Don’t panic! If the idea of becoming a director/consultant/advisor sounds no-no, weird, downright not for you, please read on.
Martin and Adrian are currently the only two directors of The Machine Zone and we’re looking to get more people on board who represent interests we’ve only little or no experience in.
You can give as little or as much time as fits with you.
You’d not be expected to do much at all! Maybe an online meeting every couple of months. Your ideas and experience are what are valuable. We’re fully aware that the two of us alone don’t begin to represent important parts of the work being done to prevent gambling harms. Or, see how it goes and maybe take on a bit more.
You may be in recovery or active in a recovery organisation, someone who’s interested in child protection. someone who feels they’re not being given a voice. You may be Andy Capp or Flo (Yes! Oldies welcome!), a professor or a student. We even welcome politicians 
. Perhaps you work in jobs that deal with gambling harms or the justice system or the health and social care system. Maybe you’d just like to show off to your mates by saying you’re a director!
As they say in all Special Offers, absolutely no commitment!
Join us on Tuesday and bale out on Wednesday if you like.
All we ask is that you have a genuine desire to help reduce gambling harms. How you think this is best done may well be open to disagreement which is spot on. We aren’t here to preach ‘the right way’ but to represent as many views and ideas as possible.
When we started out more than five years ago we were pretty clueless about running a company. We’re still learning every day. But the nuts and bolts, the bureaucratic requirements such as filling in forms every now and then for ‘them up there’ are simple and straightforward. Having to send accounts to Companies House and HMRC is a cinch because we only deal with a vey few £££ coming in and out.
The Machine Zone started out after Martin met Adrian (who knew nothing about gambling). Martin had been devastated by Fixed Odds Betting Terminals. We began to work with others to campaign to get the stakes on these machines in bookies reduced from £100 to £2. We set up a website Beat the Fix as part of this. In 2020 Martin got in touch with a film company and through thick and thin a brilliant film was made. One Last Spin has received great reviews and is being used first in online events not only in Scotland but abroad. We are determined soon to get the film out into community venues throughout Scotland. (Oh, even if you don’t want to be a director if you know of any local places that may be interested let us know!). To continue distributing the film we’re working with partner organisations and working on raising any funds needed.
We’ve also set up the Gambling Watch Scotland website which is pretty basic just now so we’re hoping to develop it.
You can read a sort of tongue-in-cheek history of The Machine Zone at Machine Zone History
If you would like to consider joinining us drop us a line at martinpaterson07@gmail.com or adrian@gamblingwatchscotland.org.uk
We would love to hear from you. We’ll answer any questions you have. Meanwhile, here are some details about what becoming a director entails, including the legal bits which in practice are formalities. If (as if!) we receive funding you’d have to agree to ‘sign off’ anything it’s spent on. If the company goes belly up for some reason a director is liable to pay the sum of one pound. For us, your directorship is essentially to act as advisor, consultant (e.g. about lived experience) and to bring new ideas, and maybe expand our reach with your own networks. (On the other hand if you’re a whizz at web design or fundraising you’d be our heroes!).
There is more here about becoming a director. Becoming a Director at The Machine Zone
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