Hi John - thanks for the news and our apologies for the excess charge.
Glad you enjoyed mag.
Please remember to vote for the Photo Competition and let us know if you want a NG Calendar for 2014 - ASAP Please
Thanks & regards - Chris

I had to collect mine from the sorting office today and pay the 19p excess plus £1 "handling charge". I did not challenge it, because, at that time, I had not seen the website notice. However, I've now measured it and the spine edge of the magazine is well over 5mm, probably because it hasn't been folded and pressed tightly enough. I am not concerned about the £1.19, but you asked to be made aware.
Bob

Hi. Chris and Su,

Collected my Oct. ChangiNGear from the local Sorting Office today, had to pay £1.19 like the members above. Not a problem, the paper seems a little thicker and the spine not quite as compressed as usual, still a great read, many thanks for all your efforts.

Mike Hill.

Bob & Mike - thanks for letting us know. And our apologies for the excess postage. Hope it does not spoil your enjoyment of the magazine.
Please don't forget to Vote for the Photo Competition and let us know if you what a 2014 NG Calendar.
regards - Chris & Su

Hi Chris and Sue,

I got the "excess postage" card through the letter box and paid it over the internet yesterday. As per the other replies the fee was £1.19, made up of the £1 handling fee and 19p excess postage.

The envelope arrived in the post this morning. It weighs in at 96gms (very close to the 100gm limit for a second class letter) and where the paper on spine of the magazine has opened out a little since it was stapled and folder it is around 8mm thick (above the 5mm limit). No point in taking it to a Post Office to challenge the measurements because it is, as delivered, oversize.

Like the others I have no problem with paying the excess as a one-off but maybe you should consider posting it out as a Second Class Large Letter in the future. I would rather pay the Club the 19p extra for the postage for each issue than pay the Post Office £1.19!

Thank you for your hard work producing a great magazine.

Geoff

Chris & Sue
Thanks for the October issue of ChaNGing Gear has the post office become a modern day Dick Turpin i had to pay £1.19 surcharge plus my time and fuel to collect it lots of other people complaining about the surcharge for their letters
i saw their letter gauge what a joke the envelope slid through no problem
Ed

Hi Chris & Sue,

just been to the sorting office to pay my £1.19 fine. I didn't bother challenging it, they are always right!!

Tony

Result!

Went to the local Post Office sorting office in Sevenoaks (today), after receiving one of their cards about a "letter" needing more postage plus the handling fee.
Expected to pay the £1:19; but the chap said "didn't you have one like this a couple of days ago"; wasn't me but could have been Charlie or our new member from Sevenoaks.
He said weight is OK but bit on the thick side; however when asked he got the "gauge" and mine just made it through; so "fine" was waived and magazine handed over!

If you make the effort to go to a sorting office in person, then be firm and polite but ask for a recheck especially on thickness - you could just be lucky!!

I think the message for the editors is too much of a good thing may damage your wallet (suggest future mags are around the 48 page mark!
However well done Chris and Su for another great edition of the club magazine. Rob G.

Hi Rob - glad to hear that you avoided the 'excess charge' but sorry you still had the inconvenience of going for collection.
As far as I am aware you are the only one that has challenged the fee. Just goes to show how marginal it all was.
Hope you enjoy the Mag nonetheless
regards - Chris

Thanks Chris,

Keep up the good work with the Club Magazine!

I would however like to mention that I belong to three other Car Clubs about the same size as the NGOC, also one much bigger (TSSC) and one smaller the Liege Car Club.
Of the three of comparable size one has 3 magazines a year averaging 32 pages per edition and the other two have gone for magazines/News Letters via the internet only.

The latter option I would not advocate for the NGOC; however it puts into perspective our bumper edition of some 56 pages (plus cover).

Best regards Robert Garrett

Hi Chris
Thanks for the latest newsletter
Unfortunately I didn't see your post before going to collect my copy, but was just given the explanation " Not enough postage mate!! " oh we'll we live and learn
Keep up the good work
Regards

Ed Powell

Went to sorting office to collect my excess postage mail. The guy said the usual "not enough postage mate" as per normal and went to demonstrate that it would'nt pass though the gauge but it did TWICE. "Oh" he says "better have that one free then."
I put the £1 in the local charity box on the counter. Perhaps the trouble was a too well sealed envelope that initially trapped air at one end when passing through the gauge??

Any way I have the mag!!