What if Google buy Pictures Of England.com?

Hi Peter. The last thing we want is for anyone to feel pressured into donating money to the site. We fully understand that not everyone is in a position to do so, and as Diana pointed out, everyone contributes in so many other ways that are just as important, you included and we are forever grateful for that.

Chris and Sarah - I think you have missed an opportunity to tell the members exactly how it is, and so I hope you'll forgive me for stepping in with the truth!

For example last night Diana suggested we donate £10 each and the 50th member donating would receive £100 and POE would be better off by £400. When I asked you about this earlier today, you said "50th member gets £100 - it would take 10 years to reach 50 donations at the rate there coming in". You went on to say that "despite having thousands of members signed up and using the site for their pics, we have received less than 20 donations since we put the please donate button up". You know that I was absolutely disgusted with that, and although I didn't tell you what I was going to do, you do now!

I have now written about the lack of donations in the forum, despite members using the facility and further enjoying what you and Sarah provide throughout the site. And if now, having read this post the members feel that I have overstepped the mark well too bad! The fact is that some members (a very supportive few) have donated, and to them I say thank you so much. To those who haven't yet donated I say dig a little deeper into your pockets and find something to help Chris and Sarah maintain the site that you so love. Many small donations add up of course, so hopefully this is the kick up the a..e that you needed!

Don't sit there saying my little bit won't help, it will - so please do it now!! Hit any one of the 'donate' or 'please support this website' buttons and make a difference.....PLEASE.

For those of you who don't like the truth, I am waiting for the caustic remarks which no doubt I will get from somebody.

Remember, if you love the site as much as you say you do, and if you want to be able to continue to submit the wonderful pictures that make the site what it is PLEASE DONATE NOW!

Thank you.

Ron

I do love the site Ron, and i will donate, but unfortunatley, I live in a country where the cost of living is high. This means prioritising (sp???)  eating, mortgage, car, etc.. have to come 1st, internet sadly comes quite low down on the list. People are constantly hassled to pay out for pretty much everything these days, and i realise its because they themselves are having to pay out!!  its a vicious circle! and sad.

So Ron, don't take this the wrong way, i don't mean any offence at all, but don't feel disgusted people haven't coughed up yet, people love this site, but don't NEED it!!! and thats the difference! need and want are different things. Hopefully enough people will contribute, and all will be good, or even as mentioned on the donate page, a premier membership, with a fee, i think that would work, and i'd gladly pay. But don't kick us all to hard yet!

Thank you for at least commenting Jason. Since I posted exactly 40 people have viewed this page and said nothing! It's also a fact that I never intended this thread to work out the way it has, it having started I think with Alan Marron.

However, in discussing things in the thread, and then later with Chris and Sarah who always seem to put a brave face on things, I felt somebody had to say something. Now there is nobody closer than me, so I was left with no option but to say my piece rather than sit back, know part of what is going on, and then kick myself thinking if only when it all goes down the swanee. So more than anything it was an opportunity to get a message to the members who so enjoy the site. Nobody is being kicked, but they are being nudged in the ribs for a donation. I hope that explains why I had to do this. 

Yeah, i think i can see where your coming from Ron, and your a good bloke for trying to generate some money to keep the site going strong, i know your only doing it for the right reasons.

Like i said i'll donate and because of this thread i'm sure a lot more will, but i just don't want you to push that hard, you push people away. That would be a shame, and not what your trying to do. Sometimes when it comes to money i realise you do need to ask, and thats been done, hopefully it'll do the job!

Ron,

I certainly understand your view on this,i understand Jason's as well, 

Thank you for understanding Jason, as I honestly think members do. Times are difficult, we all know that but that's exactly the reason for writing as I did. I had no idea that things were quite so tight for C&S and that so few members/users had contributed to the site. I certainly don't wan't to see POE down the swanee so I shall make it my job from now on to gently and politely remind all who use the POE facility to donate whatever they can, whenever they can.

Ron, I can tell you are worried. It's not that people are being cowards it is more that they either can help or can't. What can they say without feeling awful if they really can't afford it. Unless we get a multi millionaire join the site the small donations are all that some people can manage. You are a lovely man who cares so much for your family and us regulars know that but you might scare off some new people before they get to love the site like us regulars. When I joined I enjoyed putting on my photos and getting the comments so much that I decided that I wanted to send something to say thanks to Chris & Sarah. We are not hard up as we both work and I asked Terry what he thought & he agreed so I sent what I felt was appropriate and what I could afford. I think that the donations can help a little but they are not the long term answer (and that's the resident accountant's advice!)

Thank you Stephanie and Terry for your response and donation whatever it may be. I might add that I never see or know what the donations are, and will never ask. The comment from C&S today was based on the lack of people who had previously donated which really surprised and actually disgusted me. You raise so many relevant points, but may I respectfully suggest that without my somewhat blunt comments earlier we would not be this far up the road, so although a bit of a shock to all it has raised an awareness. I hope those who love POE so much will respond as you and Terry have. As for scaring off new members/visitors, well if it's not on the net they won't even get this far!

Thank you Stephanie and Terry for your donation.

Ron