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Title: Membership Secretary
Name of Organisation: Friends of Northampton Theatres
Length of service: Approximately 8 years
Phone: 01604 626496
What does your organisation do?
Works to encourage theatregoers to be more active in supporting our two theatres and have a greater understanding of the importance of keeping live theatre available for young and old. We provide newsletters, theatre trips, drinks receptions, ticket concessions and 'corporate club ' facilities. We contribute towards the Youth Theatre Drama Group with annual donation.

What does your current job involve?
Collecting subscriptions and new membership forms and sorting them out to be entered on the computer system
Enveloping membership cards, brochures and letters and posting
Manning the 'hotline ', set up for members to join and renew by credit card. This comes through to my home, but can be transferred when needed, to other Committee Members
Assistant Volunteer Organiser -collecting and supplying names of members for a variety of events
Continuous contact with the marketing and other departments, to understand their needs for our support

Who did you used to work for and what did you do?
Trained as a nurse at UCH London for four years. Audiometric nurse for Northamptonshire County Council primary schools. 20 years a practice nurse for a doctor 's surgery

What do you enjoy most about your present post?
Contact with people, staff and public who are interested in the arts
Manning the 'hotline 'producing more memberships, hearing compliments, complaints and general comments about the theatre, as well as personal problems and even calls at 2am and 8am!

What do you find most difficult in your present post?
It is difficult to answer this within the word limit for this article! Frustrations relating to the lack of progress expanding the membership. Problems have arisen through the recent merger of the Royal and Derngate theatres, such as delays in producing stationery for renewa requests, and other membership materials, due to the need for a new charity number from the Charity Commission. Merging computer systems of both Friends organisations has been problematic, despite tremendous efforts by one volunteer.

What is your ambition for the friends scheme?
To double membership by the end of 2002
To have access to an efficient simple computer-based membership system
To be managed by the theatre administration and assisted by volunteers

Who has influenced your career to date the most - and why?
A previous Marketing Director who as a volunteer on our committee gave many hours to help maintain an efficient and reliable membership system, which made my job hassle-free!

My daughter, formerly Derngate 's Press Officer, who first persuaded me to get more involved with the Friends

If you could have done any job in the world, what would you like to have done?
A successful Director of the Royal Opera House, or failing that, a salaried Agony Aunt for theatre staff

If you had any wishes for the future of the arts, what would they be?
A change in attitude in British culture with more funding and support for the arts, locally and nationally, as in many other countries

Realisation that people are having more leisure time and this means a great need for live theatre and more funding to keep standards high

For government ministers to be seen actively supporting the arts by actually attending ballet, opera and concerts

Greater support for music schools, and the arts in schools generally