Shed Notices

Many members will by now have received the May mailing confirmed in yesterday’s Shed Notice, including the 2021 National Show Guide.  If you’ve had time to glance through it, you’ll have seen that the majority of the hobby’s traders will participate along with a large and varied assortment of layouts.  England moves to Step 3 of the government’s COVID-19 RESPONSE− SPRING 2021 plan on Monday 17^th May, removing any remaining doubt that the show will go ahead.

Stewards are needed for setup on Friday 25^th June and during the show on Saturday 26^th June.  You don’t have to be there for opening time and we have a range of duties for all ages and abilities.  As a steward, you’ll get free all-day entry to the Show and vouchers to redeem at the refreshment facilities at the Show.  Please contact Paul Kidger at stewarding@16mm.org.uk and let him know when you’re available and whether you’ve any preferred duties or limits on what you can do to help.

The Show is at present scheduled over two sessions.  This restriction may be lifted if the government’s ambitions for Step 4 of the COVID-19 RESPONSE− SPRING 2021 take place as scheduled on 21^st June.  Please keep a close eye on Shed Notices and Show News for updates arising from the government’s announcement on Monday 14^th June covering the changes in Step 4.  Further information is also available in the Chairman’s Column in the May 2021 issue of SMT.

Finally, please may I remind you that regardless of any changes to restrictions from 21^st June, entry to the 2021 National Show and use of the shuttle bus from Peterborough railway station to the Arena will remain all ticket sold in advance, to fulfil NHS Test and Trace requirements.  Tickets can be bought online here.  There will be no tickets sales on the day.  The closing date for online tickets sales is 09:00 Thursday 24^th June.

Alan Regan, Chairman & Membership Secretary

The May mailing of SMT, Bulletin, the 2021 National Show Guide and a book of ten raffle tickets for the Grand Draw is scheduled for collection by Royal Mail from Warners Midlands in Bourne today, 14^th May.  The entire mailing to UK and overseas residents will be collected at the same time.

This is our first mailing using a paper enclosure, which is more widely recyclable than the poly wrap used in the past.  The picture to the left shows our mailing being wrapped this morning and this link shows the process in action.

Mailing to UK members is First Class, so packages will start to arrive from Saturday 15^th.  Some difficulties persist due to Coronavirus.  Information for the UK can be found here.

Mailing to overseas members is by Air Mail, but delivery times are still affected by the pandemic.  Further information regarding mailing to addresses outside the UK can be found here.

SMT, Bulletin and the National Show Guide will be available on our Members Only web site from 09:00 on Saturday 15^th May.  If you haven’t received an invitation to activate your account on the site, or can’t find it, please email members.site@16mm.org.uk providing your surname, membership number and post code and we’ll send an invitation as soon as we can.

Thanks to editors Gareth Jones (SMT) and Dave Gordon (Bulletin and the National Show Guide) for their work.  Thanks also to all the members who contributed to what I hope will again be an enjoyable read.

Alan Regan, Chairman & Membership Secretary

Many of you will be aware from Association social media that Geoff Munday sadly passed away peacefully on Tuesday 30th March.  His wife Edith, and children Neil and Diane, were by his side.

Geoff was a prominent and highly respected Association member and supplier in the guise of LightLine.  There can be few in the hobby who have not seen his work – many of us have examples of his craft.  Some may therefore want to participate remotely in his private funeral, which will take place on Tuesday 20th April at 10 am.

Funeral webpage: https://www.dignityfunerals.co.uk/funeral-notices/30-03-2021-geoffrey-munday/

If you’d like to join on the 20th , please contact Geoff’s daughter Diane by email at dianecarolyn@yahoo.com before Sunday 18th April.

Geoff’s family have requested family flowers only.  Donations are welcomed to Marie Curie, whose nurses helped ensure that Geoff received the best care possible at home.  Please make any donations via Geoff’s funeral webpage, hosted by the family’s Funeral Directors:

https://www.dignityfunerals.co.uk/funeral-notices/30-03-2021-geoffrey-munday/

Alan Regan, Chairman and Membership Secretary

We are launching our appeal for Stewards for this year’s National Garden Railway Show at the Peterborough Arena on June 26^th.  As usual we need volunteers to help with the setting up of the Show on Friday 25^th June and on Saturday 26^th June, the day of the Show.

On the Friday, setting up starts at 08:00 and carries on until about 18:00. For this we need a whole range of skills and abilities (standing-up, sitting-down and walking-around jobs).  Then on the Saturday, we start at 07:00 with completing the setting up before the big moment when the visitors are admitted, this year at 09:30.

Stewards are required at all times on both days.  You are not obliged to turn up at the opening times.  As usual we have many exciting job opportunities for all ages and abilities.  This year, having a good supporting team of stewards will be more important than ever to make the Show a success, despite the difficult times.

As a volunteer, you will get free all-day entry to the Show, even though the Show will have to be in two separate sessions. So please contact me at stewarding@16mm.org.uk and let me know when you will be available and if you have any preferred duties or restrictions.

Paul Kidger, Chief Steward

Online sale of tickets for the National Garden Railway Show 2021 will open at 09:00 on Monday 29th March.  I would like to draw these points to your attention:

• The show is taking place across two separate sessions, the first from 09:30 to 13:00 and the second from 13:30 to 17:00.  You will need to select a ticket for the session of your choice.  Tickets for one session cannot be used for the other session.
• We are streamlining entry so that you can maximise your time spent enjoying the show.  You will be admitted straight into the main hall as soon as you have cleared the entry booths, all of which will be in use.
• Numbers are limited to 750 950 visitors per session to comply with government restrictions on indoor events.
• We anticipate that the measures described by the UK government to stop the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19), listed here, will still be in place when the show takes place.  These include the need to keep a safe distance where possible and to wear a face covering unless you have an exemption from doing so.
• If having purchased a ticket you are subsequently unable to attend the show because you have been asked by NHS Test and Trace to self-isolate as part of prevailing coronavirus (COVID-19) measures, you will be offered a full refund of the entry ticket price paid.

Visit our online shop from 09:00 on 29th March to purchase your tickets.

Alan Regan, Chairman and Membership Secretary

Reminders will be sent out later today to members who have not yet renewed their subscription for the new membership year and for whom we store an email address.

If you wish to act on the reminder, please take time to read the instructions provided, which are divided into three sections.  The first is for members who have joined online or renewed online in the past, the second is for those who haven’t used the online renewal system in the past, and the last is for members who wish to renew over the phone or by cheque.

If you renew online, depending on the screen size you use, you may need to scroll down to find the renewal option that you want.  Please also pay particular attention to what you select.  If you see a NEW subscription in your shopping basket as opposed to a subscription RENEWAL, you are about to pay £3 extra to renew for the coming year.  Please go back, empty your basket, review the instructions and start again.  This has affected less than 1% of renewals this year and it won’t happen if the instructions are followed.  Remember also that you can change the type of membership subscription if what you’ve had in the past no longer meets your needs.  You can also take out a Direct Debit to renew your subscription if you wish.

If you have queries or difficulty, please contact Warners at 16mmNGM@warnersgroup.co.uk or at the phone number in the email.  If after two working days you haven’t received or aren’t satisfied with the response, please contact me at membership@16mm.org.uk.

Alan Regan, Chairman & Membership Secretary

The Board met yesterday between 10:00 and 13:00 via Microsoft Teams.  We were joined by George Sheppard, who has joined the management team as Web Content Editor.  George has a background in IT and we’re confident that he will be an asset to the team and that his support will enable us to move various initiatives forward.  And at a stroke we reduced the average age of the management team by a significant number of years!  It’s good to have new, younger blood in our ranks, thanks and welcome George.

Preparation for the National Show on Saturday 26^th June was of course a topic for discussion.  We’d like to make members aware of the following:

• Starting Monday 1^st March, we will be contacting all who hold a paper ticket for the 2020 show, to ascertain which of the two sessions they’d like to attend at the 2021 show. This will be by email for most, but by letter for the few for whom we have no email address.
• Starting Monday 8^th March, we’ll do the same for those who bought tickets online for the 2020 show. Contact will be by email only.
• Starting Monday 29^th March, we will open for online ticket sales for the 2021 show, making available as many tickets as are left after allocation based on the two points above.
• A form to request show entry and/or shuttle bus tickets will be included in the May 2021 issue of Bulletin, scheduled for publication on Saturday 15^th May.

If you already hold a ticket for the 2020 show, please respond to our request as soon as you receive it, so that you can secure the session of your choice.  We anticipate that there will still be Government restrictions in place at the time of the show, so if you want to be sure of attending the show at the session of your choice, buy your ticket as soon as they go on sale.  If you are subsequently unable to attend the show because you have been asked by NHS Test and Trace to self-isolate as part of prevailing Covid-19 measures, you will be offered a full refund of the entry ticket price paid.

A further Shed Notice will be made the day before online ticket sales open.

Alan Regan, Chairman and Membership Secretary

Further to the UK government’s announcement yesterday and the publication of its COVID-19 RESPONSE− SPRING 2021 plan, the Board would like to confirm that our 26th June National Show is permitted under Step 3 of the plan.  This has been confirmed with the Arena, who are in discussion with Public Health England, who will still need to scrutinise our plan.  The show will take place on the basis previously announced, of morning and afternoon sessions with limits on the number of visitors, in a Covid-19 Secure manner, observing government guidelines and restrictions in force at the time.

Speculation that the show cannot proceed until Step 4 in the government’s plan is inaccurate and incorrect.

The Board will meet on Saturday 27th February to discuss next steps, amongst which will be resumption of online ticket sales.  A further announcement will be made via Shed Notices in advance of online ticket sales reopening.  Those who have already bought tickets will be contacted in advance of reopening, to select a session to attend, or to be provided with a refund, as they so choose.

Further information on the plan for the show can be found on here our Show Web Site.

Alan Regan, Chairman & Membership Secretary

I’m pleased to advise that the problem with our account has been resolved.  Royal Mail have the complete mailing at their sorting office in Peterborough and it should now be processed today.  This being the case, I’d expect it to start arriving with UK addresses from tomorrow and with overseas addresses from late this week.  I can’t guarantee that arrival will be tomorrow because we have no experience of a slight delay such as this, but I am satisfied that normal processing of the mailing has resumed.

Alan Regan, Chairman and Membership Secretary

I regret to advise that this mailing is held within Royal Mail due to a problem with our account.  We cannot rectify this until Monday, so it will be Tuesday 16th February at the earliest before our magazines start to arrive at UK addresses.  Those being sent overseas are expected to distribute at the same time.

SMT and Bulletin are available on our Members Only web site.  If you haven’t received an invitation to activate your account on the site, or can’t find it, please email members.site@16mm.org.uk providing your surname, membership number and post code and we’ll send an invitation as soon as we can.

I’m disappointed not to have heard the resounding thud of my magazines arriving and I’m sure that this feeling will be shared by many of you who were probably looking forward to a good read this weekend.  It’s also a great disappointment to all who contributed to what we thought had been another successful mailing.  There is nothing more that we can do until Monday.  I will provide a further update on Shed Notices as soon as the problem has been resolved.

Alan Regan, Chairman and Membership Secretary