 | About Us |
 |
The Party Locally
The Taunton Association offers a varied spectrum of activities in which you can become involved.
200 Club
The 200 Club is an old established venture which is open to all members at an annual subscription of £60. This features a monthly prize of £75, plus two winter (December) and summer (June) prizes of £300 and £1500 respectively.
Luncheon Club
The Luncheon Club meets at the Somerset County Cricket Club on the third Friday of each month from October to May with mainly political speakers.
Supper Club
Varied meetings are held monthly at alternating venues and a warm welcome awaits members and guests.
Membership Drives
Campaigns are organised by the Deputy Chairman with responsibility for membership to go out and regularly canvass for new members, which are the lifeblood of the Association – this is one of the most important aspects of the Association’s work and another job where we need volunteers.
Social Events
A regular diary of events is always being evolved. Events include Croquet, Suppers, Lunches, Quiz Nights and Whist Drives, Garden Parties, Trips etc. Without a sound financial basis, none of our work towards campaigning for victory could happen. Please see our Events page for more information.
About our Association
Taunton Conservative Association is a modern forward-looking Association of like-minded people from all walks of life rich, poor, young or old with a common belief that their country should be run by a Conservative Government. It is one of the most active in the West Country, maintains its own headquarters in Staplegrove Road, Taunton, and employs professional staff.
The Association is run by an Executive Council, led by a team of voluntary Officers. The Executive Council is comprised of representatives of the Branches. The Association Officers are elected at the Annual General Meeting by members of the Association. The Officers of the Association include the following positions: President, Chairman, Deputy Chairman Political, Deputy Chairman Membership & Finance, and six Executive Officers.
All play a vital role in ensuring the Association operates to achieve its main objective – that of winning elections. All posts are up for election every year, and any members can progress to these positions if they wish.
The Officer Team has the responsibility to ensure that the Association’s objectives are sustained and steady progress is maintained in all areas.
The Branches have local committees and cover areas corresponding to the electoral wards or adjacent wards. The branches look after local co-ordination of the membership, organising events and local campaigning and are the principle means of communication within the Association.
As well as the political work carried out by the Association there are many and varied social functions organised on a constituency basis or locally by our Branches.
Like any worthwhile organisation there is a lot of hard work to be done. It is rewarding and often good fun. The future of the Conservative Party is very much in the hands of its members. So, no matter how little or how much time you can give, it will be well used.
For further information about how to become involved in any of the above, please contact the Taunton Association Office
20a Staplegrove Road Taunton Somerset TA1 1DQ
Telephone: 01823 286106
Fax: 01823 324453
Email: office@tauntontories.org.uk
Our Staff
Over the years, Taunton has striven to ensure that they maintain the services of professional staff, at present an Organising Secretary. The prime aim is to win seats in elections: General Elections, European Elections and Local Elections. To achieve this, we have to ensure that the Association raises enough money to run an efficient office and organisation, which has the ability to campaign all year round. Money is also required to pay an annual quota to Central Office.
The staff also need to work closely with the Conservative Parliamentary Spokesman, Members of the European Parliament and with the Conservative Councillors, and are also responsible for ensuring that the Association conducts its affairs in accordance with its own Rules, and according to the law – especially its election campaigns where the requirements are very stringent. If you have any worries or concerns with regard to national and local government issues please do not hesitate to contact our office, or any Association Officer. Also, if you wish to find out about any aspect of the work of the Association about which you are unclear or in which you wish to become more involved, again please telephone the office.
Getting Involved at Branch Level
Like any voluntary organisation the local Conservative Branch can only be strong and effective if it has a group of active members. If you wish to take part in your local Branch you can get involved with campaigning at a number of levels depending upon the amount of time you wish to spend.
1. Branch Committee Member
Every local Branch has a responsibility for building up membership, raising money, communicating with the electorate and campaigning to win elections. Each branch is run by a Committee made up of people who will carry out a number of important tasks such as Chairman, Treasurer-Secretary, Committee Members, and Local Councillors.
Every one of these posts is filled by a voluntary member (with the exception of the Councillor). The above Committee is made up of people who will carry out a number of important tasks: running social events, keeping records, campaigning, and membership recruitment
2. Deliverer
As such, you would be responsible for an area of houses and would under-take to deliver newsletters to those houses when needed (probably 3 or 4 times a year – plus extra deliveries at election time).
3. Canvasser
When you can carry out surveys/canvassing in your area in order to gain information about the electorate’s voting intentions, worries and concerns etc., the information enables us to campaign effectively and helps to increase our membership base.
4. Fundraiser
Every year, each Branch is given a fundraising target, and many members find that their skills can best be utilised by helping to organise the many and varied social events that take place throughout the year, helping to raise funds as well as bringing enjoyment to everyone involved.
Whatever your interests a local Conservative Branch should have some ways of utilising them.
 
| 
