Important Membership Update for 2026: Aligning Our Records and Securing Your Grandfathered Rate

Important Membership Update for 2026: Aligning Our Records, Securing Your Grandfathered Rate & Preparing for the Future

Posted: 17 March 2026 By the ASSAP Membership Team

Over the past few weeks, we’ve been carrying out a full audit of our membership records — something that hasn’t been done in a very long time. We’ve cross-checked every source of information, audited our mailing lists, and verified who receives the postal copy of Seriously Strange magazine. It’s been a tedious but essential piece of work, involving many late nights, and we’re now bringing everything into much closer alignment.

Some records had drifted out of sync (a natural result of manual processes over decades), and this clean-up ensures we can deliver the excellent service you deserve while we prepare for the membership changes announced in December. 

Why We’re Doing This Now

Two main reasons sit behind the scenes:

1. Our payment processor (Access Paysuite) — They need 14 clear days to update accounts with new rates, graphics and Direct Debit forms. By acting now we stay ahead of that curve and avoid any disruption when the new pricing structure takes effect on 1 May 2026.
2. Mailing-list and record accuracy — webinar invites, enews, notifications and other member communications actually get to them, and that no one is left off the list by mistake and vice versa.
3. Seriously Strange Magazine – We want to make sure everyone who should receive Seriously Strange, does. Learning from experience.  

Grandfathered Rates — Your Opportunity to Lock in the Current Price

As a thank-you to our loyal existing members, we’re honouring the current “grandfathered” rates for anyone who renews or updates their membership by Sunday 29 March 2026:

For example, Postal/Physical Membership (UK): still £20 per year (£15 concession for under-21s, over-60s or unwaged) 
These are the same friendly rates you’ve enjoyed for over 20 years! 

The new rates (£40/£30 postal, £20 digital) will apply to any new or lapsed sign-ups from 1 May onwards.

Direct Debit Members — Important Timing Note
 

If you pay by Direct Debit, the next collection date after we process your update will be 1 May or 15 May. To keep the grandfathered £20/£15 rate, please complete your update before the 29 March cut-off. So there is an option to choose April.  
Any Direct Debit processed after that date (or after Paysuite’s system update) will be taken at the new higher rate. 

How to Update or Renew Your Membership Right Now

Some people will have received a email from the Treasurer/Membership with some personalised links to update your renewal details quickly and easily. 

If you haven’t seen it (or want to renew at the same time), here are the steps:

1. Follow your chosen option below. 
2. Log in or start a new renewal — you can pay by Direct Debit (recommended for UK members) or PayPal.
   • Direct Debit setup link:Join via Direct Debit (UK) → Secure, recurring payment via Access Paysuite
3. Address, email, concession status (if applicable) 
4. You’ll receive confirmation within a few days (everything is still manually processed by our small volunteer team). 

Joint memberships: Add the second person’s details after the main signup. Questions or need help? Just reply to the email you received or contact the Membership Team via the contact form.
 

What You’ll Continue to Enjoy at the Grandfathered Rate

Everything that makes ASSAP membership such an extraordinary value remains exactly the same:

• Printed copies of Seriously Strange magazine delivered to your door (we’re increasing frequency to 3–4 issues per year - 2 physical / 2 digital is our aim for 2026/2027, incorporating Journal-style material into the publication.) 
• Full digital access to the Members’ Area (20+ years of catalogue, issues of Seriously Strange, its earlier predecessor, Investigators Bulletin, and we have more content we are intending to add in the coming months from our archives.
• Paranormal Webinars LIVE (≈50 per year) with Q&A, conversation
• Access to accredited Investigator training (AAI & ARI) 
• Early-bird conference tickets, awards, research grants and the chance to get involved in governance

Final Reminder

Sunday 29 March 2026 is the deadline to secure your current £20/£15 postal or £5 digital rate. After that, the new pricing applies.

Thank you for your patience while we tidy everything up — this audit will make a huge difference to accuracy and efficiency. Your continued support at whatever level is what keeps serious, evidence-based anomalous research, providing platforms for content publication alive. 

Questions? Drop them in the comments below or email us directly. We’re here to help.

Stay curious, The ASSAP Team

(This post will also be shared on our socials with a shorter summary and link back here.)

International Individuals can renew/take an Overseas membership with our International Associate Membership, which is in effect very similar to the albeit e-membership without the ability to vote in AGM; it does provide access to webinars, content, publications and the broader aspects of ASSAP, and this is processed by Paypal.

Any queries and questions, we will do our very best to answer and solve. 

Membership@assap.ac.uk and Treasurer@assap.ac.uk