It was clear as day on the email I had that it was the old direct debit being cancelled and not the new one. A generational thing I guess!!

I normally cancel my annual direct debit anyway after about three months, purely because it's easy to forget when it's due. I was actually charged twice a few yrs ago, but I'll live with that.
The emphasis going forward will be on MONTHLY direct debits, which will then presumably just keep running permanently once people come onto the new membership & donation framework.
The only problem I can envisage is with people who for whatever reason do not want the monthly commitment and whether there'll be any other way of securing a membership WITHOUT that commitment......even if it IS only £5 a month, some may not want it that way.