There are a number of volunteer positions that need to be filled. The holders of any position except Secretary need not be a member of the Management Committee. If interested in any of these honouary positions contact the Chairman

If you are interested in joining the Society you can do so by following the Membership link.

Secretary (The existing Secretary is seeking someone to take over this role)

This is arguably the most important role in the Society. It does not necessarily have to mean a lot of work however the Secretary is responsible for the day to day running of the Society, liaising with outside bodies and the membership, organising official meetings and taking minutes, administration of the ex-officio officers not on the Management Committee, amongst other things.

Treasurer

If you are good at dealing with figures then perhaps you might like to take on the role of Treasurer. Ideally someone is needed who has an understanding of financial administration and planning, is efficient, and can attend bi-monthly mid-week daytime meetings and provide reports to these meetings.  An understanding of Gift Aid and submitting the necessary application online to HMRC to recover this is essential. Additionally an understanding of PayPal and other online payment systems is necessary as more people use electronic means for payment of susbcriptions etc. As well as day to day administration of the finances it will be necessary to prepare annual accounts which are subject to audit.

Membership Secretary

The Membership Secretary is responsible for administering the membership database which is held on computer, general liaison with the membership, and promoting membership in the wider community. It is useful to have a working knowledge of Microsoft Access databases.

Sales and Promotions Officer

Someone is needed to take responsibbility for the sale and ordering of Society clothing, mugs, coaster, stickers, badges, and other promotional material. The person need to be imaginative and have ideas for future promotions and bring them to the attention of the management committee.

Publicity Assistants

Needed to assist the Publicity Officer who is responsible for promotion of the Society including production and distribution of Press Releases and publicity material in liaison with the Programme Coordinator and other key officers. They will also liaise with the local press and other media sources so good communication skills will be an advantage. This is a very useful role for anyone looking to build expertise in the field of media relations.

Programme Coordinator

Works closely with the Walks and Talks Organisers and other Officers to prepare the Events Programme which goes out three times a year with the newsletter. The role also includes organising other events, production and distribution of publicity material relating to the society’s events and activities, and may involve attendance at some local events. This is an important role that requires someone able to work to strict deadlines.

Talks Organisers

Needed to organise a few talks at different venues throughout the year. This is not a difficult task and the necessary help and advice will be given.

Planning Officers

Planning Officers are needed to cover specific areas. This involves monitoring the Council web sites for new planning applications and submitting comments on these in line with Society policy. In addition it may be necessary to comment on a variety of consultation documents.

Newsletter Editor

The Newsletter Editor will have the opportunity to bring their own design and editorial experience to the task of producing the Newsletter ‘Mendip', a full colour publication which is issued three times a year – in March, August and December. The Newsletter Editor will need to seek material for publication and have good writing and proof reading skills and experience. The role will need someone with the time abvailable to devote up to two weeks per issue for production and meet strict deadlines. Building on the established success of the existing Newsletter will be a challenge worth taking on for anyone looking to demonstrate their editorial skills and artistic talent.