New BSGA appointed council members

[Warren Beard]

Nice one Rob, well done …

what’s all this about then 😳 :lol1:

[John Harding]

Yaeee :funky: :cheer:

[Karl Williams]

Well done Rob! 😉

[Phill Fenton]

What is the BSGA? Is this some kind of rival organisation to the UKSG, and is this an attempt by Rob to infiltrate their ranks and influence their policies 😕

[Craig Brown]

I got him to come along to one meeting then he wouldn’t stay away; I’m really pleased he’s agreed to join as the more inclusive the orgainisation can be the more relevant it becomes to all in the industry.

It’s never going to be a one cap fits all and just as UKSB has it’s detractors so does the BSGA; I’d like to think we are seeing a more diverse group of members joining and that can only be good as new ideas and new blood filter through the organisation.

Anyway great to see Rob on board and I look forward to working with him over the coming months.

[David Hammond]

Well done Rob.

I’m curious about BSGA.

I’ve looked at joining but cannot really see how it will benefit me?

What exactly do you get for joining?

[Karl Williams]

A big cheeky grin like Craig! :lol1: :lol1:

[David Rowland]

quote David Hammond:

What exactly do you get for joining?

oh it’s so tempting :lol1: 😉

[Harry Cleary]

Congrats Rob. Do you get to wear a chain and stuff?

p.s mind your b*lls when they let the goat in at the initiation! 😀

[Robert Lambie]

Thanks a million Nik and all others for the comments…

After arriving at the BSGA office escorted by two helpful assistant’s…

I was then seated at the board room table for my first taste of what goes on behind the BSGA doors.

:lol1: :lol1: :lol1: :lol1:

Joking aside…

I fully intend making a post to outline my new role on the BGSA council.
The reasons why i accepted the position and my views on the British Signs & Graphics Association "of today".

What i will say at the moment is i am happy I accepted the position and i look forward to continuing to work along side Craig and all other council members. I do think it is a step in the right direction for various reasons…

.

[David Rowland]

Yoda lambie on his chair on the left, amongst the council

[Phill Fenton]

quote David Hammond:

Well done Rob.

I’m curious about BSGA.

I’ve looked at joining but cannot really see how it will benefit me?

What exactly do you get for joining?

David raises a good point which I tend to agree with. What are the advantages in becoming a member?

[Karl Williams]

quote Phill Fenton:

quote David Hammond:

Well done Rob.

I’m curious about BSGA.

I’ve looked at joining but cannot really see how it will benefit me?

What exactly do you get for joining?

David raises a good point which I tend to agree with. What are the advantages in becoming a member?

You get to edit signmakers books before they are published! 😉

[Robert Lambie]

all a bit too early for me personally to elaborate on guys…
but rest assured anything and everything i can provide UKSB with will be made available initially via the UKSG members area. But BSGA newsletters and the like will become regular features within Signextra. so everyone should be able to keep an eye on how things are developing to better suit all levels of our industry over time.

[Martin Pearson]

I joined when I first started but did not renew my membership after the first year. OK so it was a while ago & things may well have changed but all they seemed interested in was taking my money, as a sole trader they weren’t interested in me because I wasn’t big enough, or that was the impression I got. I personally didn’t see any advantages & it wasn’t that cheap to join.
Like I say maybe things have changed, will have to wait & see what Robert has to say.

All the best with it anyway Robert, sure we will hear more fairly soon.

[Phill Fenton]

There’s no doubt the sign industry needs an association to represent the interests of sign makers in this country (e.g to oppose damaging legislation that may affect our industry – other wise our rabid politicians would ban everything and anything). That reason alone is a good reason to support the association.

Unlike Martin, I tried unsuccessfully to join many years ago but they wouldn’t let me (you had to have been trading a minimum of 2 years before you could be considered – either that or their experience with Martin made them wary of dealing with sole traders and the 2 year thing was just an excuse to make me go away 😕 ). Hopefully things have now changed and the association will be better at representing the full breadth of the industry (not just the main players) and become more inclusive and nurturing of the smaller businesses involved in sign making? We shall see.

[Kevin Flowers]

quote Phill Fenton:

There’s no doubt the sign industry needs an association to represent the interests of sign makers in this country (e.g to oppose damaging legislation that may affect our industry – other wise our rabid politicians would ban everything and anything).

Devils advocate here

this is the association that us small sign makers accused of talking for the sign industry in general when the CSCS card was introduced even though they had no communication with the smaller sign companies.

https://www.uksignboards.com/viewtopic.p … cs&start=0

However congrats Rob at least we now have a voice of reason

Kev

[David Hammond]

Without stealing the light from Rob.

I have been tempted to ask this for months… Should I join?

I personally feel I get more from a UKSG membership than I would from a BSGA one… But then I don’t know what BSGA has to offer.

If there’s little interest in the BSGA within our own industry, there’s little hope that the end user is going to go to the BSGA website to find a sign company, or even be interested that you’ve forked out the membership fee?

I can see it being of advantage to larger companies, when applying for tenders or larger jobs… but for the small sole trader I’m not convinced.

[Simon Worrall]

David it is best to follow the advice of Groucho Marx.
"I would never join a club that would have me as a member"

[Craig Brown]

In an ideal world there would be no need for trade associations at all…everyone would provide products and services of an equal standard and we are all happy.
Unfortunately that’s not the case so people well before my time set up a process where products were produced to as British Standard (BS) and guarantees were offered or suggested that members should offer.

I know from personal experience that the BSA which became the BSGA has not always seemed accessible and the preconceived conception is that it is only for the big boys in the industry has been a difficult myth to break down.

If I’m honest as a company we probably put more in than we get out at the moment but my belief is that if we don’t try and have some form of standards and regulations others will try and do it for us…in simplistic terms I make my living from the Sign Industry and I’m trying to put something back.

I’ve never shirked from talking to anyone from in our industry about my business or the BSGA and over the years there’s been plenty of traffic about it on many forums and I’ve always tried to contribute; if Robs happy for me to add a phone number I’ll happily take anyone’s call who wants to ask questions.

[Robert Lambie]

quote Craig Brown:

if Robs happy for me to add a phone number I’ll happily take anyone’s call who wants to ask questions.

Hi Craig, yes a contact number and email is fine.

[Craig Brown]

quote Robert Lambie:

Hi Craig, yes a contact number and email is fine.

Thanks Rob

craig.brown@signsexpress.co.uk
Tel: 01603 598444 DD
Tel: 01603 625925

[David Rowland]

i agree that associations need to be there, a central voice for sign makers.

Here is a site full of stuff indeed, needs to be more centralised with BGSA so perhaps with Rob’s involvement we see a future where the UKSB/G and BGSA are as one.

But for the time being, I support their efforts, although I am sure Master Lambie will certainly have a higher chair

[Robert Lambie]

quote Dave Rowland:

Lambie will certainly have a higher chair

yeah, unfortunately its the only way i can reach the table mate.
it’s either that or a booster seat. 😉 :lol1:

[Graham Shand]

I looked at joining the BGSA a few years back, but was not convinced they offered anything that I needed, was not sure what they did to assist a sign maker, looked from my view point that it was aimed at larger sign shops, perhaps it was just a perception thing, on the other hand uk sign boards was the complete opposite, a one stop shop for help and advice regardless of your experience or skill level, a seemed a whole lot more user oriented. Just my thoughts