Dear Anthony,

Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment on the website. I’m pleased you get so much enjoyment from our annual newsletter – there really is a great deal of time and effort that goes into producing it each year.

In your post it seems you had a few questions and concerns, so I’d like to address each one in turn and explain the reasoning behind them.

1) The proposal made by our Vice Chairman and Newsletter Editor Owen Sutton that the committee should write to Life Members asking if they would like to volunteer to become regular paying members. You were “disappointed” in the proposal and wanted to know what had happened to the money that you had paid for life membership.

It’s important to understand the numbers here. The IOBA has approximately 300 members (compared to many thousands in most Old Boys Associations), of which only about 100 pay annual subs, the remainder of which are Honorary or Life members. When you consider that the newsletter costs just under £2 produce and ship each copy, that the website hosting and domain names cost us around £100 per annum, and that the committee incur expenses through travel or correspondence in the name of the association (not to mention things like the new stain glass window in St Mary’s Church, the Sea Cadet Award and the bursary for less fortunate members), it’s obvious that the money paid by Life Members would soon be exhausted and the IOBA’s 300 membership will be propped up by the 100 paying members. It’s unsustainable. And this is why Life Membership is no longer offered.

Owen’s suggestion was that if our Life Members knew that the offer of Life Membership made to them all those years ago was short-sighted and would actually end up costing the Association, many would voluntarily choose to become regular paying members or perhaps give an additional donation the IOBA each year. If they did not, then that would be fair enough and we would of course honour our commitment to them. But Owen felt it right that they should at least be given the option.

2) Your question was “Why are you offering a max of £300 to enable old boys who are less fortunate so they can attend the AGM”.

It’s not immediately obvious if your question is asking why we’re limiting the sum to £300 or why we’re offering it at all. If it’s the former, then the answer is simply that we feel £300 should be sufficient to cover the cost of travel from most UK locations, the cost of two nights in the Carreg Mon Hotel as well as the cost of the Reunion Dinner. If it’s the latter then I would refer you initially to the Objectives of the Indefatigable Old Boys Association:

- To keep Old Boys in touch with one another
- To bring members together from time to time for a reunion celebration
- To encourage members and all Old Boys to keep alive the INDEFATIGABLE tradition by whatsoever means the Committee might think appropriate.

The concept of helping one of our less fortunate members attend a reunion was born within the committee members in 2007. It was clear that those members that attended the reunion had a great time and many of the same faces return year after year. However it was also commented on that attending the reunion can be quite a costly affair when you add into the mix the cost of travel and accommodation – there were bound to be members of the association who would love attend but could not benefit from the reunion simply because they could not afford it. Originally members of the committee offered to fund the bursary themselves, but as the aim tied in so closely with the IOBA’s objectives it was decided to initially propose the idea at the 2007 AGM to see if it was something our members wanted to support. The proposal was met with a positive response from those in attendance, but the membership asked the committee to firm up guidelines and criteria for the next AGM. At the 2008 AGM the guidelines (stated in the 2008 & 2009 newsletters) we proposed by the committee and accepted by the membership.

3) Your 3rd question was “Why do we give so much money for the TS Inde Award?”

Firstly let me state that the sum is voted on by the members in attendance at each AGM, and the sum reflects what we feel we can afford to donate that year. I understand that it’s difficult for you to attend our AGMs but the sum is agreed in a democratic and fair manner.

Secondly, with no more Inde Boys being ‘created’ due to the closure of the school in 1995, supporting the Sea Cadets is one of the few ways in which we can keep the Inde name alive.

In true Indefatigable spirit the Award goes to not the best unit, but the most improved. The money donated by us as well as the pride and acknowledgement that comes from winning this award goes a long way to ensuring the improvements continue – enriching the lives of the Cadets, their families and the local communities.

Unlike the Army and Air Cadets, the Sea Cadets receive no Government funding what so ever – they are a charitable organisation. We think this is grossly unjust, but rather than just moan about it, in true Inde fashion we wanted to do something about it, hence the award.

The IOBA are not a rich organisation, but we’re a proud and ambitious one.

I hope my response has answered your questions satisfactorily, but if not, I would welcome the opportunity to discuss your concerns with you further by email or phone.

Yours Aye,

Bill O’Leary
Chairman, IOBA

billoleary123@yahoo.co.uk
07860 916087