Hello fellow Ukaps'ers.
As most of you will be aware UKAPS has been going through a tough time and in truth, its been pretty terrible for the ukaps team trying to keep it together, working out the best future for ukaps all while being attacked. During the past few weeks most of the Ukaps team have quit due to the stress and abuse received for something we do voluntarily and supposedly for fun!
Up until last week, i dont think any of the ukaps team had seen any financial information, ever, and also didn't feel a need to. This is a hobby and most of us signed up to help moderate content and have no interest in running a forum and certainly not the politics of it. Our slow reactions have been perceived by some as planning some sort of cover up but truth be told, we all have lives to live, some of us messy, inconvenient and emotionally draining lives and this mess just isnt the priority. I and the team hoped that members would understand (a vast majority of you did, thanks) trusting we would get there but slow and deliberate moves is the better option than rash ill thought out ones.
We had discussions with Dan Crawford who sent financial summaries showing donations, costs and sponsorship and be clear - Ukaps is not awash with funds as you see in the attachemnet. I fully appreciate that some members (and especially ex members) of the community may feel this is not enough and more financial clarity is needed. If you feel this way please do post below and the forum community can decide where this is going. I should also say the summary below is calendar years with 2024 obviously being 6 months, there has been a further significant server cost since.
For me (and i only speak for myself here) the accounts are so small and the information provided is close to what i would expect that i am happy to trust Dan, as the forum has for the last 15 years, and to commit to moving Ukaps forward rather than wasting time looking back.
The few team members that remain have one objective now - to keep ukaps alive by formalising a change over of the society from founder ownership into member ownership.
Ukaps was set up by friends with a shared passion, it was never a business but has now (maybe some time ago!) got to a point it needs to change its format for the future and the size of membership it now has.
Everyone using the forum would agree that it is an amazing resource, created by its members and with the goodwill of members who become moderators and Admins (@LondonDragon bloody legend!). Many of you will know i havent really used the forum much of late but it was there for me when i wanted it and i would like for it to still be there when i have time to get involved again. I would be truly sad if it were to die.
But we are a crossroads folks and I fear Ukaps will not be here in the future if this last role of the dice doesnt play out.
The forum needs you to decide what happens. If the members want to move forward, accepting a change of ownership in good faith from the founders then the remaining team will try to do our best to pull that together around holidays and life. If the stink that has been going on behind the scenes continues and members react when supposed 'new members' post further suggestions of wrong doing, then the last of the team will probably step down as we just dont need the grief and that will be that.
If you want ukaps to be around for the future, we need staff to moderate the forum and we need moderators to then become members of the societies' newly formed committee with official duties. The duties would be minimal and not require large amounts of time but will be a commitment none the less especially as we get ourselves reorganised after the past weeks.
If you would like to help, you’ll have a history with the forum, consistent posting, been around a year or more and have the right demeaner within your posts to maintain what makes Ukaps amazing; friendly, moderate, inclusive feel and interested in others endeavors. Extremes of opinion need not apply. Please comment below and we will be in touch, alternatively drop me a DM.
If you have particular skills - IT, finance, accountant, secretary, event organising etc then also please say so or message as this would be a great help in ensuring we have a mixed skill base when it comes to the committee roles.
Assuming folks come forward and Ukaps lives to fight another day then further info around the Society and its constitution will be shared as soon as its finalised and agreed.
Cheerio
Iain
As most of you will be aware UKAPS has been going through a tough time and in truth, its been pretty terrible for the ukaps team trying to keep it together, working out the best future for ukaps all while being attacked. During the past few weeks most of the Ukaps team have quit due to the stress and abuse received for something we do voluntarily and supposedly for fun!
Up until last week, i dont think any of the ukaps team had seen any financial information, ever, and also didn't feel a need to. This is a hobby and most of us signed up to help moderate content and have no interest in running a forum and certainly not the politics of it. Our slow reactions have been perceived by some as planning some sort of cover up but truth be told, we all have lives to live, some of us messy, inconvenient and emotionally draining lives and this mess just isnt the priority. I and the team hoped that members would understand (a vast majority of you did, thanks) trusting we would get there but slow and deliberate moves is the better option than rash ill thought out ones.
We had discussions with Dan Crawford who sent financial summaries showing donations, costs and sponsorship and be clear - Ukaps is not awash with funds as you see in the attachemnet. I fully appreciate that some members (and especially ex members) of the community may feel this is not enough and more financial clarity is needed. If you feel this way please do post below and the forum community can decide where this is going. I should also say the summary below is calendar years with 2024 obviously being 6 months, there has been a further significant server cost since.
For me (and i only speak for myself here) the accounts are so small and the information provided is close to what i would expect that i am happy to trust Dan, as the forum has for the last 15 years, and to commit to moving Ukaps forward rather than wasting time looking back.
The few team members that remain have one objective now - to keep ukaps alive by formalising a change over of the society from founder ownership into member ownership.
Ukaps was set up by friends with a shared passion, it was never a business but has now (maybe some time ago!) got to a point it needs to change its format for the future and the size of membership it now has.
Everyone using the forum would agree that it is an amazing resource, created by its members and with the goodwill of members who become moderators and Admins (@LondonDragon bloody legend!). Many of you will know i havent really used the forum much of late but it was there for me when i wanted it and i would like for it to still be there when i have time to get involved again. I would be truly sad if it were to die.
But we are a crossroads folks and I fear Ukaps will not be here in the future if this last role of the dice doesnt play out.
The forum needs you to decide what happens. If the members want to move forward, accepting a change of ownership in good faith from the founders then the remaining team will try to do our best to pull that together around holidays and life. If the stink that has been going on behind the scenes continues and members react when supposed 'new members' post further suggestions of wrong doing, then the last of the team will probably step down as we just dont need the grief and that will be that.
If you want ukaps to be around for the future, we need staff to moderate the forum and we need moderators to then become members of the societies' newly formed committee with official duties. The duties would be minimal and not require large amounts of time but will be a commitment none the less especially as we get ourselves reorganised after the past weeks.
If you would like to help, you’ll have a history with the forum, consistent posting, been around a year or more and have the right demeaner within your posts to maintain what makes Ukaps amazing; friendly, moderate, inclusive feel and interested in others endeavors. Extremes of opinion need not apply. Please comment below and we will be in touch, alternatively drop me a DM.
If you have particular skills - IT, finance, accountant, secretary, event organising etc then also please say so or message as this would be a great help in ensuring we have a mixed skill base when it comes to the committee roles.
Assuming folks come forward and Ukaps lives to fight another day then further info around the Society and its constitution will be shared as soon as its finalised and agreed.
Cheerio
Iain
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