Send as mass mail removed from free v8?

We are a local UK walking group charity and have been using eM Client free v7 for some time. We have always used the mass mail feature on global group emails to avoid sharing everyone’s email address with everyone else.

Someone else intends to take over the email function and so I have set up the current free v8 on their computer. At mass mail time it now tells me that the function is only available on the Pro subscription.

The question ‘has it been removed’ seems self-evident. But, can I install old v7 and continue to use that without updating/upgrading and retain the mass mail function? Or do I need to abandon a fabulous bit of software for an alternative? Or, of course, pay the subscription.

I have finally succumbed to the constant Update message to free V8 this morning, but find that the Send as mass mail option has gone. This annoys the hell out of me, as it is something that was of real value to my club activities. Can the BCC option take it’s place? If somebody has used this for a mass mail can they please respond.

This is a duplicate of your question asked at:

Please don’t duplicate the question in multiple threads.

Hi Gary, sorry about that, but I wrote this first, but then thought I should raise it as a separate query myself. Won’t do again.