Middle left stick

Calculator stick

Having established an organizing committee, it is usually necessary to have a few meetings to gain basic agreement on how the club will operate. Don't try to agree all the fine detail of every aspect of a photographic society's future activities, but keep the discussion limited to the basic objectives, writing a constitution, location and frequency of meetings, establishing a membership, and the nature of key future activities. Keep things a s simple as possible because there will be some initial problems and it is vital to get the basic foundation correct and secure before being too ambitious.

A record of these early meetings must be kept, so the post of club secretary might be discussed and filled as some point. A paper record of meetings is vital even at this early stage to avoid future misunderstandings about what has been agreed. It is also worth checking with the relevant local authorities whether all the plans fall within the law.

The location of club meetings depends to a large extent upon the local environment. In cities and towns, suitable meeting rooms may be plentiful but fully booked, too expensive or lacking basic facilities such as car parking space. Within umbrella organizations such as universities or companies, it may be possible to obtain agreement to use a particular meeting room during evenings or at weekends. Someone should take on the responsibility of visiting possible meeting rooms and providing the organizing committee with a basic report for each one. The committee can then choose the most suitable location and make the necessary bookings. In order to do this it is obviously necessary to have agreed the frequency of meetings, at least for the first year of activities.

Advertising is a key part of establishing a new club. People cannot become members if they do not know the new club exists. It is therefore worth establishing the post of communications officer to make sure that everything possible is done to spread the word around the local area. Advertisements in local newspapers, information posted in local libraries and even a plug from a local radio station all help to attract attention. The websites of various organizations can also be used to attract interest, as can the social networks such as Twitter and Facebook.

Please Support OPS

Donate using PayPal
Amount:
Go to top