CHAIRMAN'S UPDATE - February 2021

 

All current paid-up members should by now have received their January 2021 edition of the Newsletter, either by post or email, whichever you have opted for.  As usual it contains tips on how to care for your plants in the coming months, along with an obituary for our former Treasurer Rick Benton who sadly passed away last year.

 

In this update I’d like to make special mention on two subjects, Membership Renewals and overseas postage increases to the USA & Canada.

 

Membership Renewals

We are rapidly approaching that time of year when your membership is due for renewal.  The Committee’s decision to give you all a “free year” last year has created some confusion, so please read the following carefully:

                                                      

Overseas postage increases to the USA & Canada.

We currently have several members in these two countries, with some of you receiving your Newsletters by post (the rest of you have already opted to receive them by email as PDF copies).

Our Secretary posted some new membership packs out to the USA last week and was shocked to discover that the postal rates have risen sharply in recent times.  So much so that your current annual membership does not now even cover the cost of posting out three Newsletters a year, let alone the cost of printing them.

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So, we are asking you to request that you kindly opt to receive any future copies of our Newsletter by email as PDF’s.  The alternative is that we will have to increase your annual subscription to $25 per annum.  Whilst I understand that it is always nice to receive the Newsletter when it drops through your letterbox I hope you understand the need for this change and we sincerely hope that you opt to go for the more environmentally friendly option of receiving your Newsletter in future by email.

If you could please let Pauline Benton our Membership Secretary know ASAP we would be most appreciative as we are fast approaching renewal time.

We will be contacting all existing members in the USA & Canada directly to inform them of this change so apologies if you think we’re repeating ourselves.

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Finally, can I remind you that the Society exists for all of you to share your experiences of growing (and perhaps showing) Streptocarpus.  I know from speaking to many of you that you all have your own methods, so why not put pen to paper (or fingers to the keyboard) and write an article for the next Newsletter. We’re always looking for interesting new articles so the more the merrier, and if you can include the odd colour photo, so much the better.

                                                   

                                                                          Ian (your Chairman)