Mega 2012 - SE England - Olympics

[Simply Paul]

As discussed at 'the other place', a committee will be putting together plans for an Olympics-linked Mega event not too far from London (1hour? Perhaps Brighton?), for the week ahead of the opening ceremony. I'm starting this thread to gather ideas here. I'm all ears

[RuberyBlue]

This is a big opportunity to hold a Mega event with a very large international presence!!

What are the chances of Groundspeak contributing resources to the event? Not cash, more constructive contributions such as key attendees, sponsor attendees, pre event build up challenges, competitions?

I think the advertising needs to start asap so you can gauge responses for attendance and therefore get an idea of the venue size required.

The usual problems of transport and accomodation will rear their heads, especially with it being in the south east, one week before an Olympics! Would it be worthwhile considering a number of mini events at the same time around the country for those who are less inclined to travel to Brighton, it needs to be inclusive. Don't forget, many of the teams/ families etc will be located elsewhere within the country - the US and Jamaica track & field teams will be based in Birmingham.

Mega Scotland have issued a series of Geocoins in the last 12 months, not sure how successful these have been financially, but I'd like to see a series of coins issued over a 12 month period. Perhaps pre-advertise a series of 12 on the theme of olympic events or UK venues or ???

RB
KRO!

[Brenin Tegeingl]

This is a genuine concern that I and many others have. Do you believe that the UK community can support 2 Megas, not only within the same year, but within a short period of each other.


The active Megas and the follow up ones, are planned to fit into that small window when the England/Wales School Holidays overlap with the Scottish school holidays.

The Olympics start at the beginning of the England/Wales school Holidays. so any period before that is in School time.


Only the North West Mega Committee who have been planning a 2012 Mega and have been fund raising for months. And are actively discussing venues.

It would be best if you at least discussed this with them, especially as I don't believe any of them are active on this forum. Lets avoid a situation of 2 UK Megas going pear shaped.

Mega Status is a privilege given by Groundspeak at their discretion. And can be taken away as well as given. If they believe a event does not warrant that special icon it will be removed, and has happened.


Dave

[RuberyBlue]

It would seem there needs to be a little more control over these events

I know this years is in Scotland
I assume next years is in Wales? but don't know that for a fact
Am only aware of the 2012 proposals based on SimpyPaul's initial post, followed by Mancunain's response.

Would it not make more sense for GAGB to co-ordinate these, not control or make decisions but to be a central repository for Mega requests? So if you want to propose a venue for 2013 the official channel for announcing it etc is the GAGB?

RB
KRO!

[keehotee]

It would seem there needs to be a little more control over these events

I know this years is in Scotland
I assume next years is in Wales? but don't know that for a fact
Am only aware of the 2012 proposals based on SimpyPaul's initial post, followed by Mancunain's response.

Would it not make more sense for GAGB to co-ordinate these, not control or make decisions but to be a central repository for Mega requests? So if you want to propose a venue for 2013 the official channel for announcing it etc is the GAGB?

RB
KRO!

No!

The GAGB are impartial, non-partisan, unaffiliated, and deal with ALL geocaching organisations in the UK.
The Mega events are very much a Groundspeak/Geocaching.com thing, and to take on this sort of role would affect our neutrality. (Just my opinion - in a WWII, Switzerland kind of way...)

[RuberyBlue]

No!

The GAGB are impartial, non-partisan, unaffiliated, and deal with ALL geocaching organisations in the UK.
The Mega events are very much a Groundspeak/Geocaching.com thing, and to take on this sort of role would affect our neutrality. (Just my opinion - in a WWII, Switzerland kind of way...)

I find this constant approach to every suggestion very frustrating, GAGB seems to have a 'hands tied' approach to everything which basically means the GAGB can't do anything! Can someone tell me what the GAGB can do?

RB
KRO!

[martybartfast]

I'm with Dave on this. While I'd be quite happy to see a Mega on my doorstep in the south east I do think there's a danger of watering down the support and ending up with neither of the two 2012 events reaching the numbers. Although there will be a "lot of furriners coming over ere" for the Olympics, I wonder how many of them will be geocachers, how many of those geocachers will be here a week early, and how many of those will have a free slot in their calendar to attend an event.

As for the tangential question re the GAGB having a hand in the event, it's really nothing to do with them (or anyone else), if someone wants to organise an event of any kind.

[*mouse*]

It would seem there needs to be a little more control over these events

I know this years is in Scotland
I assume next years is in Wales? but don't know that for a fact
Am only aware of the 2012 proposals based on SimpyPaul's initial post, followed by Mancunain's response.

RB
KRO!

This was all discussed last year on the Groundspeak forums, which get more way more visits than this one.

It is generally agreed that one committee wont start advertising their mega until the next one is over. So you won't hear Wales talk in any detail about their event until August next year. Likewise with the NW committee wont 'advertise' until 2011.

If you want to know what's lurking in the way of events etc, it's definately worth dipping into the regional forums and visiting the larger regional events
Very few people use this forum these days, so it doesn't really give you an overview of what is going on out there.

GAGB is more for landowner permissions and general guidance than anything else. A resource to dip into when you need it - it doesn't oversee caching in the UK or anything like that and it's not there for the social side of caching.

[nobbynobbs]

I find this constant approach to every suggestion very frustrating, GAGB seems to have a 'hands tied' approach to everything which basically means the GAGB can't do anything! Can someone tell me what the GAGB can do?

RB
KRO!

If you can explain how we could actually control an activity such as a mega and prevent any one group from doing something that is their legal right to do so, then I'd be very interested to know.

The alternative is that we sit here getting all frustrated telling people what they can and cant do and getting told to sod off on a regular basis.

We act to help support caching within the uk and co ordinate permissions and to encourage best practice etc. not try to control something that we have no power over.

[muttoneer]

Only the North West Mega Committee who have been planning a 2012 Mega and have been fund raising for months. And are actively discussing venues.

It would be best if you at least discussed this with them, especially as I don't believe any of them are active on this forum.

I'm on the 2012 NW Committee... I'd consider myself more of a lurker here than an active member of these forums, but I'm here!

It's true, plans in the NW are progressing nicely. Our fundraising is going very well and we have a shortlist of venues which we're going to be visiting over the next couple of months in an attempt to choose the best one.

As *mouse* has mentioned we deliberately don't want to be too high profile at this stage out of respect for the Perth and South Wales committees. I announced our 2012 plans on the Groundspeak forum and the NW Caching site - I should have stated them here too, sorry

Even though the NW has firm plans for 2012 we wouldn't want to stand in the way of a London event, but as a word of caution having more than one "UK Mega" during the short window of the UK summer holidays does seriously risk one or both of them failing and either not getting the magic 500 attendees or making a huge loss.

Happy to discuss the issue further here, or privately if you prefer

[Mrs Blorenge]

Just for info...

I think that the south Wales Mega team first publically announced their intentions to organise the 2011 Mega somewhere in south Wales at the Weston-Super-Mare Mega last year.

The actual location for the south Wales Mega 2011 is to be announced at the south Wales event on Saturday, 1st May.