RMweb Premium t-b-g Posted March 3, 2018 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 3, 2018 Sorry but just because you are a volunteer doesn't mean that you don't have legal and contractual responsibilities - or that you are immune to criticism. I've been a local councillor and secretary of a local football club - and had plenty of flak on both occasions! If unwise decisions are taken by people in authority they need to be held accountable - the fact they are volunteers is irrelevant. What do you mean by "held accountable"? Are you suggesting they should be made to personally cover any financial losses? Or just that they should be told that they got it wrong, in case they hadn't noticed? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rupertb Posted March 3, 2018 Share Posted March 3, 2018 Anyone know/estimated how many actually came through the door - were there more traders+stewards than punters ??? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cromptonnut Posted March 3, 2018 Share Posted March 3, 2018 The Guild really are shockingly poor at public information. Is it really too difficult to put a few words on the website? Another home goal. Only members matter. The rest of us do not. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cromptonnut Posted March 3, 2018 Share Posted March 3, 2018 reduced exhibition entrance charges for Guild events Kettering is the only one I can get to (and that's a 120 mile each way drive), the other shows are far too north to be viable for me. I'll stick with Reading I think. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
peter220950 Posted March 3, 2018 Share Posted March 3, 2018 (edited) The other major difference is that with Leamington the minute a comment was made on the thread an informative report, detailing a sequence of decisions based on carefully considered thought processes, was forthcoming, and as such fully understood. In such circumstances communication is the key, the Guild seem to be reluctant to interact with the Membership. As a member of both mentioned organisations I received many e-mails from my Club keeping me up to date with unfolding events, - nothing from the Guild, website information that was sparse and out of date and getting updates seemed like pulling teeth. Both organisations are run by volunteers, I suspect both shows had similar financial implications, both have websites, both have mailing lists of members, and both faced almost identical problems in a similar geographical area, it's how you use the tools that are available. - I don't see pages of ranting about Leamington, and I hope and believe that all of the Members stand right behind the decision. The Guild seem to have left a lot of members, traders and 'free riders' quite unimpressed. Peter Edited March 3, 2018 by peter220950 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators Phil Parker Posted March 3, 2018 Administrators Share Posted March 3, 2018 Please accept my apologies for not crediting the source of the information - the information was obtained from your exhibition thread on this forum and also the announcement on Phil Parkers daily blog which made specific reference to the campus being closed by the College Estates team, it is useful to see behind the scenes on how such decisions are made and was being used as an example of a good decision making process. I was one of the members prevented by the weather from getting to the club so wasn't aware of all the other background stuff. Having said that, the college's decision would still have gone on my blog posted edited late on Thursday evening. All other considerations leave space for those who want to boast how they would use a pack of huskies to visit any show just like the did in the terrible winter of '48. Quite frankly, any exhibition team doesn't need that sort of macho rubbish in the very difficult decision-making process. Ultimately, it's only model railways, nothing anyone should put themselves in danger for. This sort of thing isn't easy, if nothing else, you have a group of people who have put a load of effort in to organising a show over many months and then have to watch that go to waste because of a factor outside their control. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phill Dyson (onslaught832) Posted March 3, 2018 Share Posted March 3, 2018 Is there a spelling mistake in there somewhere??!! Isn't that one of yer mates on Western Thunder ? ;) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cromptonnut Posted March 3, 2018 Share Posted March 3, 2018 Anyone know/estimated how many actually came through the door - were there more traders+stewards than punters ??? I did read 75 visitors from a post on a facebook group, although this was just from a visitor. I don't know if official numbers will be released. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phill Dyson (onslaught832) Posted March 3, 2018 Share Posted March 3, 2018 On the Guilds forum anyone who is in any way critical of todays events is being 'slapped down' by those who perceive themselves as senior. Even a suggestion that someone independent of the hierarchy should review what has occurred appears to have been rejected by the ruling junta, so I suspect you are right. Erm...That would be me then ? (Like I give a toss) lol 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bgman Posted March 3, 2018 Share Posted March 3, 2018 I did read 75 visitors from a post on a facebook group, although this was just from a visitor. I don't know if official numbers will be released. I've just received the Official figure .... TWELVETY ! Tubs Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Oldddudders Posted March 3, 2018 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 3, 2018 Presumably the Guild has an AGM. If the membership feels the matter has been inadequately dealt with, the elected representatives will feel their hot breath. I do hope so. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
fezza Posted March 3, 2018 Share Posted March 3, 2018 Surprised if there was even 75! A lot of traders were wandering around as they had no customers. If I was a trader I'd be asking for my money back. It really needs another established club to start organising major O gauge gatherings. A bit of healthy competition wouldn't hurt at all. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators Phil Parker Posted March 3, 2018 Administrators Share Posted March 3, 2018 Presumably the Guild has an AGM. If the membership feels the matter has been inadequately dealt with, the elected representatives will feel their hot breath. I do hope so. And if the members are unhappy, they can presumably sack the exhibition team. After that the chairman can recruit a new team, I'm sure there will be a lot of volunteers 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cromptonnut Posted March 3, 2018 Share Posted March 3, 2018 Presumably the Guild has an AGM. If the membership feels the matter has been inadequately dealt with, the elected representatives will feel their hot breath. I do hope so. Only a few tend to turn up as it's held as part of one of the Northern shows which many people down south can't get to. There are no Guild events, and only a few area groups, in the south of the UK. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kernowtim Posted March 3, 2018 Share Posted March 3, 2018 Only a few tend to turn up as it's held as part of one of the Northern shows which many people down south can't get to. There are no Guild events, and only a few area groups, in the south of the UK.The AGM is held at the September guildex show in Telford, a reasonably central location!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-UnitMad Posted March 3, 2018 Share Posted March 3, 2018 The AGM is held at the September guildex show in Telford, a reasonably central location!!I expect that being north of Watford, it counts as part of 'The North' for Southerners. Passports at the ready, please... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium wagonbasher Posted March 3, 2018 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 3, 2018 And if the members are unhappy, they can presumably sack the exhibition team. After that the chairman can recruit a new team, I'm sure there will be a lot of volunteers </sarcasm>I don’t think there is a need for a new team even if candidates were available. Hi Phil I don’t blame the society for a poorly attended exhibition. Event disrupting snow is not common in a 21st century winter let alone march. The no insurance thing is forgivable given the ‘unlikleyhood’ of it happening, it’s not happened before, lesson for the future. poor comms is poor. It’s about skills and understanding. This is important and the GOG need to learn this. Forums, the web site and RMweb are incredibly powerful tools. Good communications is important for event promotion, explaination, and engagement with your customers. The group must control the communication ( that means commenting, explains and responding) . Fail to do this and the rest of us fill in the gaps and have field day like they did here today. What I personally consider unforgivable is the ‘free rider’ accusation (untrue and irrelevant) the claim that ex members are nob heads and no further apology for these rude (at best) statements. The society needs to either retract those insulting claims or explain to us why the individuals were not representing them he societies views. silance can be seen as agreement. Andy 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kernowtim Posted March 3, 2018 Share Posted March 3, 2018 This certainly wasn't the guilds finest hour!! Lets hope lessons can be learnt from the experience. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cromptonnut Posted March 3, 2018 Share Posted March 3, 2018 The AGM is held at the September guildex show in Telford, a reasonably central location!! A 300 mile round trip for me, hardly a day out distance. As for those in the south west, well... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold chris p bacon Posted March 3, 2018 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 3, 2018 What I personally consider unforgivable is the ‘free rider’ accusation (untrue and irrelevant) the claim that ex members are nob heads and no further apology for these rude (at best) statements. The society needs to either retract those insulting claims or explain to us why the individuals were not representing them he societies views. silance can be seen as agreement. Unless I missed something I was under the impression they were individuals comments rather than from the Guild. The Guild hasn't covered itself in glory, but it can't be held responsible for individuals comments made on public forums in their own name. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Happy Hippo Posted March 3, 2018 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 3, 2018 Then about six hours later it came, a response from a self confirmed GOG committee member happy hippo No apology No explanation No retraction Andy, You are reading something that is not there. At no point did I ever say I was a member of the G0G committee. I merely said I joined a committee. (It was our local model railway club.) So it would have been improper of me to apologise explain or retract something over which I have no influence or control. The point about the committee was very much tongue in cheek, and should have been seen as a mildly amusing contradiction in the way that peoples attitudes change as they swop sides of the clubroom. It was lobbed in Chris's (2MS) general direction and by his reply which directly followed my post was not in the least offended. Do I warrant an apology for being accused of something I'm not? 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold chris p bacon Posted March 3, 2018 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 3, 2018 You are reading something that is not there. At no point did I ever say I was a member of the G0G committee. I merely said I joined a committee. That's how I read it and understood it, having served on Committees myself. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sir douglas Posted March 3, 2018 Share Posted March 3, 2018 probably one of the quietest shows ive ever attended, if i was able to drive, i would never attend it at the distance from me to travel and the pre show build up on this thread didnt help my confidence in the show either, but since i was hitching a ride with a friend also attending, i went, ive been a member about 3 or 4 years and had a look into the forum back then but it just didnt quite look like it had the same kind of lively community worth contributing to as we have here and ive only gone back on it in the last few days to see the show thread, At the show, on the way in before the show opened there was a bus stuck in the snow and ice spinning its wheels on the wrong side of the road at an angle, and we had to mount he opposite pavement to get round it with less than an inch to spare, the bring and buy stand was predictably very quiet, many people turned there noses up at the 2 4F's just because they are lima, they were modified by a skilled modeller Ray Clasper and are great reliable runners, it was dis heartening listening to people rejected good cheap models just because they are of a lesser quality as if they are some elite that only allow the best, where as i go under the doctrine that it doesnt matter quite as much what it looks or sounds like as long as it runs well. my 2 mains purchases were postponed due to the traders not being there and that is perfectly fine and understandable they are snowed in but i do really feel for the traders that have made a loss, little or no profit with no apology, if the guild doesnt learn its lesson from this, if it happens again, the only way to make them see would be to boycott the show but that only works if everybody does it which would be very unlikely i havent yet seen for myself properly all of this elitism and people often talk of about the guild as i grew up with friends that are (were i.e. passed away) brilliant people but also guild members and its only in these last 3 years ive been attending guild shows maybe i should get in on the guild forum and share my workbench where theres not a single etched brass kit in sight and show them some real modelling 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bezzy Oppo Posted March 3, 2018 Share Posted March 3, 2018 I think you may wish to re-visit those last two paragraphs... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Kirk Posted March 3, 2018 Share Posted March 3, 2018 Hi, Not the Guild's finest hour . I should say at the start that I am not posting here in any official capacity. I hold a minor role in the Guild management . I am the Area Representative for Scotland on the Guild Council but have no specific authority to post here. Having read through the thread I feel that someone ought at least say something. Problem with an organisation with deep roots in the past is getting it to update or accept something new. Collectively the management are not enthusiastic about electronic discussion groups, forums etc. even our own. I suspect therefore that in what grew into a crisis in the last few days using the valuable resource of RMWeb and similar as a means of getting information out did not occur as the first choice. I am sure that Council will be looking at a lot of things in coming weeks but communication will be high on the list and I hope that should anything similar happen in future we will use all avenues to get information out. I posted elsewhere that the Guild may not have as much influence in Railway Modelling as it thinks it has but it certainly has no influence at all over the weather. Which was the real culprit here. I apologise for anything that we may have got wrong over the last few days. I am not aware of anyone having authority to post critical comments on non members so if anyone has taken offence it should not be with the Guild. Area reps try to recruit among non members so offending them would hardly be Guild policy. So an apology from at least one Guild member with a promise that I at least will try to get things better. With my other hat on (as a Trader) I am just glad that my representatives are safe back home. They telephoned the report that there were few sales as there were not a great many through the door. I will be interested to hear the official figure and how other Traders fared. best wishes, Ian 9 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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