Membership Application

The British Sundial Society welcomes applications from persons with an interest in any aspect of sundials.

Members and prospective members will be glad to know that in a world of rising costs, subscription rates are unchanged for 2008/09.  Overseas rates were last changed in 2004, due to postal increases, but the basic UK rates have been held at the present level since 2001.

To become a member of the Society simply print out this Membership Application Form on your printer, fill it in and then send it to the BSS Membership Secretary at the address shown on the form. Please read through this page so that you can fully understand the subscription costs and the payment methods that we have set up for you. Please fill in the Gift Aid section of the form if you are a UK taxpayer, as this allows us to reclaim tax from the Inland Revenue at no cost to you.

There are three grades of membership:-

Individual Membership One nominated person who is sent one copy of each Bulletin and associated literature produced during the season and can participate in Society activities and benefit from British Sundial Society purchases at membership rates.

Family Membership Covering all members of the same household including absent members of the household at places of higher education or serving with armed forces. One copy of each Bulletin and associated literature is sent during the season to the membership address. All members of the household can participate in membership activities and benefit from British Sundial Society purchases at membership rates.

Corporate Membership Covering all members of an organisation (or part of an organisation in the case of very large establishments, at the discretion of the British Sundial Society Council). One copy of each Bulletin and associated literature is sent during the season to the membership address and all employees can participate in membership activities and benefit from British Sundial Society purchases at membership rates. Please note, with large organisations, Bulletins and other literature are often sent to a different location to requests for subscriptions. It helps us tremendously if the addresses of both the finance department and a nominated Bulletin recipient is given so that misunderstandings are avoided.

BSS SUBSCRIPTION RATES

Members in the United Kingdom

(annual)

£26

£30

£35

Members in Europe, not U.K.

(annual)

£29

£33

£38

Members outside Europe

(annual)

£33

£37

£42

The higher rates for non-UK members are to assist with postal overheads (air mail outside Europe).

HOW TO PAY YOUR SUBSCRIPTION

CHEQUES Please send your cheque in pounds sterling (GBP) drawn on a bank in the UK, and made payable to "British Sundial Society". Please do not pay in other currencies.

CREDIT/DEBIT CARDS As shown on the Membership Application Form, we can now accept most major credit and debit cards, with the exception of American Express, for payments.

STANDING ORDERS Filling in a standing order form means that payments will be more convenient for you. It will not be necessary to ask you to pay each year, as the bank will deal with that. As is normal with a standing order facility, should the payment be revised, you will be contacted and asked to alter the amount yourself.  Standing Order forms are available from the Membership Secretary.  Please indicate on your application form that you wish to receive one.

GIFT AID The BSS is a registered charity and we ask you to participate in the Gift Aid scheme as it helps us to keep subscriptions down. If you are a UK taxpayer, we ask you to complete this section of the form, even if you have completed one for another charity. This does not cause you to pay any more tax.

NON UK MEMBERS

US SCHEME.

For members in the USA, we have facilities through the kind co-operation of Dr. John Schilke.  Dollar cheques on a US bank should be made out to Dr. J. Schilke and sent to him (not to the BSS Membership Secretary) at:

17440 Holy Names Drive, A502, Lake Oswego, Oregon 97034-5148, USA.

Dr. Schilke can also be contacted by email at jfs.md@ipinc.net (regarding the US payments only)

Please ensure when sending funds that it is clear what the payment is for (e.g. memberships / conferences / merchandise etc.) and include your contact details and BSS membership number (if known)

US members who do not wish to take advantage of this scheme, and other non UK applicants, are kindly requested to pay by credit or debit card or by Sterling cheque drawn on a bank with a UK branch or head office. We have to ask for the Air mail surcharge to ensure prompt delivery. Eurocheques are NOT accepted as the UK banks have withdrawn from this scheme. Your local bank may indicate the best way for you to pay. If your bank recommends an inter bank transfer, the relevant details are:

Name

British Sundial Society

Bankers

GIRObank plc, Bootle, Merseyside, England, G1R 0AA

Account Number

7 044 8304

Sort Code

72-00-01

If you use this method please will you also inform the Membership Secretary as the bank statements do not easily identify the source of such transfers.

If it is impossible to pay in Sterling some members send English bank notes (i.e. cash). While this is acceptable to us, it does incur a small risk to your money and the practice would probably be frowned upon by the postal authorities.

MEMBERSHIP MISCELLANY

GIFTS Sometimes a subscription is taken out for someone else, e.g. as a birthday present. In such cases the Membership secretary will assume that further requests for subscription will be directed to the member concerned instead of the donor, unless he or she is notified otherwise.

REJOINING Former members who are rejoining are asked to make their earlier association with the British Sundial Society known, so that their original membership number can be restored to them.

INTEREST CODES The Society is grateful to those who complete the interest code survey on the application form.

PRIVACY Information on the application form may be made available to the membership as a means of encouraging the formation of local and special interest groups. If you prefer your name not to be included in circulated lists, please indicate this on the application form.