My Garden

Gift Aid

Last post 20-01-2009 5:59 PM by Digger. 12 replies.

• 20/01/2009 10:11 AM
  VP Location: Chippenham Joined on: 14 Jan 2009 Posts: 32	Reply | Contact Other charities like the National Trust and The Royal Photographic Society have the ability for members and visitors to Gift Aid their subscriptions and entrance fees. It would appear the RHS is missing a good additional income which would be especially welcome. What plans does the RHS have in this area?    VP http://vegplotting.blogspot.com

• 20/01/2009 10:20 AM	In reply to
  Sarah Buxton Location: London Joined on: 15 Jan 2009 Posts: 8	Reply | Contact We are actively engaged in working out how to do this. The current membership package does not allow us to ask for Gift Aid, so we are looking to protect the membership benefits but set up new arrangements which will let us move ahead with this. Entrance fees are simpler, but part of the overall aproach beong worked up. Sarah Buxton, Director of Finance

• 20/01/2009 10:31 AM	In reply to
  VP Location: Chippenham Joined on: 14 Jan 2009 Posts: 32	Reply | Contact In what way does the membership package not allow Gift Aid. Do you mean the physical form filling etc. that a member needs to fill in or the fuilfilment of the Gift Aid rules? VP http://vegplotting.blogspot.com

• 20/01/2009 10:34 AM	In reply to
  Sarah Buxton Location: London Joined on: 15 Jan 2009 Posts: 8	Reply | Contact Fulfilment of the Gift Aid rules. Sarah Buxton, Director of Finance

• 20/01/2009 10:53 AM	In reply to
  VP Location: Chippenham Joined on: 14 Jan 2009 Posts: 32	Reply | Contact Hi Sarah - yes I know that can be a pain from my time working in an NGO. However, I also know it's not insurmountable and is potentially worth a lot of additional income to you. VP http://vegplotting.blogspot.com

• 20/01/2009 10:56 AM	In reply to
  Sarah Buxton Location: London Joined on: 15 Jan 2009 Posts: 8	Reply | Contact I absolutely agree with you! Thanks for the encouragement- we shall keep plugging away and hope to get it going over this next year. Sarah Buxton, Director of Finance

• 20/01/2009 11:03 AM	In reply to
  VP Location: Chippenham Joined on: 14 Jan 2009 Posts: 32	Reply | Contact When you do get it going, don't forget to ask us to make it retrospective. That's what the Royal Photographic Society did a couple of years ago - up to 7 years if I remember correctly. Loadsamoney! VP http://vegplotting.blogspot.com

• 20/01/2009 11:11 AM

  In reply to

  Dan Wolfe Location: Joined on: 15 Dec 2008 Posts: 9

  Reply | Contact Hi VP To add to Sarah's response, the way the benefits of RHS membership are currently packaged means that under the HM Revenue & Customs rules we cannot claim Gift Aid - it boils down to how HMRC value the benefits the RHS gives its members. We are currently looking at our membership structure in order to see how this issue can be addressed. Clearly we need to conider the issue carefully in order to preserve the value for money of membership whilst enabling the RHS to benefit in the same way as any other charity. Dan

• 20/01/2009 11:15 AM	In reply to
  VP Location: Chippenham Joined on: 14 Jan 2009 Posts: 32	Reply | Contact Hi Dan - I think I can understand a little of HMRC's issues. I believe some of the benefits cited by the RHS aren't actually benefits at all as they are also accessible to non-members e.g. advice is available to anyone at the Shows irrespective of membership. VP http://vegplotting.blogspot.com

• 20/01/2009 01:49 PM

  In reply to

  helpandadvice Location: Joined on: 23 Oct 2008 Posts: 44

  Reply | Contact Although it is true that any show visitor can get face-to-face advice, we only take in samples and questions for further analysis, expert examination or research from members, so it is not the full service. We like to think that people who are not yet members are so pleased with advice at shows that they join to access advice at other times as well... Guy Barter RHS Help and Advice   RHS Members' Advisory Service

• 20/01/2009 02:21 PM

  In reply to

  Digger Location: Northern UK Joined on: 18 Jul 2005 Posts: 4,743

  Reply | Contact Yes members get all the telephone numbers and e mail addresses in the members directory, so we can directly approach an advisor who specialises in a particular subject, and of course members get discounts on some services and purchases like events at the gardens etc.. and of course the exclusive member days at the big shows, and in all honesty the fees for being a member are not expensive at all, as has already been said the garden magazine alone gives members more than their subscription fee, we get good value for money without any doubt. digger

• 20/01/2009 02:57 PM

  In reply to

  VP Location: Chippenham Joined on: 14 Jan 2009 Posts: 32

  Reply | Contact   Yes Digger, but it would be good if the RHS made our money work just a little bit harder than it does at the moment and Gift Aid would bring in an extra income of 25p in the pound for those members/visitors who are tax payers. Not to be sniffed at! Just think - it could go towards making that 5th garden you posted about a reality or the membership concessions that Ant was asking about. VP http://vegplotting.blogspot.com

• 20/01/2009 05:59 PM	In reply to
  Digger Location: Northern UK Joined on: 18 Jul 2005 Posts: 4,743	Reply | Contact I agree if they can sort out gift aid it would add up to a serious amount and make way for the fifth garden, and if you all noticed it was generally agreed that Lancashire was by far the best location for the garden. digger