to do so, as I'm sure you're aware. Imaginative they ain't.