You'd get less for murder........ longest standing committee members and club members

[BCA Membership]

The membership secretary of one of our member clubs has just retired from the role after an amazing 50 years!

He recalls:
"I joined the club in 1975. My membership record book from that time shows there were 68 members and the annual subscription was £1. Of these 12 are still club members, 50 years later."

Can anyone beat 50 years in a single role within a caving club?
And how many of your club members have been members for over 50 years?

 

[Pitlamp]

Just mentioning that any comparison may not be completelyentirely fair; some clubs have constitutional rules which only allow a person to be in post for a specified number of years. (I held an officer's role in a club I'm a member of and had to stand down recently due to this, with considerable regret. Mind you, we got an excellent replacement because of it!).

But whoever you're referring to who has served their club in this way for half a Century; congratulations and well done! That's certainly something to celebrate.

 

[BCA Membership]

Good point Pitlamp.
Also student clubs have considerably higher turnover of members and lots of clubs won't have been about 50 years ago!

 

[mrodoc]

I know a Mendip club that probably has a secretary who is been in post for over 50 years!

 

[Goon]

Adding to the mix, I have been editor of the GSG Bulletin for 62 years ( apart from a short break in the 1980s). Not quite as crucial as Secretary, but probably a UK record. My experience however is that people - especially some members - don't read these things nowadays (too busy fiddling on their phone?!) and, if it were not for the archive aspect, I would probably throw in the towel!

 

[Ian Ball]

Having been a newsletter editor, that is perhaps more impressive to me than others, bloody well done good sir

 

[mrodoc]

Perhaps we should form an editor's club and share ideas!

 

[Pitlamp]

Adding to the mix, I have been editor of the GSG Bulletin for 62 years ( apart from a short break in the 1980s). Not quite as crucial as Secretary, but probably a UK record. My experience however is that people - especially some members - don't read these things nowadays (too busy fiddling on their phone?!) and, if it were not for the archive aspect, I would probably throw in the towel!

I can confirm that I certainly read the GSG's excellent publications!
You've done a fine job for a very long time.

 

[mikem]

Do you want the members still to be active participants or accept just paying fees...?!?

 

[LJR]

I joined PDMHS as a junior member in 1970. Still a member having filled several officer roles over the years. PDMHS has compulsory stand down for committee members.

 

[kay]

As LJR's post suggests, there's also the clubs that circulate their posts. So their Secretary may have been in post only 10 years, but before that he was Chair for 8, Treasurer for 7, Tackle Secretary for 15, Meets Secretary for 12 ...

How long has the BPC Meets Secretary been in the job? It's an impressive tenure for a job which isn't the most attractive if you're looking for a niche on a Committee, and he's been doing it really well.