Dear Ray,

I am now no longer a member of the BS – I didn’t think it was worth the money.

I do not show my birds.

I was a member of the Welsh BS – I am also no longer a member of a local club. I traveled 30 miles each way to that one – just to sit and be ignored. They were all in their little cliques and only two members talked to me – one of which I knew! So what’s the point?

I enjoy my birds, so I will stay home and save my money.

Good luck in all you do.

Regards
R M Jones

The above email reflects a similar letter Gerald recieved from Mrs Nicole Mitchell under “A wake up call for the hobby”.

I think we all need to take responsibility for this kind of complaint from newcomers.

Ray Fox, UK

There is very little help to newcomers and, in some clubs that I have been to, the people that should be helping just don’t.

It’s as if they are scared that if they do, you might start beating them on the show bench.

Bryan Pearce, Australia

Very few younger people are now content to spend their leisure time in a bird room tending to their birds – i.e. 7 days a week and 352 days a year.

Just a sign of the times really and how they are all over stimulated by modern technology and gadgets.

Unless they are constantly stimulated by things that are full on from the off and instantly controllable by just pressing a button, they very soon get depressed. LOL

They just don’t have the patience for anything that requires patience. They are all speeding.

Chiron Mc Clintock, Portugal

However, that should not prevent clubs helping visitors to shows and club meetings that have made the effort to find the event.

I agree with Nicky Mitchell.

Santo Calabrese – Sydney, Australia

I was just having a look through different sites and I saw this article and had to reply.

My father, a long-time budgie fancier and breeder, keeps me interested with birds (e.g. differing colours and snippets of show specification that he has heard.)

I know myself in other animals, say dogs, that there is a breed specification.

I once went to a bird show just out of curiosity and it was full of talk and tweets etc. The colours were lovely but what were the judges looking for?

Is there a breed standard for birds?

Are the judges looking for the healthiest or the most vividly coloured?

I look after the aviary when my dad is away, but say I wondered is it worth taking an interest in it myself? I could I suppose – but the problem of the lack of information, bird type, who bred it, health etc?

The list could go on.

I am probably talking out of turn, so apologies if so. But that was my initial impression.

Noel – Glasgow, UK

However, I also think that the beginner has to use a bit of initiative.

I am coming back after 30 or so years, so I have put myself in touch with breeders via websites.

The knowledge is out there and most, if not all, are very approachable at times that are convenient.

Bill Grass, UK

I think that is wrong, we are all to blame, everyone needs to do their bit.

However, I think you are missing the point. It’s clubs that need to pull their fingers out at club meetings – the grass roots of the hobby. This is where you meet people who will have time to talk and assist you.

We at Worcestershire Budgerigar Society do have a meet and greet member.

This is where you will find most of the information that you need from members on a personal one to one basis.

If you need to find out more get on the internet.

I say join your local club – they should point you in the right direction.

Paul Stannard, UK

How do we attract new people into the hobby? How do we support their start up? How do we encourage beginners to stick at it and enjoy what they do? How do we encourage and enable them to move, if that is their ambition, from pet-owner to champion breeder?

Promoting the hobby is not something that necessarily requires a degree in marketing techniques.

Promotion begins with word-of-mouth communication – come on, you must remember it? Old fashioned talking about it!

Either as an individual to your mates and neighbours, or in association with your local club, you can help spread the word, generate interest and share your enthusiasm by taking presentations to community forums who are always looking for guest speakers; examples might include schools and colleges, elderly care residences, women’s, church or hobby groups. (Don’t be offended if they ask you to provide your personal details as we all have a duty to protect the vulnerable in our society.)

Talk to the local press. Let them know when your meetings are and invite them to your shows. They may ask for features to provide a background, which provide extra publicity.

Have an open day. Run a free course at the local college – it could be just a one-off couple of hours, or something that can be developed to run over a few weeks.

See if you can have a stand at any local events and arrange to staff it with your most approachable members.

Arrange visits to clubs outside your area and invite them back to yours.

Most importantly, make sure that any new faces are made to feel properly welcome.

There are lots of ways of spreading the word. Ask your club colleagues for their ideas. Of course, if you do happen to have a degree in marketing, it couldn’t hurt!

Read more here: The Shape of Things to Come

Barrie Shutt, UK

The publication you subscribe to, that we as members get bi-monthly, is not good enough.

It is a promotion for people higher up the ladder and does NOT contain enough information for beginners.

I am not subscribing this year just for the ability to get rings and very little else.

Of ALL the champions and lower status people I have visited, there really was only one willing to help and give information to me.

Yes we have to learn our “trade” but you are losing people in the hobby hand over fist and that is, and should be, a concern for the hobby in general.

Douglas Curl, UK

We all need to do what we can to help promote this hobby and some of your points are very valid indeed.

We at EBF are working closely with members of the BS club show committee, in fact one member of that committee, Richard Miller, has started a thread asking for suggestions / ideas that might help us all to promote our hobby.

You may not remember me, but I did speak to you at the club show – although I never seem to have too much time there to speak to anyone at length, so I apologise if I fell into the category you mentioned.

I did invite you to join us on http://www.exhibitionbudgerigarforum.co.uk – did you take up my offer to register with us?

If you did / do, please contact me personally and we can discuss in detail your experiences at the show in an attempt to make our newbies’ experiences more enjoyable than yours.

I hope to see you there and we can speak soon.

Regards,
Mick Freakley, UK