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New Ski Club of Great Britain chat forum

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
@Alastair, Exactly. The SCGB forum is just like this one except it has about 1 post to our 500. I saw the above spat, its quite mild compared to some of the rubbish on here. There is also some useful stuff.

Treat a forum like a pub, if you don't like the atmosphere go elsewhere!
ski holidays
 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
@chocksaway, I think that the problem may be that Davina got himself barred from that particular pub which is why he's moaning here Toofy Grin .
latest report
 Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Alastair wrote:
@chocksaway, I think that the problem may be that Davina got himself barred from that particular pub which is why he's moaning here Toofy Grin .


Surely not, he assured us he was a fully paid up (*) member ....

(*) not in fact paid at all Very Happy
snow report
 You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
Alastair wrote:
@Davina Goldballs, what's the point you're trying to make?


I'm not entirely sure, to be honest, but you may be helping me to make it.

chocksaway wrote:
Treat a forum like a pub, if you don't like the atmosphere go elsewhere!


Interesting that you use that analogy. As recently publicised, and mentioned during the 2017 annual general meeting of the Ski Club of GB ...

... reported (unofficially) here:
https://www.facebook.com/notes/wtf-ski-club/ski-club-of-great-britaingets-radical-but-secretive-at-2017-agm/1149262008510018/

... the Club is involved in the opening of a new 'alpine-themed pub':

Quote:
THE ‘ALPINE-THEMED’ PUB ...
An initiative to start this new venture - which will contain SCGB historical artefacts and function as a venue for meetings, events and ‘industry partners’ - has been forged with a commercial operator and the building is planned for a 2018 opening in central London. No further details were given, except that Crowder predicted that if it was a success there might be more Alpine-themed pubs in northern England “and perhaps Edinburgh” he added. [Ed: Perhaps the umbrella branding of this chain could be ‘Ski Pub of Great Britain’ or ‘Wetherskis’, given that skis are more interesting than spoons.]


N.B The SCGB's new chief executive Darren Neylon is due to start work in exactly two weeks, on Tue 13 March ...

https://www.skiclub.co.uk/news/ski-club-news/2018/01/the-ski-club-of-great-britain-announces-appointment-of-new-ceo-darren-neylon

... and since the new pub is "due to open in early 2018" (SCGB Ski+Board magazine, Dec 2017) I should think that launch will be top of the agenda. chocksaway, maybe see you there, where the "atmosphere" can be soaked up. Cheers!

eblunt wrote:

Surely not, he assured us he was a fully paid up (*) member ....

(*) not in fact paid at all Very Happy


That is not correct. I've never misrepresented my membership status of the SCGB, or stated that I've paid a subscription when I have not. This is the most recent state of affairs:

1. A membership fee of £66 (2017-1Cool was tendered in cash on 16 November 2017, immediately before the SCGB AGM. This was returned.

2. A membership application was made more recently on 15 February 2018, based on a half-price offer. Full banking details were submitted to the Club. This email was received:|

Quote:
Dear David,

Thank you for joining the Ski Club of Great Britain.

Your payment receipt

Name

Mr David Goldsmith

Membership number

You will receive your membership number on the next working day

Payment for

Ski Club Membership: Individual

Payment ref

SCMU-PDD26158

Amount

£33.00

Date

15 February 2018
snow report
 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Just to clarify one point - the Alpine themed pub is not due to open 'early in 2018' as written above. The December issue of Ski+board magazine merely states that the pub will be opening in 2018. It is due to open later this year as planned.
snow conditions
 You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
Davina - that looks to me like an automated response to an online membership application - what is your membership number? Or did they reject your payment as usual?
snow conditions
 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Rosey44 wrote:
Just to clarify one point - the Alpine themed pub is not due to open 'early in 2018' as written above. The December issue of Ski+board magazine merely states that the pub will be opening in 2018. It is due to open later this year as planned.


The "early 2018" quote came verbatim from Google-searched-archiving. Entering in the search box "Ski+board December 2017 alpine themed pub Ski Club" ...

Quote:
Ski+board December 2017 January 2018 by Ski Club of Great Britain ...
https://issuu.com/skiclub/docs/online_2809baf0f7a360
19 Dec 2017 - Title: Ski+board December 2017 January 2018, Author: Ski Club of Great Britain, Name: Ski+board December 2017 January 2018, Length: 100 pages, ... With this in mind, some of the memorabilia will be moved to an Alpine-themed gastropub in the City of London, due to open in early 2018 ...


sethpistol wrote:
Davina - that looks to me like an automated response to an online membership application - what is your membership number? Or did they reject your payment as usual?


It was an automated "membership confirmation" and "payment receipt". I'm just quoting the SCGB's exact official email. Your questions are best directed to the SCGB, obviously. A bit more detail of what the email said ...

Quote:

Ski Club membership confirmation
members@skiclub.co.uk via sendgrid.net
15 Feb (13 days ago)
to me

Dear David,
Thank you for joining the Ski Club of Great Britain.
Your payment receipt
Name
Mr David Goldsmith
Membership number

You will receive your membership number on the next working day

Payment for
Ski Club Membership: Individual
Payment ref
SCMU-PDD26158

Amount
£33.00
Date
15 February 2018

The Ski Club membership team will email you with confirmation of your Direct Debit within 3 working days


-------------------------------------------

In other (more interesting) news ...

"KENT SKI SLOPE CLOSES DUE TO SNOW"
The 'Beast from the East' has blitzed Chatham Ski Centre
https://www.facebook.com/groups/161508752298456/permalink/1643129712469693/

------------------
"APPLE ... WATCH SERIES 3 NOW TRACKS SKI ACTIVITY"
https://www.facebook.com/groups/161508752298456/permalink/1643097822472882/

------------------
"Video journalism 'action clip of the day'"
"MAN SKIS DOWN LONDON STREET, SENSATION"
https://www.facebook.com/groups/161508752298456/permalink/1642896952492969/

------------------
Big White, Canada ... "TEXTING WHILE SKIING" ... Latest safety 'red flag'
https://www.facebook.com/groups/161508752298456/permalink/1642933202489344/
latest report
 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
Davina - or, since you claim to never misrepresent yourself.... are you currently a member of the Ski Club of Great Britain?
snow report
 You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
The T&C's do clearly state
"Where relevant these Terms & Conditions will also apply to other classes of membership as acceptance of an application for Club Membership is at our absolute discretion (although we will exercise our discretion reasonably and in compliance with applicable laws)."

But... the website does not ever use the term 'application' when filling in the forms and pushing the buttons... it uses 'join today'.
At no point does the website disclose that 'join' is actually an application to join.

So IMO, at the point of filling in that form you have joined the club and are a member.
snow report
 Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
sethpistol wrote:
Davina - or, since you claim to never misrepresent yourself.... are you currently a member of the Ski Club of Great Britain?


I'm not in an unbiased position to answer that question. You should ask the Club itself.
On three occasions in the past 5 years I've received emails from the SCGB (the one above is the latest example) confirming that I'm a member ... even on one occasion (London Ski Show, 2016) being invited (by a senior SCGB executive) to depart the Club's stand with a membership pack, membership card and Ortovox backpack as a new member gift. No sleight-of-hand was involved - I simply responded to invitations to join, applied to join, and was confirmed as a member.

flangesax wrote:
... the website does not ever use the term 'application' when filling in the forms and pushing the buttons... it uses 'join today'.
At no point does the website disclose that 'join' is actually an application to join.

So IMO, at the point of filling in that form you have joined the club and are a member.


Thanks for that point. I've always asserted that the 2013 'expulsion' was dubious in any case, but some of the old guard disagree with that viewpoint.

In other (more interesting) news ...

SNOW REPORT: TOTNES, DEVON.
Snowboarder descends High Street. Classy.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/161508752298456/permalink/1645085355607462/

-----------------------
THE SPIRIT OF SKIING: ALIVE AND THRIVING AT THE LECHT, SCOTLAND
Stunning video from British Ski + Snowboard
https://www.facebook.com/groups/161508752298456/permalink/1645057422276922/

-----------------------
BOUNCY CASTLE WINTERSPORTS: VIDEO OF THE DAY
https://www.facebook.com/groups/161508752298456/permalink/1645037412278923/

-----------------------
SKIJORING IN KENT ... NEAR WEST MALLING
Another 'Beast from the East' special: video shot with the aid of a Range Rover + drone
https://www.facebook.com/groups/161508752298456/permalink/1644747768974554/
ski holidays
 snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
@Davina Goldballs, Since you've had no payment accepted without being returned, what does your 'biased' position tell you as to whether you are actually a member ?
snow report
 And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
C'mon @Davina Goldballs, spill the beans as it is now nearly 3 weeks since you applied for membership online...

Are you in possession of a current SCGB Membership card?
(Photographic evidence would be appreciated).

Your prevarication on this point rather belittles your claimed journalistic integrity in my humble opinion.
snow conditions
 So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
HossDoc wrote:
... journalistic integrity ...


AKA burying bad news Madeye-Smiley
snow report
 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
eblunt wrote:
@Davina Goldballs, Since you've had no payment accepted without being returned, what does your 'biased' position tell you as to whether you are actually a member ?


My biased position - irrespective of all that - is that I was 'expelled' from the organisation in 2013 without reference to the rules I signed up to and which define the means by which expulsion is executed. So my biased position is that I retain membership in legal and ethical terms, also on the basis of natural justice. Payment might be considered irrelevant as a factor, if it's acknowledged that plenty of scribblers have been granted free memberships of the SCGB over the years ... not that I'm seeking a freebie.

HossDoc wrote:
C'mon @Davina Goldballs, spill the beans as it is now nearly 3 weeks since you applied for membership online...

Are you in possession of a current SCGB Membership card?


No I'm not. Nor am I in possession of any illicit substances.

HossDoc wrote:

(Photographic evidence would be appreciated).


I have no photographic evidence of something that does not exist.

HossDoc wrote:
Your prevarication on this point rather belittles your claimed journalistic integrity in my humble opinion.


Prevarication?
Unfortunately your "humble opinion" is a load of humble bollocks, in my humble opinion.
You'd assist your cause (which is hard to understand) somewhat ... by shedding your pointless anonymity and communicating from an identifiable ID. Talking about "journalistic identity" with a paper bag over your head, in a guise of fog, is somewhat unconvincing.

ALQ wrote:
HossDoc wrote:
... journalistic integrity ...


AKA burying bad news Madeye-Smiley


No, it's all good news. And none of it is fake.

David Goldsmith

-------------------------------------
'Journalistic Integrity' a la Ski Club of Great Britain

https://www.line-s.co.uk/

March 2018:

Quote:

Welcome to Line-S, the home of UK student snowsports.
With over 20,000 members, we are the the largest student snowsports club in the UK.

Proudly part of the Ski Club of Great Britain


Do these "20,000 members" hold membership cards? [question reflecting concerns of the players above]
Did these "20,000 members" ever actually apply for membership? Of what? [ditto: question reflecting concerns of the players above]
Or they merely "20,000 members" concocted from the mailing list of a tour operator?

These might be relevant questions for messrs eblunt, HossDoc and ALQ, 'in my humble opinion', given their evident concerns.
snow report
 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
@Davina Goldballs, Not forgetting "How many of these 20,000 still claim to be a member after having their payment refused"
snow conditions
 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
@Davina Goldballs, Stop distracting from the issue. Are you, or have you ever been, a member of the Ski Communist GB Party?
latest report
 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
eblunt wrote:
@Davina Goldballs, Not forgetting "How many of these 20,000 still claim to be a member after having their payment refused"


None. As above, the 20,000 "members" of Line-S pay nothing, so it would be somewhat perverse for them to offer payment. The SCGB refers to Line-S as "a brand", rather than a club. As I understand it, the SCGB acquired a mailing list (emailing list) from a tour operator, then 'branded' these customers as "members" of Line-S. In common with your ridiculous and pointless posts, it all makes perfect sense.

ALQ wrote:
@Davina Goldballs, Stop distracting from the issue. Are you, or have you ever been, a member of the Ski Communist GB Party?


Full Marx for comedy.
Yours communally,
Groucho + Karl

--------------------------------------------

In other (more interesting) news ...

2018 WINTER PARALYMPICS START TODAY ...
... AS CELEBRATED BY GOOGLE DOODLE
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1611508752298456/permalink/1653167004799297/

"SUBSTANCE ABUSE" ...
... "ALL TOO COMMON IN SKI TOWNS"
https://www.facebook.com/groups/161508752298456/permalink/1652729824843015/

"SKIING INTO A WAR ZONE"
Stunning piece of photo-journalism, from the India-Pakistan 'line of control', Kashmir, by Alex Magilton for The Telegraph.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/161508752298456/permalink/1650517251730939/

"NEW ZEALAND'S FAST GROWING SKI INDUSTRY"
More mechanisation and resort development on the north and south islands.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/161508752298456/permalink/1650795928369738/
latest report
 Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
In the 21st century (we're now reasonably well into it) the SCGB's online performance and delivery will presumably be a key factor for the Club's new CEO Darren Neylon, due to start work tomorrow Tue 13 March.

Last week I did an analysis of the performance of UK ski websites, using trafficestimate.com. The quote below is what might be described as a 'top ten', though it's only based on one form of analysis from one source ('errors and omissions excepted'):

https://www.facebook.com/groups/permalink/20451328390317/

Quote:
HOW ARE UK SKI WEBSITES PERFORMING?
The following data (assembled today 9 Mar) is given by trafficestimate.com, based on visits over the past 30 days ... with Sep 2017 figures underneath.
% increases/decreases are only given where trafficestimate.com indicates them ...

MAR 2018 RANKINGS
snow-forecast.com: 1,150,600 (up 0.3% year on year)
j2ski.com: 1,024,100
absolute-snow.co.uk: 314,600
snowandrock.com: 307,200
crystalski.co.uk: 297,600
ellis-brigham.com: 240,500
snowheads.com: 181,900 (up 21.4%)
skiclub.co.uk: 125,900
cairngormmountain.org: 122,700
igluski.com: 121,200


Line-S [see previous posting] wasn't included in that analysis. According to trafficestimate.com it's way down with the lowest scorers, in terms of visitor numbers:
Quote:
Not enough data to estimate the number of visits for line-s.co.uk


Based on that - and the fact that Line-S has now been going since April 1995 (coming up for 3 years) - one has to wonder what the purpose of the exercise really is? For the SCGB to claim "20,000 members" of this "brand" but deliver no measurable number of visitors to its website seems somewhat futile.
ski holidays
 You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
Davina Goldballs wrote:


Based on that - and the fact that Line-S has now been going since April 1995 (coming up for 3 years) ....


Did you go to the same Maths class as Dianne Abbott?.... Toofy Grin
snow report
 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Alastair Pink wrote:
Did you go to the same Maths class as Dianne Abbott?.... Toofy Grin


Yes. I also went to the same ballet class as Dianne Abbott.

CORRECTIONS AND CLARIFICATIONS

Based on that [the extremely low number of visitors to its website, given the claim that "20,000 members" belong to it] - Line-S has now been going since April 2015 (coming up for 3 years) - one has to wonder what the purpose of the exercise really is?

https://www.line-s.co.uk

---------------------------
[NB. Note to sH moderators: I am unable to post to sH more than once per 24 hours, which also means that I'm unable to correct/edit anything I post (except after 24 hours and by using the one-post-per-day ration). The error above, pointed out by Alastair Pink, was obvious the moment it was published and would have been corrected immediately. Please would you discontinue this punitive and discriminatory restriction on my freedom of expression. Thank you.
---------------------------

In other (more interesting) news ...

"SKIER GETS TOWED BY BLIMP FOR NEARLY 7 MILES ON LAKE ELSINORE, SETS NEW WORLD RECORD"
Report by Shane Newell for The Press-Enterprise:
https://www.pe.com/2018/03/13/skier-gets-towed-by-blimp-for-nearly-7-miles-on-lake-elsinore-sets-new-world-record/

"ANTARCTICA: SKIING THE LAST FRONTIER"
Opportunities to ski the protected wilderness of Antarctica are restricted. Jim Darby reports for Stuff.co.nz:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/161508752298456/permalink/1657050827744248/

"WHAT HAPPENS WHEN SKIS ... SLOW DOWN!"
Extraordinary footage of some of the deepest skiable snow, and what happens when momentum is lost:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/161508752298456/permalink/1655464221236242/

"ELAN'S 'SMART SKI' ... PROTOTYPE ..."
A new electronically implanted ski, in development:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/161508752298456/permalink/1655197931262871/
latest report
 You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
I know where I would like to implant a ski , 😳
ski holidays
 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
@Davina Goldballs,
latest report
 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
I
snow report
 You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
feel
snow report
 Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
free!
snow conditions
 snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
@flangesax,
And so you should
ski holidays
 And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
According to the recent announcement, new Ski Club of Great Britain chief executive Darren Neylon began work exactly one week ago. Top of his agenda, presumably, is the Club's membership numbers and membership offer vis-a-vis the British ski population and its requirements from a national ski club.

These are 'gross' SCGB membership figures for the past decade, extracted from annual reports:

2008: 33,766
2009: 33,108
2010: 33,062
2011: 31,448
2012: 30,457
2013: 30,110
2014: 28,990
2015: 28,597
2016: 27,822
2017: 27,789

That's one way of skinning/skiing the cat. The other more traditional statistic is the number of 'paying units' (subscriptions paid). For some reason this figure has not appeared in SCGB annual reports since 2011 (it featured consistently before that).
This was the picture in the 5 years leading up to 2011 (from the 2011 annual report: https://issuu.com/skiclub/docs/report___accounts_2011/2?ff=true&e=12827994/51254281):

2007: 19,139
2008: 19,114
2009: 18,087
2010: 17,893
2011: 17,114

Anyone got any authoritative data on the overal size of the British ski market currently?

Finally, despite being in post for a week now ... Darren Neylon's name and CEO position does not appear on the SCGB's staff page. Perhaps this could use an update!

https://www.skiclub.co.uk/about-the-ski-club/ski-club-council-and-staff

I'm sure we all speak as one in wishing Mr Neylon a successful stab ... at modernising attitudes and grabbing opportunities. 'Onwards and upwards'.
latest report
 So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
Stop sucking lemons.
snow conditions
 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Davina Goldballs wrote:


I'm sure we all speak as one in wishing Mr Neylon a successful stab ... at modernising attitudes and grabbing opportunities. 'Onwards and upwards'.


Well I suspect that we don't. I don't think you wish Neylon a successful stab more the opportunity to take potshots at failings. The rest of us either don't care or perhaps have feelings along a spectrum from don't change things too much to for gawd's sake wake up to the 21st century and adapt your offering.
snow conditions
 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Gosh. The size of the staff puts SnowHead Towers to shame Shocked
latest report
 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
achilles wrote:
Gosh. The size of the staff puts SnowHead Towers to shame Shocked


Ah, but we don't know the numbers of well fed hamsters at SnowHead Towers that keep the wheels turning behind the scene.... Toofy Grin
snow conditions
 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
@Davina Goldballs, "Top of his agenda presumably" where did you get that from, it's purely your opion with no facts to substantiate.


Are you miffed you don't have that job by any chance?
ski holidays
 Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Thesixquidman wrote:
Suck melons.


FIFY

Dave of the Marmottes wrote:


Well I suspect that we don't [all speak as one in wishing Mr Neylon a successful stab ... at modernising attitudes and grabbing opportunities]. I don't think you wish Neylon a successful stab more the opportunity to take potshots at failings. The rest of us either don't care or perhaps have feelings along a spectrum from don't change things too much to for gawd's sake wake up to the 21st century and adapt your offering.


It's a bit odd to suggest that I'm not communicating in good faith, while adopting an anonymous pen-name to make that point. If I were to meet you, would you have a paper bag over your head, while trying to persuade me of something?
Nothing would delight me more than to see the Ski Club of Great Britain perform its defined function. It achieved that quite adequately up to the 1950s.
All amateur sports can benefit from having a national non-profit members' body that enhances its members' experiences, by helping them to get started and instructed at the outset. Skiing is a participant journey, beginning with a decision to try it ... and put on ski boots for the first time. It's so obvious how the Ski Club of GB should be functioning.

achilles wrote:
Gosh. The size of the staff puts SnowHead Towers to shame Shocked


Presumably the staff numbers are intended to reflect their productivity. Mr Neylon will probably be taking a very close look at all that, so that resources can finally be focused on reversing the membership decline. I should think he will make a thorough assessment of his human resources very soon.

geoffknight wrote:
@Davina Goldballs, "Top of his agenda presumably" where did you get that from, it's purely your opion with no facts to substantiate.
Are you miffed you don't have that job by any chance?


What else would be at the top of his agenda? An inventory of paperclips?
No, I'm not miffed not to have the job. My last management role was co-running the skateboard department of a ski shop in 1977. I've moved on since then.

---------------------------------------

[b]In other [more interesting] news ...

BRITISH (AND IRISH) SKI PROFESSIONALS ANALYSE SLOVENIAN SKI SIGN
https://www.facebook.com/groups/161508752298456/permalink/1667492786700052/

GRAHAM BELL KILLS SKI SUNDAY RUMOURS
https://www.facebook.com/groups/161508752298456/permalink/1667523993363598/

GUDAURI CHAIRLIFT PILE-UP:
1. CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION
https://www.facebook.com/groups/161508752298456/permalink/1662929853823012/
2. GEORGIA COMPENSATES VICTIMS AND ACTIVATES PR
https://www.facebook.com/groups/161508752298456/permalink/1666676336781697/

CAIRNGORM, SCOTLAND: AMERICAN SKI CONSULTANTS "FLY IN"
https://www.facebook.com/groups/161508752298456/permalink/1667767846672546/
snow conditions
 You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
Davina Goldballs wrote:


It's a bit odd to suggest that I'm not communicating in good faith, while adopting an anonymous pen-name to make that point. If I were to meet you, would you have a paper bag over your head, while trying to persuade me of something?
Nothing would delight me more than to see the Ski Club of Great Britain perform its defined function. It achieved that quite adequately up to the 1950s.
All amateur sports can benefit from having a national non-profit members' body that enhances its members' experiences, by helping them to get started and instructed at the outset. Skiing is a participant journey, beginning with a decision to try it ... and put on ski boots for the first time. It's so obvious how the Ski Club of GB should be functioning.


My real name has absolutely nothing to do with it, it's just your tedious rhetorical device when you can't make a point on its own merits. Suffice to say I'm not a SCGB lackey or a sock. I'd be highly surprised if your own birth certificate lists a Davina Goldballs in any event.

If it is so obvious how the SCGB should be functioning perhaps you should set out your manifesto here if you ruled the world. And bear in mind it is not the 1950s but 2018.

Personally I doubt it really has a role beyond the exit of its current cohort of 40,50 & 60 something members from skiing - so maybe 20-30 years lifespan tops. Or maybe the bedwetters here will mount a reverse takeover and replace regimented Freshtracks holidays with happy anarchy etc
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Davina Goldballs wrote:
Thesixquidman wrote:
Suck melons.


FIFY



You clearly got pumped because you missed your station. They obviously thought you were a comedian.
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 You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
@Davina Goldballs, Sidestepping questions and giving your own assumed answers yet again.
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
In the absence of any reliable data on the total size of the UK skiing market, comments on figures on the membership numbers are pretty meaningless. I've seen various figures between +5% and -30% for UK ski industry size for the last 10 years. However nothing from what I would call a reliable source.

If there has been a drop of 30% , the SCGB should be congratulated for increasing their membership relative to the size of the ski industry.
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
So ... where were we? Ah yes ...

Dave of the Marmottes wrote:


My real name has absolutely nothing to do with it


According to the Facebook Corporation - which seems to dominate social media but is in some trouble right now - your real name is everything.

Wikipedia wrote:


According to Facebook, the real-name policy stems from the position "that way, you always know who you're connecting with. This helps keep our community safe."


One is inclined to agree with this, and maybe society takes that view generally. On that basis, is it OK if I call you Davina of the Marmottes[b]?

Dave of the Marmottes wrote:
... it's just your tedious rhetorical device when you can't make a point on its own merits.


No, it's nothing of the sort. It's not a "rhetorical device" at all. It's an objection to people such as yourself publicly questioning my integrity - i.e. a personal attack - from the cocoon of anonymity.

Dave of the Marmottes wrote:
I'd be highly surprised if your own birth certificate lists a Davina Goldballs ...


Given the massive volume of postings you've made to this forum over the years you must surely be aware that my real birth name is David Ernst Goldsmith , son of market research pioneer Rudy Goldsmith (an enthusiastic skier who gifted me lots of fun from 1959 (Kitzbuhel) onwards). My father, as a Berlin-born Jew, decided it would be a good idea to change his name from Goldschmidt to the English version of that name (when he attained adulthood during WW2), but my paternal grandmother - Dr. Leonore Goldschmidt, who founded a school for Jewish children in Berlin in 1935 and has since been celebrated as 'The Teacher Who Defied Hitler' (Smithsonian TV documentary, 2013) - retained her German surname until death.
What about my late mother, Jean Goldballs? No, I made that up. My mother's maiden name was Jean Walker, and she was from a most English non-Jewish (Methodist) family. Also a teacher.
So, there you have it, Mr Marmottes. One can be an open book ... or a closed book. Your choice. Just be careful what you say, where you say it, and how you say it. Anonymity can be an easy step to 'abuse of anonymity'.

Dave of the Marmottes wrote:
If it is so obvious how the SCGB should be functioning perhaps you should set out your manifesto here if you ruled the world. And bear in mind it is not the 1950s but 2018.


It's obvious that the future of the SCGB is 100% bound up with 'quality of communication' and 'inclusiveness'. The past 5 decades have clearly been an epic fail, in that regard. Communication is the beginning and end of it. Acceptance of all UK skiers is the umbilical link to that communication. The Ski Club of Great Britain knew exactly how to communicate with its membership from 1903 to the 1950s, because they were generally of one class, mainly male (or at least male-dominant), and readily definable in other regards. The only thing the SCGB originally did in terms of 'exclusion', when it began, was 'exclude women' (the records can be checked, but I think the Club was founded as a Gentlemen's sporting club, as were so many others in central London in the Victorian/Edwardian era). It also excluded those with a commercial interest in skiing, such as the Lunn family (since Henry Lunn, father of Sir Arnold Lunn was a pioneer tour operator). The SCGB still has to wake up to the fact that Scottish skiing is an active element of the UK ski scene (and has been since the 1950s), that package holidays and charter airlines have been invented (early 1960s) and have increased the 'democracy' of the activity, that people ski on artificial slopes and in snowdomes, and that low-cost airlines whisk people to the Alps every year. The Club needs to recognise that some people opt (for obvious reasons) to ski at cheap destinations. The Club essentially needs to extract its head from its upper-class arse and smell the coffee.

Dave of the Marmottes wrote:
Personally I doubt it really has a role beyond the exit of its current cohort of 40,50 & 60 something members from skiing - so maybe 20-30 years lifespan tops. Or maybe the bedwetters here will mount a reverse takeover and replace regimented Freshtracks holidays with happy anarchy etc


Perhaps the new CEO has some original thoughts on all that. Here is how he - Darren Neylon - was introduced to the UK ski community this week ...

https://www.skiclub.co.uk/news/ski-club-news/2018/03/introducing-darren-neylon-the-new-ski-club-ceo

Quote:
Darren describes skiing as a “core family activity” - he obviously improved enough to build the passion for skiing in his children, with two of them working seasons in Courchevel in the French Alps. Only recently Darren returned from a trip to the area, staying in La Tania. The 3 Valleys is one of Darren’s favourite ski areas, but he confesses that he rarely ventures away from the piste poles ... Interactions with new target audiences is something Darren is particularly interested in developing in order to help the Club grow; “snowboarders, students, families, youth – we need to understand what product we should offer to these groups and how can we attract them in to the Club?” It’s not just holiday enthusiasts that Darren is keen to attract, as he highlights the numerous GB domestic markets that will be targeted with Ski Club products.


[b]In other news ...


AVALANCHE ENGULFS RUSSIAN CARPARK [yesterday 24 Mar]
https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=2019361371424754&id=140224212671822

TELFORD: £700,000 INVESTED IN UPGRADE TO ARTIFICAL SKI SLOPE
https://www.facebook.com/groups/161508752298456/permalink/1672120452903952/

GEORGIA: SKI AREA TURNS PINK [photo]
https://www.facebook.com/groups/161508752298456/permalink/1671465349636129/

BOSSONS GLACIER, CHAMONIX: EXTRAORDINARY LED-LIT PARA-SKIING [video]
https://www.facebook.com/groups/161508752298456/permalink/1670812713034726/
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 You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
On the points of substance in your post. I absolutely agree that it would make sense to me that a club should be available to everyone and address needs of each of them.

But looking at Neylon's words you quote I wouldn't have high hopes talking in terms of "product" to offer outsiders and attracting "in" to the club. That says to me that the "Club" is the most important thing in all of this not the (new) members and they want more willing drones to bring honey to the hive.

A better question would be to ask - what does the club need to become to stay relevant? A club which has that many staff to feed and water ( nevermind the extended army of volunteers expenses) has a certain momentum which many posdible new members may not have the slightest interest in funding.
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 Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Does anyone want to invite @Davina Goldballs, to the end of season party?

Should make for another 50 pages of garbage ☺
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