[Tosh]

Crickey, it looks like a police line-up!

You can see them here and you may even recognise some of the names from this site!

http://www.apwc.info/html/committee.html

Anyway, good on you lads for sticking with it!  I remember the days when everyone was crying out for a new association, and judging by the recent negative press the FWC have received; I hope the APWC does well.

I'm certainly going to join, but I'm going to chance my arm at winning the ONE YEARS FREE MEMBERSHIP first (I bet I don't, otherwise it'll look like a fix after writing this):

http://www.apwc.info/html/wintoday.html

That aside, I know some of the founding committee members have spent a lot of their own money in putting this together and will never ever re-coup their loss.

They've also put many thousands of hours of effort into getting this organisation up and running; they even sacked their biggest financial backer; Ionics; but I don't know all the ins-and-outs regarding this.

What I do know is that it's an organisation that's been created by committed window cleaners who want to promote a positive image of window cleaners as professionals; which can only be good for our bank balances.

These committee members are not self-serving individuals, they're quality guys and deserve a chance of our support.

Anyway, fellow forum members, take a look at their website and comment; positively/constructively I hope. 

I'm sure they'd love to hear your views.

Tosh (whose got nothing what-so-ever to do with the organisation)

[trevor perry]

looks pretty good if they have got rid of ionics i would probably trust them more as i feel ionics is more money orientated than service orientated but that is only my opinion .

[brett walker]

Theyve got it well and truley sorted if Andrew Mullen is onboard top bloke gave me some good advice in the past 

nice one

Brett

[rs_cleancare]

The guys have done their homework.
All looks nice and proffessional and some good infomation.

Have a look at the apwc health and saftey document this could help somone out who needs to provide health and saftey document to win a contract.

Well done and all the best..

Rob.

[poleman]

That's good to hear, I was a committee board member from the beginning and have seen many changes to get us up and running, it has been hard work and I think it can only be good news for us window cleaners that the FWC now have competition.

lot of their own money in putting this together

With time off for meetings (traveling, lost of earnings, fuel) and own money to set up, was over a thousand pounds, will I get this back! nope but glad I done my bit for the industry

For me personally has been hard work taking time out to drive up and down the country to meetings but glad APWC has now been set up, so now I feel I have given something back to our great industry, and two weeks ago I resigned for personal reasons.

And also glad you lot didn't see my ugly mug 

Andy

[Moderator David@stives]

Remember this competition is open to everyone.

You do not need to be a member to enter.

Dave

[Clive McDonald]

Perhaps you can't speak officially poleman, but will they be pushing for registration( i mean with local authorities) like the scotish are?

[JohnL]

''will they be pushing for registration''

I do hope not!

                                              --------------------


Good on you guys for putting in so much personal effort.

[Pj]

Website not working properly yet......

[DASERVICES]

Would have thought they would have had a stall at the Cleaning Show, all those window cleaners you could have signed up.

All the best guys.

Doug

[Paul Coleman]

That's good to here, I was a committee board member from the beginning and have seen many changes to get us up and running, it has been hard work and I think it can only be good news for us window cleaners that the FWC now have competition.

lot of their own money in putting this together

With time off for meetings (traveling, lost of earnings, fuel) and own money to set up, was over a thousand pounds, will I get this back! nope but glad I done my bit for the industry

For me personally has been hard work taking time out to drive up and down the country to meetings but glad APWC has now been set up, so now I feel I have given something back to our great industry, and two weeks ago I resigned for personal reasons.

And also glad you lot didn't see my ugly mug 

Andy

I don't need to.  I saw you in person    .  I'm the guy who someone stopped and asked me to take a picture for them on the way into Windex.  I guess I should have asked them if I could have taken one of you as well Andy    .
Seriously though I would like to thank you and the others for getting this sorted out.  I haven't decided what, if anything, I will be doing yet about membership of a Trade Association.  However, it's nice to know that there is now a choice (assuming either of them will have me).  If I do join one, it would more likely be the APWC.  Maybe it's not a good reason but they are based quite near to where I live.

[Neil Williams]

Thanks for all the positive comments.
No it hasn't been easy, yes it has been expensive in terms of our own business's but you guys asked for an organisation run by window cleaners for window cleaners, so now you've got one please make use of it.

Oh and I'm the good looking one out of the crowd 

[Rob_Mac]

Ive met Andy Cheney

Just be grateful there isnt a photo on there!!!!!!

Rob

[Helen]

website looking good. seems that a lot fo work has gone into setting this up, we have been crying out for this so lets all think seriously about joining up and make the changes this industry needs!

[Chris A]

Joined  last year, paid last year, as now there has been no benefits  at all, you may as well subscribe to the pwc magazine. Well done to all involved but it's not for me.
 Chris

[Neil Williams]

I will reply tomorrow but what benefits where you after, that you are not happy with?
If we aren't told then we can't take actions to correct.

[Tosh]

Joined  last year, paid last year, as now there has been no benefits  at all, you may as well subscribe to the pwc magazine. Well done to all involved but it's not for me.
 Chris

What do you expect from an association?  Cheap insurance?  Try shopping around.  Cheap equipment; ditto.

They can't 'magic' you more work!

I'd expect the following:

1.  To represent our views when dealing with government (I know the APWC did this during the water-shortage 'crisis').

2.  Honesty and transparancy (something which the FWC appears to be in short supply of).

3.  To make their organisation known to the general public (probably the toughest bit); but give them time.  (The FWC has been in exsistance since well before I was born, yet I know a window cleaner who hadn't heard of them.  He'd only been a window cleaner for over 20 years.)

4.  To be able to use their association's logo on all my stationery, so I can make my own business appear more professional (probably more than what it is).  Hopefully any facilities manager will have heard of the APWC, and with that on my letterhead, knows I'm a honest, insured and a professional window cleaner; and give me an edge on other tenders.

Anything else it provides is a bonus, plus the cost is tax-deductable.

[DASERVICES]

Agree with Tosh on No.3 in getting public knowledge so they only request that association because of its good reputation of its members. If you get that they are onto a winner.

A bit like Scotland ( Tosh's favourite bit of the world  ) in getting the licence recognised this will be the strongest selling tool for all window cleaners up here.

Doug

[Terry_Burrows]

The Nat fed has been going some 50 years and more,and still people have never
know of this so a new one has more than a mountain to climb

[Chris A]

Are you a member Tosh? I didn't expect work to magic it's self out of nowhere. Thats not why I joined.