Summary of membership survey results

We love yellow-eyed penguins!

Feedback from the recently completed membership survey shows that members support the trust because, “you love yellow-eyed penguins” and genuinely want to save them from extinction and contribute to their survival. Thank you for your valued support!

A big thank you to members who recently completed the membership survey. The Trust received nearly 700 completed surveys, which was far more than expected! The survey was sent out to a sample of the membership base including overseas members. The information received has given the Trust an opportunity to gain a better understanding of who you are, why you belong to the Trust, how long you have been members and how you like to receive information from the Trust, along with answers to a number of other questions.

A high percentage of members (72%) who responded to the survey indicated that they have belonged to the Trust for five or more years. The Trust is very fortunate to have such a loyal group of supporters and values the contribution that every member makes to the Trust.

We asked members how they found out about the Trust, and 56% of members who responded to the survey indicated that they found out about the Trust through the Mainland bar code redemption scheme. A total of 57% of members who completed the survey participate in the Mainland bar code redemption scheme, with Auckland respondents indicating that they participate the most (70% of the Auckland respondents said that they support the scheme). We would like to thank all of our members who support the Mainland bar code redemption scheme, as this provides the Trust with vital support for on going projects.

For those members who indicated that they did not know what the scheme is, it is an opportunity for New Zealand residents to contribute to saving yellow-eyed penguins by buying Mainland cheese or butter products. You collect ten bar codes, stick them onto a chart (which you can obtain by ringing 0800 CHEESE (243 373) and return your completed chart to “Save the Yellow-eyed Penguin, P O Box 411, Dunedin”. Mainland Cheese supports the Trust with funds from the bar code scheme, up to a limit of $50,000 per year, by donating $10 to the Trust for each completed chart. We know cheese has become more expensive in recent times so your support is truly appreciated, and it is going to a good cause.

Many members who responded to the survey indicated that they would like to continue receiving information from the Trust by post. However, some would like to receive information by email as a way of saving money and reducing print costs. We have recently sent a newsletter to members by post. We would like to introduce sending the next edition of the newsletter to those members who have provided an email address, by sending a pdf document or an html email newsletter.

Many members also indicated that they would like to see more colourful pictures of penguins in the newsletter. However, some members really do not want the Trust to spend more money on information/newsletters but rather on directly related conservation activities. We are looking into how we can best meet all of your needs.

You may find that we are able to put more information up on the website for those of you with internet access. Or we can continue to produce two main newsletters, one a colourful newsletter once a year, with the second newsletter as it normally appears.

Along with other feedback, we are looking into how we can make information more interesting for children. You also mentioned that you would like to have items or gifts that you can buy for friends or family or overseas visitors.
Nine lucky members who completed the survey won a Yellow-eyed Penguin Trust T-shirt or an eco-friendly bag!

Once again thank you for your valued support. Your feedback has been invaluable. We will continue to keep you up to date with any news on the Trust through our newsletters and the website and in the near future by email.

If you are interested in receiving information from the Trust via email and did not receive a membership survey to complete, please send us your email address to: yeptrust@gmail.com

Below are some of the comments which members who completed the survey provided, thank you again for your feedback.

• I am 85 years- thank you for giving me the chance to put my thoughts on paper for the trust after all these years, I didn’t realise I had been collecting bar codes for so long, there is no other cheese like Mainland, may it last
• We just love yellow-eyed penguins
• Think trust is fantastic and value the work by volunteers and organisation, staff
• Keep up the good work, conference was excellent and far reaching, love my t shirt, great design
• I like the newsletter, good mix of people and penguins, good to see volunteers and enthusiasm, which encourage sponsorship
• I have always been and still am fascinated by penguin species, am glad to have seen them in NZ and in Melbourne
• Thank you for your wonderful work; must check out website!
• Keep up the good work!
• Our daughter loves receiving the information and has a keen interest in penguins, thank you for letting her be a part of what you are running
• I enjoy the newsletters and read them cover to cover, articles on penguins and fieldwork are gratifying
• Our son is mad about penguins since we went to Kelly Tarltons at 13 months of age, he is five and a half now and understands where that small amount of money we send is going, keep up the great work
• You are doing a wonderful job, we would love to visit, they are such cute fuzzies
• I witnessed sea lions taking penguins off Cape Saunders, so I am concerned about population numbers
• I am 80 years old and very fond of penguins and appreciate all the Trust does to ensure their safety and their future
• Trust is doing a great job