Snubbed by the SNUB Winter Green Fair

[Scruffy Mummy]

No, 50 years ago you just had those massive silver cross pram things instead! Anyway, I went as soon as it opended and made it around with toddler in pushchair quickly as I saw it was filling up - bought a few nice things, glad it was the fair was there. I have to say that pre-baby I never understood the pushchair thing and I would sometimes moan about pushchairs cluttering up various places including letting sleeping babies nap, and saving you from carrying a squirming 5 month old who is unlikely to pasively sit in your arms for an hour - never mind 10 minutes. Plus, if you are on your own with a lively toddler as I was today there is no way you are going to be able to browse and buy - without the stress of wondering where his inquistive little self is going to go!

[boosboss]

I went and enjoyed it, had a lovely bacon roll and wandered through the main tent. For a first attempt I thought it was well done. Monica if you get the opportunity to arrange more, take it. I've been one of the main planners for the Friends of Peckham Rye Summer Fete for the last four years and we learn something new each time, hopefully enabling us to make it better the next time.

We took our dogs with us today and were very pleased that the anti-dog police hadn't hijacked the event. My only criticism (and it's more about me being 6' than the event) was that the interior stalls canopies, which were unnecessary as they were inside, were so low that I had to walk through tilting my head to avoid them. But all in all Well Done!

[Nero]

I was impressed with what was achieved by so few in a relatively short space of time. I learned a lot about local issues, espesh from Eileen, my new hero(ine) who is behind a lot of the Peckham initiatives. I agree that the tent was too small, but the things in it were good. Next time it'll be better and Monica and co might want to illicit more information from us and others nearer the time. 7.5/10, I reckon.

PS Anyone else like to see a pond on Goose Green? Nero

[kford]

And some geese.

[macroban]

Good idea. Local geese for Christmas 2008.

[snorky]

I am sad to say I missed it - but shopping isnt high on my list of leisure activities, so maybe it wasnt for me anyway

[TillieTrotter]

I didnt buy much to be honest but enjoyed the ramble and my lads had a game of chess or two so twas worthwhile for me.

[Michael Palaeologus]

OK - I can see the point re limited budget and the fixed size of the tent. I think you squeezed to many stalls into the space available. There was plenty of room for other tents outside, many potential stall holders would have been able to bring their own. More stalls = more people who would be attracted and so more people to whom you could have communicated to.

[monica]

Point taken and thanks michael,if we were ever to arrange a fair again we will take all your comments on board.

The marquee was very last minute because of the unpredictable weather,that is why the stalls had covers they were supposed to be outside in various locations,when it started raining we had to move all the stalls inside the marquee to protect the stallholders.their products and the public,i know it was narrow but what do you do get wet or just get cosy with other shoppers;-)

[clare]

I had a very pleasant hour at the fair and bought my partner a Christmas present which I know he will be pleased with. My daughter got some lemon curd from the W I and she was happy too.

Monica- I know you have worked tirelessly to organise the fair so thumbs down to whingers with nothing constructive to say. (cf Observr today - another new survey saying don't hang out with whingers -they bring you down ........der)

BUT I then blew it and congratulated Fear n Loathin on his recent marriage because I thought he was Keef !!!! MANY apologies Matt if your woman friend then thought you had a guilty secret......

Has anyone else accosted someone they think they know from the forum and just said something embarassing and just WRONG ???

[lozzyloz]

"but shopping isnt high on my list of leisure activities" Didn't realise you were a shoplifter?

[United]

Well done to Monica and Marilyn for organising the fair. I am one of the co-organisers of the Festival Fair in May and know how hard it is to do, particularly as a volunteer. I really hope you do organise another next year!

[Frisco]

Kford wrote: "And risk assessments, without sounding too Daily Mail, are the kind of safety-first tosh that's making us all a bunch of blame-everyone,-sue-everyone,-never-take-personal-responsibilty dullards."

Sorry Kford, you didn't manage not to sound 'too Daily Mail' on this occasion.

Monica wrote: "Frisco southwark have a list of risk assessment and we had to follow them to the letter,if i had 10000 to spend on the fair i would have."

I'm not sure what you are saying, but my criticism was of Southwark Council, based on my own experience, and I responded to a posting made by someone else, and I was not venting my spleen at anyone actually. Also, I would have been directly affected by access issues had the group I'm involved with participated, as was requested (I was one of the few who were available and prepared to attend), so I was interested to read about the access issue.

[luddite]

they'd end up in 'william rose' no doubt , shot by peckham poachers

[luddite]

in the book 'east dulwich remembered' there is a lovely old photograph of sheep grazing on goose green ! about 1910 or so

[snorky]

lozzyloz Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> "but shopping isnt high on my list of leisure

> activities" Didn't realise you were a shoplifter?

I earn too much to have to shoplift any longer.

[timicom]

Being very close to the two organisers of the Winter Green Fair, I know the amount of effort that went into it. This took up a lot of Monica and Marilyn's time, caused them a lot of stress, and brought them no material benefit.

Their only aims were to publicise the SNUB campaign and to spread a little cheer this Christmas time.

Sponsored by a few local shops and the Council, the event was free and accessible to all.

Having seen Monica and Marilyn spend 6 months organising this, I?m shocked by some of the comments here...

What, you had to leave your buggy/pram outside the tent? You had to carry your baby for 20 minutes? There were too many stalls?

Admittedly, the organisation was not perfect. Yes, it would have been better if there had been more space..

But then it would have been better if they had had twice the budget, three times the publicity, etc. Please bear in mind that this was the first year of the event and resources were limited.

Doing an event like this in Decemeber means having a marquee. If there had been no tent and it had rained on Saturday as it rained on Friday, there would have been no event no speak of..

Maybe some people would have preferred that?

Ben Schiller

[James]

I think the name is a missed opportunity. SNUB sounds a bit... well, SMUG to me. Reminds me of those self-congratulatory Anya Hindmarch bags.

Perhaps the event could do with being a bit more inclusive all round?

[snorky]

timicom Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Being very close to the two organisers of the

> Winter Green Fair, I know the amount of effort

> that went into it. This took up a lot of Monica

> and Marilyn's time, caused them a lot of stress,

> and brought them no material benefit.

>

> Their only aims were to publicise the SNUB

> campaign and to spread a little cheer this

> Christmas time.

>

> Sponsored by a few local shops and the Council,

> the event was free and accessible to all.

>

> Having seen Monica and Marilyn spend 6 months

> organising this, I?m shocked by some of the

> comments here...

>

> What, you had to leave your buggy/pram outside the

> tent? You had to carry your baby for 20 minutes?

> There were too many stalls?

>

> Admittedly, the organisation was not perfect. Yes,

> it would have been better if there had been more

> space..

>

> But then it would have been better if they had had

> twice the budget, three times the publicity, etc.

> Please bear in mind that this was the first year

> of the event and resources were limited.

>

> Doing an event like this in Decemeber means having

> a marquee. If there had been no tent and it had

> rained on Saturday as it rained on Friday, there

> would have been no event no speak of..

>

> Maybe some people would have preferred that?

>

> Ben Schiller

A bit of a mistake in yer copy Ben, heres the corrected piece:

"Their only aims were to publicise the SNUB

> campaign and to spread a little cheer this

> Christmas time. and make some money at the same time

As much as I am behind the reusueable bags idea, to sell this retail opportunity as a wholly community focused event is not exactly true is it ?

[Michael Palaeologus]

Timicom, nobody is criticising the aim of the event, but your comment that it was "accesible to all" is not accurate. Goose Green is a public space and this was a great way of using that space; but the event was not inclusive because of the way that the space was used.

It does feel like the "greatness of the cause" is being used as an excuse to criticise people who voice an opinion that the event was less than perfect in some areas, an element of the Emperors New Clothes. If you want people to come on board then dont p*ss them off by critising their preferred mode of child transport or ramming so many stalls into a tent that people will have difficulty getting around.

A bit of thought in this regard does not cost money.

[monica]

Snorky just to correct you nobody made money from this ok. I suggest you do a little research before you make the wrong assumptions.Again

James google SNUB and see what you come up with. Its been adopted by the WRAP organisation and most towns who are trying to become greener have adopted SNUB. that is why we also used it to make what we are trying to achieve more uniform.

Michael i see your point but i think what we are trying to get across is the fact we had to make a decision take a risk and get wet,or err on the side of caution and have narrower aisles. We are not p......ing on anyone,this was a community event and by the sounds of the minority on here you are not going to let it go,so please for the sake of my sanity and the organisers sanity let it rest.

[leon parker]

The organisers worked very hard on putting this together with loss of hair and hitting the bottle in dealing with all the elements of putting on an event. The public only see the end product and not the behind the scenes work. All those things that people where unhappy about are fair enough. I was involved in supporting this and in the music listing, which did not go to plan, and I have noted want when wrong and will benefit from that experience for the next time. I was also on the other side as a stall with the Hospice Charity shop stall. I would agree there was not enough room but I don't think the stallholders would be happy outside if it started to pour with rain.

Many parents had no problem with park the buggy and carry the baby but I can also understand that buggy space was needed and also needs to twin size room as well. I nearly fell over on one buggy!!! I gave out a few flyers down the lane and one comment made to me was about the buggy issue.

[leon parker]

P.S.

I went to the Pavilion Dulwich Park Christmas Market. Compared to Goose Green they suffered far worse the weather was mad. The marquee was struggling and stalls blown over although smaller event than Goose Green similar lessons had to be learned for example bigger or stronger Marquee.

[LibraCarr]

Dear ED's

I have been a event organiser for many years. The biggest cost to any organiser is the marquee. It is advisable to get it sponsored as it is so expensive. Estimate your stall/trade stand space then multiply it by three, then add 10% for buggies and fire extinguishers etc. thats the secret to a non crowded marquee.

In respect of not seeing Santa Claus, I can advise that Santa will be at Booteeki, Melbourne Grove, East Dulwich on the second and third weekend of December. This Santa is very good! far better than any other store or Harrods. I saw him at St Pancras International last weekend, (he was on Channel Four last Christmas and is also pencilled in for either the Jeremy Vine or Chris Evans shows on BBC Radio Two in the coming weeks). Santa enthused that Booteeki is the very best (temporary) Grotto there is and boast's sheepskin rugs on the floor, presents for the children and chocolate coins(which is a currency in Lapland). Santa buys carrots with the stalks on and mince pies, organic of course, locally as his reideers love eating both! While Santa was in East Dulwich two years aqo a new baby reindeer was born - he named it 'Dulwich'.

In closing, please do not be to critical on event organisers. My experience is that people believe you just turn up, set up the event and thats it. Look at this way, how long does it take you to organise a family event? try multiplying that time/numbers with the gate figures of a fair, and you go some way to realising how hard it is...... Here endeth the first lesson.

[spadetownboy]

what do you mean he,s far better than any other store or harrods, i thought there was only one:(.

as regards the fair, to be brutally honest it was no big shakes i dont agree with the whole snub concept but fair does for putting it on.