Society AGM Information, 20 April 2013

[Krizzy]

The 2013 AGM is being held on 20 April at ALL SAINTS PARISH HALL, Church Road, Rainford, St Helens, Merseyside from 10.00am -17.00pm.

For Sat Nav users the postcode is WA11 8HE. A map of the location appeared in the March 2013 issue of the 009 NEWS. Rainford village is off the A570 (Rainford By-Pass) on the B5203.

Carparking for exhibitors and traders is alongside the Hall. Early visitor arrivals will be able to fill any remaining places. There is full wheelchair access.

Overflow carparking is behind All Saints Church which is opposite the Hall. Access is gained by via a track between the churchyard and The Golden Lion pub, signposted 'Tennis Club'. Further parking alongside the GIRL GUIDE HALL which is 100 meters from the Parish Hall venue.

The Society AGM will take place, at a time to be determined by the Committee, in the GIRL GUIDE HALL. Members going to the AGM Meeting turn left when leaving the show for the short walk.

Roger

[Krizzy]

More AGM information

The 2013 AGM is now just over one week away. There will be up to 14 layouts in various scales and gauges but od course the majority will be in 009. There will be up to 14 traders plus the 009 Society second hand stall so do not forget your discount card.

The event will be opened by Pete Waterman.

As mentioned in my previous post parking at the Parish Hall is for exhibitors and traders. Visitors may be able to park in any remaining spaces but you are strongly advised to use the overflow car park behind the church. Access is at the end of the walled church yard up the side of the pub signposted 'Tennis Club'.

Disabled parking spaces. There are four disabled parking spaces immediately in front of the Hall on the left as you drive in. If you are a blue badge holder display it. If not you will be asked to move your car.

The ladies of the Parish Hall will be providing refreshments throughout the day. Bacon butties will be available, homemade soup and sandwiches. Tea, coffee and homemade cakes.

Unfortunately one of the traders booked will not be attending. Karen Rush, exquisite bespoke figures, has had to withdraw through ill health.

Roger

[Krizzy]

I have been informed from on high that the AGM meeting will begin at 2.00pm.

To remind everyone the meeting will be held in the local GIRL GUIDE HALL. It is situated a short walk away from the Parish Hall where the show is being held. This year both rooms in the Parish Hall are filled with layouts and traders with chairs and tables in the smaller room to enable visitors to relax and chat to friends, acquaintances etc with a cuppa and homemade cake.

Roger

[alan]

Thanks, Roger, for the information. I'm looking forward to it very much.  :)

[Krizzy]

Stan Williams has informed me that Paul Windle will be able to attend the AGM with his stand.

Roger

[berryr99]

Roger,

Very much looking forward to the show.

My brother isn't a society member but he is driving me to the show - he will be able to get in won't he ?

Thanks

Bob

[Krizzy]

Bob

Yes, he and anyone else will be able to get into the show but not the AGM meeting. That is for members only.

Roger

[Krizzy]

AGM Update

Earlier today Peter Hogarth phoned me to say he is unable to attend and bring along his 'Northumberland Lt Rly'. He has hurt his back and is in some discomfort. I am sure everyone will wish him well.

Stan has been able to arrange at short notice a replacement in the shape of Chris Tigwell and his WW1 layout from the local Rainhill club. I am now taking my little 3ftx2ft table top layout which is 'work in progress'. Alan Rogers will be bringing a display of American 'Slim Gauge'. Alan was a member of the Merseyside and South West Lancs Group back in the 1980's. We bump into him occasionally at shows so it will be nice to catch up with him and have a longer chat.

Roger

[Krizzy]

The feedback from yesterday's show and AGM has been very positive. Everyone who attended I spoke to or spoke to me said they were pleased to have been there. Many have said the whole atmosphere in the show was extremely convivial. Those of you who did not bother to travel to the show then shame on you. If for various reasons you could not have attended then you missed a good event. The furthest travelled visitor came from Maine, USA. Kevan, or Navek on the forums, is a long time friend and one could say he is a country member of the Merseyside brigade. It was good to see him again though with so much going on in the show really did not have much time to chat. Mick Thornton took many photos so in due course he will put them on his blog. Others who took photos please post them on here if you can.

Pete Waterman was invited to open the show and was impressed, especially when the ladies in the kitchen fell over themselves to make him a coffee. The ladies were lauded for providing excellent service with the refreshments.

From what Stan Williams has told me all the traders seem to do excellent business. One of whom told us he did more business in the first three hours than the whole of a two day show earlier in the year.

To those of you who attended the show Stan and I offer our sincere thanks for making the effort to come along and to make it such a good day.

Roger

[MickT]

It was indeed a splendid event Roger and my personal thanks to everyone who was involved in running the day - especially the lady who provided me with 2 cups of tea to go with the bacon toastie first thing!

I was the first to arrive in the very very early hours of Saturday morning (long irrelevant story) and was joined at about 0645 by Kevan from the USA. At 0700 a lady arrived to fire up the kitchen boilers and let us in out of the frosty morning. Kevan then proceeded to act as roadie for arriving stall holders and layouts! The lengths some people will go to in order to get in free!

I will indeed be putting up photos on my blog "in due course" - please be patient as I will have about 100 or so to post and it takes forever to make some of them presentable and to write the captions. First I have to get a dozen or so rounded up to send to our new Editorial team in order to get the report in the next issue of the News.

But for now, here is my impression of the show - oh yes there were some trains as well, which will feature in the full photo set when I have got a roundtuit!

Thanks again Merseyside & SW Lancs and the ladies of All Saints Church for a great day.

Pete Waterman opens the show - Chairman David Gander looks pleased, Exhibition Manager Stan Williams looks important. Garry Whiting and Rod Allcock provide rent-a-crowd


CAKE! 5 stars and thanks to the lovely ladies of All Saints Church, who made a fortune, but worked very hard indeed for it!


Gwen Reunion! In Railway Modeller June 1962 a fascinating 7.83mm gauge scratchbuilt Manning Wardle 0-4-4T loco was featured, built by the late Mr JD Bennett. 51 years later, the loco and other stock resurfaced and Garry Whiting managed to secure a loan of it for the show where Gwen was joined by 4 other replicas built by Paul Windle and detailed by current owners Garry, Stan Williams, Lee Bryant and Charlie Insley, who provided the location for the reunion on his super Maesog layout. Thanks and appreciation to Mrs Patricia Bennett and Mr Nigel Bennett for allowing this to happen.


More photos will appear on my blog as soon as possible!

Mick

[berryr99]

An excellent event which I thought was well managed and staged.

Nice variety of layouts to see and the bacon toasties were very tasty.

It was nice to meet up with old friends and to meet some new ones as well.

I've posted a general view of the hall - it was taken just as we were about to set off for the AGM so numbers are a little down on what they were during the rest of the show

Bob Berry

[berryr99]

I forgot to add my picture !

B.

[JulienW]

I have loaded a set of photos taken at Rainford to my Flikr account here. No captions sorry.

[Isle of Stoner]

Nice, thanks.

John W

[MickT]

My photo report of the AGM and Members Day at Rainford is now online and available for viewing via my blogsite at:
http://micksrovingreporter.blogspot.com/ . I hope you haven't forgotten what a good day out it was all that time ago! (well nearly 2 weeks anyway). I've posted a similar notice on NGRM-Online.

Mick