[dingocooke]

Just a couple of thoughts from an outsider:
Although the finances dont look very rosy (from what I can see another loss like 2007 and the CRC will be close to trading insolvent?) a lot of special interest vehicle clubs are seeing a decline in membership and are in the same boat, eking out previous years reserves to survive.

Im pretty sure the downfall of club life/membership has been the success of the internet, but thats only my gut feeling.

I think the key to the clubs survival is recruiting new members and getting more proftiable revenue from existing ones, heres a few ideas:

1-get the area reps to develop relationships with their local kit companies, that way when people go browsing for a kit, they might just get pointed at the club by the company, and old/excess club magazines can be given to these companies to give to punters to entice them to join.
2-Make the club easier to join online, and find a system that works for giving the new mebers that feelgood factor (think of all the posts from people who have joined and commented that they had not got anything for ages) I know its a volunteer job, but there must be a way of making it simpler for the volunteer and getting info etc out to a new member quickly. You only get one chance to make a first impression..
3-Give out a screen sticker with membership (not just offer them 'when theyre in stock') with this website address on it so people browsing at a show or car meet will find their way here.
4-Give the club more prominence on the website home page, and have a big 'join the CRC'banner alternating between the paid for banners
5-Give a small referal discount (against their renewal) to exisiting members who recruit a new member to encourage exisiting members to recruit new ones
6-Have club events within other events (like the ill fated stoneleigh dyno run; shame about that; spot on idea) but throw them open to non members to encourage them in, with a discount for members.

Just a few thoughts from a non CRC member; made with best poss intentions!!