Philip Godfrey helps to keeps the cogs of EIA turning

<span>Philip Godfrey</span>

Philip Godfrey

Supporter Services

Do any of you  remembers EIA’s awarding winning TV series “Animal Detectives” which was first shown on the UK  ITV network way back in 1995 and subsequently repeated on numerous cable channels since?  Well I started at EIA as a part time volunteer in 1994.  Needless to say our very cramped office in Pear Tree Court was a hive of activity.

EIA started back in 1984

Over the intervening years much of my time has been spent logging our income from our members and supporters.  Although EIA is a small charity keeping this information on filing cards has never been an option whilst I have been at EIA.  Keeping mailing addresses up to date is mundane but vitally important so we can communicate what we are doing and we know who is supporting this work.  Without the latter we would not have the funds for our ongoing investigations!  Our computer database has grown in complexity as time has gone by to try to ensure efficient use of time and resource eg the Gift Aid scheme that was introduced back in 1990 and greatly expanded in 2000.  Rather than having to calculate how much money we can claim back from HM Treasury our database records and automatically generates the figures we need with a few taps of the keyboard.

Can you help me?  Well yes in two ways:

Firstly, moving house is very stressful but please try to tell us your new address.  It might help you to look at your statements’ (bank and or credit card) or your cheque stubs to try to ensure you have not over looked us or any other charity.  Whenever we send information out I always receive a pile back with ‘gone away’ on it.

Secondly, if you want us to communicate with you differently, more, less or differently then please do get in touch eg you would like everything sent to by email or you would like us to stop using email and return to a paper format.

I know 2011 will be another very busy year for EIA.  So please check back from time to time to see what we have done  If you are a paying member of EIA I am sure the Spring edition of the Investigator magazine will be jam packed with investigations that you have helped to fund – thank you.