My Garden

Charity or Society

Last post 13-07-2009 10:55 PM by Digger. 18 replies.

• 03/06/2009 11:34 PM

  Aging Misery Location: woking Joined on: 03 Jun 2009 Posts: 78

  Reply | Contact Less than two years ago the new Director General of the RHS, in open consultation, refused to consider the sale & lease back of its headquarters in Vincent Sq London for a potential sum in excess of £60million. Now the Society announces that it is to make up to 80 full time equivalents redundant in order to save 10% off its wage bill across 720 nationwide employees. No doubt the 5 employees earning in excess of £100,000 (inc benefits) have nothing to fear but what of the gardeners at Wisley, Hyde Hall et al whom rarely earn much more than the minimum the Society deems they can live on. The DG’s reason given for not selling off her crown - the central London HQ- ‘’We are a prestigious organisation and need a prestigious head office’’. Perhaps it is time for the RHS to give up its kaleidoscopic corporate experiment into charitable horticulture, media and education perhaps returning to its niche as a learned Society – with some great gardens to boot! Beetling ahead....maybe.........?

• 04/06/2009 09:02 AM	In reply to
  bogweevil Location: Joined on: 02 Mar 2004 Posts: 2,043	Reply | Contact This person is unknown to me, has opinions I do not share and I resent its taking my name in vain.   Boggy   Beware the bat-eared bogweevil

• 04/06/2009 09:07 AM	In reply to
  Anemone Location: County Down, Northern Ireland Joined on: 08 Feb 2008 Posts: 575	Reply | Contact I did wonder Boggy.  Very cheeky of whoever it is! Anemone

• 04/06/2009 09:11 AM	In reply to
  Lennie Location: Forest Hill Joined on: 24 Feb 2009 Posts: 121	Reply | Contact wogbeevil - thats a good rant dahling, but taking the piss out of the lovely bogweevils name is a bit cheeky Lives in harmony with all insects and mammals.

• 04/06/2009 02:10 PM

  In reply to

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

  Reply | Contact Returning to it's niche?????????? wtf the RHS is a prestigious society and charity. The job the RHS is doing promoting horticulture should be applauded, they are sowing the seeds for future members by engaging our young people in horticultural activity, and whilst we're on it, you should think of your own name not try using boggy's he has enough trouble without you trying to be clever. Of cours all RHS members are entitled to their own opinion etc... but I think more people should be appreciating not complaining, what's your real beef? digger

• 04/06/2009 02:31 PM

  In reply to

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

  Reply | Contact Right maybe I've sussed it, are you a disgruntled employee who is now in fear for your job? maybe that's it eh. It's not nice to lose your job through economic circumstances this has happened to me in the distant past old fruit, the pattern I see is every time we have a labour government things inevitably go pear shaped eventually, Today I am going to vote for "the garden party" but they don't exist yet. maybe you could find out for sure if your job is really under threat or not? but selling off a property to pay a wages bill for a few years isn't always a good idea because the situation will be the same once the money's gone except the property will be no longer an asset, I thought the RHS was being run rather well which is why I give my to the chair or president each year, just look at all the good stuff we've had just recently, the new glasshouse the new alpine house and now the new learning centre plus the new format of the website which is a great tool, I know sometimes we can be tempted to think that people who are not fee paying members can get loads of free information from the website etc.. but go on we are a charity and so we can let them into some areas of the site, but if a non member complains then they haven't really got the right to do that, or were you going to buy the property in London and make a killing? digger

• 04/06/2009 06:44 PM

  In reply to

  David Location: Sevenoaks Joined on: 11 May 2009 Posts: 98

  Reply | Contact Hello Digger. I am sure you have sussed things out correctly. It must be someone who is a little brassed off with the Soc's esteemed helmspeople. I do not think it could be a possible property developer as I have been informed that the property market is in a poorer state than my recently tipped out potatoes! What I find somewhat concerning is that no one has refuted the allegations made by this Wogweasel chap.. There is no disputing the outstanding achievements of the Society in in recent years by Sir Robert and Dr Andrew Colquohon (sorry about the spelling if I am wrong), Glasshouse, education etc.etc But although being severely myopic I cannot see too much on the horizon. I do hope I have misunderstood the true situation Member 29971

• 12/06/2009 12:33 PM	In reply to
  David Location: Sevenoaks Joined on: 11 May 2009 Posts: 98	Reply | Contact Is there any substance in the report on page 3 of today's issue of "Horticulture Week"? If so Mr Beetle must have been very well informed!   Member 29971

• 12/06/2009 07:34 PM

  In reply to

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

  Reply | Contact Hi all, I have it on good authority that it's all dreadfully true the chap Beetle is right about the job losses, They are going to probably be at all four gardens and have a really negative impact on the quality of the gardens, I am also told that our society is not as financially well off as it needs to be, we need to get some money into the society quickly maybe the property sale was a good idea after all? digger

• 15/06/2009 08:08 AM

  In reply to

  David Location: Sevenoaks Joined on: 11 May 2009 Posts: 98

  Reply | Contact It is reported that the Head of Communications at the RHS has stated that, although the Society is not in financial difficulties, savings are having to be made. It is also reported that gardens such as Wisley may lose section heads as a result so it seems certain  that the Society's jewels will be tarnished. A very bad think for an organisation that prides itself in excellence. A few years ago  the RHS was somewhat short of funds and I received a telephone call from them asking whether I would consider making a small regular financial contribution to assist. I agreed and have since increased the level. If just one percent of the Society's members made a contribution of  £5 per month which I am informed equates less than one cigarette a day for smokers it would provide more than £2 million per annum. More than twice than amount provided by the now departed  Chelsea sponsor and surely more than enough to cover the expense of the 80 threatened professionals. Don't lets turn the Nations premier gardening society into a "bean counters" football match! Member 29971

• 15/06/2009 02:56 PM

  In reply to

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

  Reply | Contact That's a good idea David, I think I can afford to give some monthly subscriptions, if as many members as possible could afford to give a little donation each month, including the rhs directors (if they are allowed) maybe if it's only £2 or £3 each month it's not a lot of money but add everyones contributions together and we can perhaps halt the dastardly plans that are afoot, who do we contact to set up a monthly contribution to them? digger

• 15/06/2009 04:10 PM

  In reply to

  David Location: Sevenoaks Joined on: 11 May 2009 Posts: 98

  Reply | Contact Well Digger, I would have thought that if the Society was interested to boost funds this way there should be some announcement by them as to how members can go about donating. In my case I was contacted by the Developement Office. Their official telephone number is one of those 0845's  which, on my Vodafone system is an expensive way to call them.  I always use 0207 821 3000.  Ask for Membership and they will put you through. Member 29971

• 17/06/2009 07:43 AM

  In reply to

  Kesira Location: Elkesley, Nottinghamshire Joined on: 15 Jun 2009 Posts: 33

  Reply | Contact  Obviously I can't speak for everyone who is not a full member of the RHS but I can speak for myself.  I simply can not afford the membership prices.  I worked for my husbands company which closed this year.  This has left me without a wage and without references for a new job as employers simply do not want references from relatives.  The positive side is that i am able to spend more time gardening!  The negative though is that I simply do not have the cash flow to afford RHS membership.   Now, I'm aware that members benefit from many things, and, I do not begrudge that, and, if circumstances were different I would b more than pleased to pay the fee and enjoy those benefits myself.  BUT, in light of the economy at the moment and the fact that people simply do not have as much 'spare' money as in previous years, surely a review of membership prices could benefit the society overall?   I'm sure there are numerous ways in which to achieve this, different levels of membership, lower membership fees, monthly, quaterly memberships, direct debit monthly payments, and so on.  Basically, i'm thinking that the lower the price the more members and the more money coming in.    I'm not an expert on these things, so please forgive any offense or obvious blunders i've made in this suggestion, but to me it just seems simple.  Lower the prices and more people will join thus increased income.  Oh and before anyone wonders, yes i'm happy to donate monthly what i can afford. Gardening Tip When weeding, the best way to make sure you are removing a weed and not a valuable plant is to pull on it. If it comes out of the ground easily, it was a valuable plant.

• 10/07/2009 10:33 PM

  In reply to

  Aging Misery Location: woking Joined on: 03 Jun 2009 Posts: 78

  Reply | Contact I was delighted to read that John Humphris, President of the Professional Gardeners’ Guild, has been awarded the Victoria Medal of Honour (VMH). Only 63 horticulturalists hold the VMH at any one time: to mark the length of Queen Victoria’s reign. Perhaps he would be dismayed to learn that all professional gardeners within the RHS are being rebranded as ‘Horticultural Technicians’ and that the RHS intends sacking 10% of them. If this were not bad enough those highly experienced gardeners that are unsuccessful in gaining one of these new posts will be required to vacate their tied accommodation pretty smartly. Lord Aberconway is I’m sure, turning in his grave Beetling ahead....maybe.........?

• 10/07/2009 10:49 PM

  In reply to

  Aging Misery Location: woking Joined on: 03 Jun 2009 Posts: 78

  Reply | Contact Hi Boggy - didn't mean to offend. Are you really sure you don't concur with the odd sentiment expressed earlier???? A few rhetorical comments needed here - Guessing by your comments you may be quite happy with the action plan / sackings / reappointments / reallignments proposed by the directors of the RHS - or are people generally too afraid or institutionalised to question them?  Remember - your final salary pension is safe - or is it? Beetling ahead....maybe.........?