Hi John

How many people are you talking about?  And would there be any alternative to collecting subscriptions through a website (e.g. getting your membership to set up Standing Orders or your organisation using Direct Debits)?

Regards

Alan

Hi John,

We have around 90 members in the Choir (so similar organisation size).  Pre-COVID we used to collect a recommended £5.00 per person in cash at each week at a rehearsal session.  Being a community choir, we ask people to pay what they can afford, most people paid £5.00, a few pay less and some pay slightly more.  During lockdown we were forced to move to e-payments (setting up Standing Orders or PayPal payments) and Post-COVID we have continued with e-payments (not returning to cash).  We have a few members who prefer to pay by cheque.  It is very much a system of trust, but it works.  Most subscriptions are now paid via a Standing Order, either monthly or 3 times a year to coincide with term dates.  Cheques are not encouraged, but where they are we only accept payments 3 times a year, because it means someone has to physically take them to be paid in (a very few members prefer to pay their subscriptions once a year).

Within the Members‘ Area of the website there are a few pages detailing how to set up a Standing Order (there is a printable version for those who don’t do electronic banking).  There is also another page that deals with PayPal as a method.

The only person who has an overview of payments coming in is the Choir’s Treasurer and there has never been any reported issues in the trust system that we have put in place.  

I hope that this helps

Regards

Alan (Euphonix Choir).