BVWS has long experience of organising swapmeets and auctions and is very aware of the pitfalls, responsiblties etc, so I think it's inevitable that if they were to be involved in any event at all, it would be on their terms, but Mark R would know better than anyone about this, from having organised the Golborne and former Lowton Swapmeets as BVWS events.
For non-BVWS events, Chas Miller has successfully organised his 'Radiophile' events for decades, often in locations which can only be described as odd, if not bizarre - for example, Cowbit, on the outskirts of Spalding. If you stuck a pin in the map and drew a forty mile radius, you'd count more cabbages than chimney pots, but still people travel many miles to be there. If you stick a pin in Sheffield and draw a 2-Hr travelling radius radius, it encompasses an area f high population density, which would include Barnsley, Rothermam, Doncaster, Nottingham, Derby, Leeds, Bradford, Huddersfield, Halifax etc etc. It's not for nothing that 'Medowhell' is where it is. It's because of this high population density that I beleive that the Peak National Park is the second most visited national park in the world, behind Mount Fuji in Japan.
So I don't think there would be any shortage of visitors to an event hosted in that locality - quite the reverse. The difficulty I think, would be gearing up with enough volunteers to cope, and meeting the expectations of visitors, who expect to be able to park ten yards from the door, to be fed and watered, and generally looked after. (Directions, SAT NAV info and so on). Then there are issues such as public liabilty insurance, tables for traders, bring and buy, disabled access, electricty supplies etc. There are financial risk involved too.
Such an event needs months of planning, and getting people to commit to taking tables, publicity etc. I don't wish to sound negative, but I think that the other option you suggest Joe - a more low key 'open house swapmeet' would be a wiser starting point and I'm sure that there are already enough forum members who've already expressed an interest to make such an event a resounding success! Maybe we should call it 'Joe's Jolly':-)
Even though it wouldn't be a BVWS event, maybe Mike Barker, BVWS Chairman, would at least agree to supply some of the BVWS stock of cheapo radios which he takes to places such as Golborne and gets rid of in very short order for prices between £2.00 - £5.00. BVWS is bursting at the seams with them.
I love these events, so from a purely selfish point of view, I hope that if you do firm up on this Joe, you try to avoid the weekend of 25/26 Feb as it's a rather special anniversary for this household!
For non-BVWS events, Chas Miller has successfully organised his 'Radiophile' events for decades, often in locations which can only be described as odd, if not bizarre - for example, Cowbit, on the outskirts of Spalding. If you stuck a pin in the map and drew a forty mile radius, you'd count more cabbages than chimney pots, but still people travel many miles to be there. If you stick a pin in Sheffield and draw a 2-Hr travelling radius radius, it encompasses an area f high population density, which would include Barnsley, Rothermam, Doncaster, Nottingham, Derby, Leeds, Bradford, Huddersfield, Halifax etc etc. It's not for nothing that 'Medowhell' is where it is. It's because of this high population density that I beleive that the Peak National Park is the second most visited national park in the world, behind Mount Fuji in Japan.
So I don't think there would be any shortage of visitors to an event hosted in that locality - quite the reverse. The difficulty I think, would be gearing up with enough volunteers to cope, and meeting the expectations of visitors, who expect to be able to park ten yards from the door, to be fed and watered, and generally looked after. (Directions, SAT NAV info and so on). Then there are issues such as public liabilty insurance, tables for traders, bring and buy, disabled access, electricty supplies etc. There are financial risk involved too.
Such an event needs months of planning, and getting people to commit to taking tables, publicity etc. I don't wish to sound negative, but I think that the other option you suggest Joe - a more low key 'open house swapmeet' would be a wiser starting point and I'm sure that there are already enough forum members who've already expressed an interest to make such an event a resounding success! Maybe we should call it 'Joe's Jolly':-)
Even though it wouldn't be a BVWS event, maybe Mike Barker, BVWS Chairman, would at least agree to supply some of the BVWS stock of cheapo radios which he takes to places such as Golborne and gets rid of in very short order for prices between £2.00 - £5.00. BVWS is bursting at the seams with them.
I love these events, so from a purely selfish point of view, I hope that if you do firm up on this Joe, you try to avoid the weekend of 25/26 Feb as it's a rather special anniversary for this household!
Regards, David.
BVWS Member.
G-QRP Club Member 1339.
'I'm in my own little world, but I'm happy, and they know me here'
BVWS Member.
G-QRP Club Member 1339.
'I'm in my own little world, but I'm happy, and they know me here'
