Annual Dinner?

[Nick]

Whilst talking to other members concerning the Annual Dinner/Presentation it is becoming more evident that maybe JUST maybe we need a change in a small way.

This would be in the form of a Band/Disco after all the formaliities have been done. I and others think this would encourage greater ticket sales.

"Cycling widows and families" seem to be at a loss with the cross toasting and such like. I DO understand that this is part of the History of cycling and therefore it doesn't need to change. What I am trying to obtain is a general feeling with-in the Club towrds this.

Please also feel free to add any ideas you may also have too. I can then hopefully put this to the committee.

NOTE:- I am not trying to change the whole evening, just a bit of informal fun within the club. Being open to all members and their families.

[Marek]

Nick,

I went to the dinner a couple of years ago and got put off. Basically the toasting thing just gets out of hand and is actually more cringe worthy as opposed to being respectful or indeed amusing.

I would not have minded going along to the dinner again, but my wife point blank refused, as did a couple of other guys wives as well that went along.

I would therefore agree that some entertainment as soon as the formalities are over would be a good idea.


Cheers

Marek.....

[Snoop Doug]

Well done for sticking your head above the parapet on this one. Couple of thoughts:

Guest Speakers - I reckon this is dodgy territory, never really sure what you're going to get. Perhaps an alternative idea would be to hire a magician/card trick type person and have them wander table to table through the evening. Bit of fun and a good ice breaker?

The club could provide a results handout for the year. So basically it would show each event where an ACC person participated and how they did. I would be willing to pull this together by collating stuff from the forum and printing it off. You put one at every place on the tables - could provoke some conversations/reminiscing. This could have the effect of condensing the review of the year piece which for me feels like it goes on too long. Just focus on the key achievements maybe?

Formalities, whilst very necessary and quite appropriate at such an event, need to be brief. The best public speaking I hear is always succinct, regardless of the content and/or audience.

I'll put me tin hat on now.

Cheers - Snoop

[Snoop Doug]

[quote]Thank god she never went to last years

[George]

Believe me it's true after what happened last year thank god she didn't go

[Alex P]

As far as I'm aware nothing controversial happened it just was not very AWAG (Addiscombe wives and girlfriends) friendly.

As with previous posts my wife came once and not again.

Is the question raised by Nick initially one of do we try to make the format more AWAG friendly and a social event or accept that we don't and focus on the cycling and the Addiscombe CC year.

[jon avery]

I went to last years dinner with the girlfriend, and we both enjoyed the evening. Maybe a bit of music after wouldn't go a miss but i think we have to remember it is a cycling club dinner not a variety show.

[adrian]

Maybe we could get Jim Davidson in as guest speaker

[huw williams]

I've said it before and I'll say it again - the club dinner is no place to take a fancy lady

[jon avery]

Marco i reckon if you brought along some of those girls on your site it would be a sell out!! Also you could spin some tunes to get the place stomping (a whistle and glow stick on each place mat)!!

[Nick]

Marco you have hit the nail on the head. Prehaps I should rephrase the question to:-

Would more members and partners be encourged to go if somesort of entertainment was provided ie disco/music.

I used the partners as an example as this alone would generate at least 20 or so tickets.

The main feeling with members I have spoke to is that it needs SOMETHING to be done and I took it upon my self to be lined up and shot by all, as long as I got a genereal feeling from with in the club as to what could encourage more members to attend.

Feel free to put suggestions forward as to what would encourage more MEMBERS to ATTEND.

And as for partners encouragement my wife does encourage me, even though I only use the club as a social event weekly, for the amount of members I would imagine that a very high percentage use it for the same reason.......we all pay our membership.

[Jon H]

[size=200]FREE BAR[/size]

[Elliot M]

not to criticise those who organised it, but i think the bar was a problem this year - it opened very late indeed.

also, i haven't been for a couple of years, but thought the aerodrome food and ambience was better.

just a random idea but how about something like a roller racing invitational showdown? a race every 30 mins from 8 riders down to 1... in between more formal bits.

[Nick]

Jon that was an Idea given to me on Saturday.

No harm in putting it forward.

Thanks for your input.

[Alex P]

Another idea is to invite some of these energy drinks suppliers or bike shops to put a display up to add to the cycling theme of the evening. The incentive for them would be to have a captive audience of keen cyclists that might purchase their product (at some stage).

Obviously control it so that it does into a market place detracting from what the evening is about....