Biggles I have been a member of the HCGB in the past for several years but apart from the excellent club magazine I felt not really included into the club unless, and I hate to say this, I owned a helicopter or am a wise age or minted. You are right Jeremy James puts an awful lot of work into the club.
For the "ordinary" professional I did not see much point in being a member.
The website was IMHO unused.
Now I am a member of another club totally unrelated to aviation and there everyone is made to feel very welcome no matter what personal circumstances.
I stress though this was my personal experience and I might just have been unlucky, but £55 was a bit steep for 4 Magazines.