As with any organisation that has an annual subscription to become a member,  those subscriptions become renewable on a specific date each year.

Our Subscription Year starts on the 1st January and finishes on the 31st December each and every year.

Whatever time renewing / new member join during the current year membership ceases on the 31st December to be renewed on the 1st January year following, with the following exception.

New members joining in  November / December will have their subscription start date recognised as payment for the following year, so late newcomers effectively have a limited period of “free membership”.

The following is logical and fair and mirrors our rules:

• The standard year for subscriptions is 1st January – 31st December this is a tablet of stone.
  The greater majority of members adhere to payment in the first months of the year.

 There are two specific variables conditions regarding payment identified in our rules:

• To attend and vote at the AGM subscriptions must be paid by the 1st March in any particular year.

[No payment by this date, members cannot partake in AGM proceedings nor vote on motions by any means]

• Rule 9.4  states To be eligible for IGBA specials, British and Overseas Championship points and awards annual subscriptions must be paid by the 31st August of any year

So:

• If a member doesn’t pay until the 31st August  they become a lapsed non current member from the 1st January until that date.
• They become a fully paid current member on the 31st August and can participate in both the Brit Champ & Members show. Membership ceases on the 31st December in any year.
• If a member chooses not to renew on the 31st August but sends a subscription in to the member show they are lapsed members until October and can exhibit at the members show but not participate in the Brit Champs or receive IGBA awards.

In these instances the individual membership is not regarded as a current fully paid member enjoying the benefits of someone renewing membership at the beginning of the year, as their payment is only for the period of Sept or Oct until the 31st December when the cycle starts again. They will not get a Free Hard Copy Yearbook, their access to the Yearbook will be digital access only.

To wait until the members show to renew membership is not what the IGBA is about, the IGBA is more than an organisation with a single event and members should unreservedly accept that and renew subscription at the beginning of the year to fully engage for a 12month period.

To ensure fairness to all members these membership conditions will be upheld from the 1st January 2027.  

Regards
Bob Mortimer IGBA Treasurer