Ok firstly, please don’t shoot the messenger! I know we haven’t even lost the weight we gained over Christmas 2008 yet, so why on earth am I writing a post about Christmas 2009? The reason is simple…we want to have plenty of time to consider options for a Christmas celebration and at the planning meeting last night, we discussed considering options on this forum, so here is your starter for 10!
Return to Ufford Park for the 4th year - meal and sleepover.
Find another hotel for meal and sleepover - (Cambridge Belfry could be an accessible alternative?)
Host a xmas party in a hall with a catered buffet.
Link to Christmas drive and finish at a pub
Key points to consider will be whether we want to host an event which will involve drink OR driving?
This is not a definitive list, but simply some points to start thinking about. If we host a xmas party we could think about the entertainment…we could even write our own pantomine! What do you mean, ‘oh no we can’t…’ ‘oh yes we can!!’
It sounds like the format works, but maybe it’s worth trying another venue? People will in time get bored of the same thing however much FUN it is. I also think you’ll start to alienate people if things like ‘talent shows’ etc start to be the ‘norm’. You’ll not get new members come along as they’ll not want to come along for the first time and be ‘thrust into the limelight’. It starts to become a bit too ‘clicky’ and not something the Eastern Region has had a problem with.
Somewhere that’s good value for money and fairly central is probably the best bet, with the option to stay over if you wish.
The ‘credit-crunch’ (god I hate that phrase now) will not be helping with numbers though. I for one really wanted to come along, but couldn’t justify the cost of the meal and the travelling costs … that not a critisism of the arrangements, just my personal circumstances and probably the case for many others.
We have some good runs planned this year, and hopefully we’ll get back to how the Eastern Region used to be a year or so ago, which was just generally getting out and about and most importantly getting out in our cars and sharing an interest with like minded people. I think with the extra people we’ll get coming along this year numbers for the xmas ‘do’ when it comes along next year will be higher.
I think we are getting too caught up in the ‘entertainment’ - awards, videos, quizzes, raffles, talent shows etc. These take way too much time out of the evening.It is first and foremost a social event yet how much time at last year’s event was spent mingling with fellow members and how much was spent sat down at the tables. The entertainment should simply be a meal, a short AC speech and a disco in my opinion. Anything else could be contained at one of Jamie’s new-look monthly meets.
Regarding the venue - in retrospect i don’t think there’s anything that wrong with it, however i don’t thing we promoted the event particularly well either OR the attractions that the hotel has to offer as a way of attracting members. It has a spa and pool complex, golf course and driving range and is only a short drive to Suffolk’s heritage close including Aldebugh and Southwold. It is actually quite a good base for anyone wanting a relaxing weekend break.
A way to increase numbers and profile could be to ask invite of the neighbouring areas to join us and make it a joint end of year social bash. North Thames springs to mind and Ufford Park is probably as close for many of them as it is for some Eastern Region members who live in the Cambridge/North Norfolk area. That way, we would have bigger numbers and then be able to have one of the bigger function rooms (which possibly would have the accessibility problems). Perhaps if another Area was interested perhaps they could organise some sort of drive on the Saturday to end up at the hotel.
I agree with that Jon. That is why I did not come to the last one as Jennie felt very out of it the previous year. People would join in with a disco rather than just sitting at their allocated table.
Just a few short bits. Martin and Jamie already have some thoughts on this from me along with what we do with those who are not regular attendees at functions.
When I first went to an “ER Xmas Do” it was a sit down meal in a pub with a quiz and a few votes of thanks. Sue and I both enjoyed it. As the ER ambitions on making it “a bit special” have grown so to have expectations. Certainly the latest was a little bit of a magnum opus in terms of entertainment and required some stamina
So is the message that we get back to basics at the same or a similar location include a short review and update? After all if there are any new members they might like to have an idea on who is who and what we do (hmmmmm).
Location - well is it better the devil you know? Is there somewhere more centrally located that will serve as well or better at the right price? Do we rotate around the ERegion each year ?
Who do we invite outside of ER? Is there a danger we get too big and lose our informality with lots of others, also someone has to organise it!!!
Think I have probably managed to ask more questions than supply answers but there you go.
How about just a buffet with maybe just the Charity Raffle as a short distraction and the rest of the evening spent mingling and chatting. Some background music that we could turn up a bit as the evening progresses… I’m not to fussed about the venue.
I like this idea. It gives time to get to know people and new members if we can entice them to come along! Keep it simple, it might cut costs down too which has put people off over the last few years.
