Members questionnaire
Adrian Knowles Meetings Secretary, 12 Blackbrook Road, Great Horkesley, Colchester,
Essex C06 4TL
During 2001 we sent out a questionnaire, asking you about the field meetings programme
and your attendance and interests and here I set out some of the more significant findings.
The Club hopes to begin to build in some of the key points, where possible, although
this obviously depends on the availability of leaders and the ongoing surveys currently
being undertaken. If I can rather glibly summarise the findings, the average member
seems to be a very busy late middle-aged worker who would like to partake in more
field meetings but never quite gets round to it, but is quite happy to support the Club and
receive the various publications - is that you?!!
Firstly, I'd like to say a big "thank you" to everyone who returned a completed form.
Given the size of our membership, the 68 returns is a very significant response. I'll not
get too bogged down with detailed analysis of the results, because there are all manner
of statistical pit-falls that one could fall into - there are probably studies which show that
retired people are 10 times more likely to return surveys and questionnaires than someone
still at work, or that moth specialists do so far more regularly than coleopterists (they
need something to do during the day, before they fire up their mercury vapour lamps!).
1. In which age group do you belong?
We are an aging society! Only 7% of respondents were no older than 30, which is
quite worrying. We need to encourage the naturalists of the future and the Club
provides an ideal forum in which us wise old sages can pass on our learned skills to
the next generation. Don't forget that any budding young naturalist might like to
receive a free membership as a birthday, Christmas or school-leaving present.
2. Occupation...Most of us are still working, trying to fit in natural history pursuits
with hectic lifestyles, but a good many of you are retired. This may explain the
popularity of mid-week meetings (see below) and could culture local day-time
site visits or walks.
3. How often do you attend field meetings?
Nearly half of the respondents had never been on a field meeting, and only 7%
attended "frequently".
4. How do you rate the field meetings offered?
The overall response was very positive, with 70% rating the selection as "good".
A few people commented that the four special interest groups (moths, fungi,
botany and birds) dominated and I have always been aware of this fact. I will
continue to try and encourage invertebrate meetings, although are very weather-
dependent plus other varied meetings. There were also a few comments about
the geographical spread of meetings.
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Essex Field Club Newsletter No. 41, May 2003