The Life & Times of an Event Promoter – a light-hearted look at a promoter’s musings: On advertising ……………

Part One – signs! 

So, what is the major part of an event promoter’s job? 

 The clue is in the name – we promote!  Anyone can hire a hall, hire tables and chairs and set it out, phone around and sell some space to exhibitors and create a show. The most difficult part, is how do you let people know about it and how do you entice them to come along. 

This is where a promoter needs their skill, to promote the show to the public and get them through the door and into the show. I was fortunate to have some advertising and marketing experience in my background, but even so, finding what works for creating show attendance has been a long learning curve and is still an ongoing process. 

I freely admit to being a ‘stats junkie’!  I will spend hours poring over statistics and number crunching, working out ‘cost per head’ of various advertising experiments and generally trying to find out the most cost effective way of spending the advertising budget and bringing in people. People often say, why don’t you do this or have you thought of that?  We always welcome any suggestions, but chances are by now, we have tried it and discounted it if we are not doing it. 

In the early days, it was easy.  When I first started shows fourteen years ago, we went around the local area asking shops, salons, cafes, libraries and so on to take flyers and posters and topped this up with advertising boards around the area wherever people walked or vehicles either drove slowly or stopped – approaching a roundabout for example.  This worked well and is still in my opinion, the very best way to get a new show started.  The problem is, we can no longer do much of it for various reasons. 

What has happened in the intervening fourteen years, is that many small, independent shops have gone out of business and chain shops are usually not allowed to take the posters and flyers.  More and more empty shops are appearing in towns, but also in the little parades of local shops in housing developments, which used to be some of the best to get material into. 

The major development throwing a spanner in the works however, was the Government urging local councils to implement fly posting legislation!  It has been illegal to fly-post for years, but historically, local authorities were slow to enforce it.  However, because of the eyesore created by Circus posters still up months after the event, music event posters pasted on empty shop windows and so on, around 2005/2006 the government encouraged local authorities to begin to actively enforce these laws.  

The result is that many now adopting a ‘zero tolerance’ to the activity.  At best, they will remove the signs you have spent hundreds of pounds having made and taken ages putting up and destroy them – at worst, they issue fines per sign! 

We were always very good about retrieving signs having no wish to affect the environment. We drew maps of where they were and on the Monday following a show, sometimes even on the Sunday evening in the summer months, someone was dispatched to retrieve them all and count them in so none were missed. Unfortunately however, there are no exceptions for ‘good fly-posters’, we are obliged to comply with the law, just like the careless ones. 

To get a bit technical, fly- posting is actually illegal under the Highway Act 1980, the Town & Country Planning Act 1990, the Anti-social Behaviour Act 2003 and the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005.  Legal measures to prevent fly-posting range from on-the-spot fines of up to £80 per sign to prosecution in a magistrates’ court and use of Anti-Social Behaviour Orders (ASBOs) with fines of up to £2500!   No wonder we have not dared to risk putting out signage for the past few years! 

 I mentioned this in a previous article under ‘things that go wrong’, but it is relevant here too, so perhaps worth repeating as a funny anecdote among the facts and figures.  My first experience of this new drive to reduce fly-posting when it first became law,  was at our Grimsby show.  At that point I knew nothing about it, but I quickly learned after that day!  At about noon on the Saturday, an officious little man appeared at reception asking for me.  He was a council official and his new job was to enforce the fly-posting laws that had suddenly become fashionable.  He announced that he had counted twenty signs and could fine us up to £350 per sign.  My mouth dropped open so much, it is a wonder my chin didn’t hit the desk!    He was going to give us an hour to get them removed ………… in the middle of a busy Saturday show!  Brain-freeze!  Not for long though, this was seriously going to hit my pocket – one of the quickest and surest reasons to melt brain-freeze!  He was clearly the sort of chap that loved his work and would pursue it to the fullest extent, but after some reasoning and sweet talk, I managed to melt him sufficiently to give us till 7 p.m. that evening – two hours to do it in after the show closed.  The butterflies that usually jiggle in my stomach throughout a show, were past jigging, they were now into a full samba!  I was in no doubt that regardless of it being a Saturday night, come hell or high water, at 7 p.m. he would be inspecting to see if we had complied! 

Needless to say, the minute the venue was secured, we were all off in different directions to retrieve the signs!  We actually had forty-five out, something I saw no reason to inform him of – he had only spotted twenty, but which twenty?  We had no way of knowing, so down the lot had to come.   I have known more entertaining ways of spending a Saturday evening than stumbling through wet grass verges, in the dark and cold, trying to cut down signs with one hand and hold a torch with the other!  By the time we had finished, we were too late to get dinner anywhere, so it was a quick MacDonalds – ughh!  Maybe not entertaining, but certainly memorable! 

Of course, most visitors are blissfully unaware of these laws – indeed, why should they be concerned with them?  If they do not need to advertise anything, they won’t have had reason to investigate them.  We hear the same comments often – ‘You should have put some signs out’, ‘There are no signs’, and so much more.  We would LOVE to do so;  it is not neglect or lack of care, we simply are not allowed.  

As an alternative, we started using AA direction signage.  Most councils will allow the AA, RAC and one designated private traffic management company to apply for planning permission for directional signs.  These signs can be purely directional however, no other information is allowed.  Each council has its own version of what they will allow on them, but in most cases it is simply Mind, Body Spirit and an arrow – no date, no venue name, no other information.  This has very little advertising value, particularly as the earliest they are allowed up is the Thursday before the show, often the Friday.  Even so, I used these for several years in the absence of any other signage, if only as a ‘comfort factor’ for exhibitors. It was comforting for them to see the signs as they approached the show and know something had been done, as they don’t see the mountain of other more effective promotion done in the run up time. 

Last year however, the AA almost doubled their quotation to me. To put signs out for the Elsecar show for example, was going to cost over £600 + VAT.   This was entering the ‘serious money’ zone, so out came the stats and the number crunching started.  It transpired that in the past two years, no show had ever reached double figures on the number of people that came because of the AA signs.  At the previous Elsecar show, only three people indicated that it was the AA signs had brought them to the show – at £600, that would cost me £200 per person……………. PLUS VAT!   They pay me £4.75 to come in, or less if they are a concession – the conclusion is quite obvious!   The AA signs are a nice extra, mainly for the comfort of exhibitors,  if we ever get back to the times where there is spare money in the coffers.  They are not however, a viable means of spending advertising budget! 

We always try to get a large banner on the roadside at the venue itself of course, but even this is not as easy as you might assume.  Our Chester show for example, charged £600 + VAT to have a sign outside.  We paid it, but we did not get 151 full paying customers tick that this is what brought them into the show, which is the number required to cover its cost  - it was actually less than 20!  Cleethorpes gave me the dimensions for their sign in feet this summer - the numbers were right, but it should have been in meters.  It was only when we turned up and found the sign to be almost a third of the size we could have had that the mistake was discovered,  Had we gone ahead with Uttoxeter, they would not have allowed a banner at all.  Best of all though, was our lovely Monastery, who would only allow our banner on days when they were not hosting a Corporate Event or a Wedding.  Needless to say, that banner was up and down like a yo-yo!

During this last year, we have noticed other roadside signs creeping back.  Not on the main roads, where they are removed immediately, but on byroads, in nearby villages and so on.  I now face a new dilemma - I am not entirely comfortable putting up signs knowing what I do about fly-posting laws, but if others are putting them out and we don’t, we appear negligent rather than law abiding in the eyes of those who don’t realise the issues.   One antique fair promoter told me he does it and absorbs the fines as an advertising cost – certainly a school of thought.  Maybe a few village signs might be an idea once again. 

In order to judge how effective our advertising is and what works, we operate the Prize Draw at every show.  Every visitor is given a free entry card for this to win a prize of considerable value – usually a really nice crystal piece, something visitors will be attracted to but perhaps not afford to buy for themselves.  On the bottom of the card is the question, ‘What influenced you to come to the show?'  There follows a list of options, newspaper/magazine advert, banner at venue, flyer sent by post, flyer picked up in shop, poster, BSSK website, other website, exhibitor newsletter, BSSK e-mail and so on and a tick box next to each.  We count the number of cards per show to find out what percentage of the visitors filled one in. It is always over 60%, but most often in the 70 – 80% bracket, surprisingly high!   

Of those filled in, some will ignore the question and some will tick multiple choices. This and the missing 20 – 30% means it is not an exact science, but overall, we get a good indication from these cards. Going back years and without exception, between 80 -95% of the cards completed fall into two categories. These are ‘Flyer by Post’ and ‘Word of Mouth’. The other 5-20% is made up of everything else!   The two categories are pretty near equal too – if flyer by post gets 720 hits, you can be sure word of mouth will be getting somewhere between 670 and 750!   It runs that close every time, no matter what the door figures . In the early days when we didn’t  have a mailing list, 'Advertising Boards' and 'Word of Mouth' worked in tandem in the same way.  Gradually as the mailing list grew, Flyer by Post took over from Advertising Boards, but boards still brought in the most new people. 

Hmm, maybe I should follow in the footsteps of that Antique Fair promoter after all! 


Next instalment: Advertising Part Two – ‘Flyer by post’ and Media advertising.

The Life & Times of an Event Promoter - Floor Plan, What Floor Plan?

The origins of the phrase ‘Floor plan?  What Floor Plan!’ (Occasionally and only in times of greatest stress ‘Floor plan?  What ‘bleep’ Floor Plan!’)
So, you might be asking, what is the big deal about a floor plan?  Indeed, in the now immortal words of that lady referred to in the last article, “……………how hard can it be?  You stick some tables in a hall, charge people to have a table and charge us to come through the door!  Its’ a win-win situation.”

 Hmm, well it is not quite as simple as that.

Having acquired a venue, the first thing one needs to know is how many stands can be fitted into the space.  This determines the revenue the show could make if fully booked and when this is added to all the other costs such as advertising, printing, postage, staff, insurance, table hire, marquee hire, and a list of other bits that goes on forever, the cost of the stands can be calculated.

We do a site visit armed with a large tape measure and draw up a plan.  We take measurements between every door, and mark the position of fire exits, power sockets, fire extinguishers and any other feature. Once back at the office, we convert this to a computer CAD drawing.

Once the room is drawn up with all the features in place, I usually start by fitting in just single, 6’ trestle tables, leaving gangways the size required by health and safety guidelines and a 2’ or preferably 2’ 6” gap between tables.  The plan may be changed several times while we decide the best way to lay out the room, should the blocks run this way or that and so on, but the result is a nice, neat plan with the maximum number of single tables possible.

So, we have a nice, neat plan of the room with neat blocks of single tables.  Booking starts and then the fun begins.  Of course, only about half of the bookings want a single trestle table!  We get bookings for doubles, L shapes, tables with couches, tents or just space for an exhibitors own stand.  Next are requests for space behind the table for boards, banners or extra tables, or to get wheelchairs, pushchairs or scooters in.
Then we have the ‘extras’.  All our terms and conditions and every bit of booking related paperwork states that the booking is for a single table (or double etc).  In reality however, exhibitors bring extra tables to deepen the stand, small tables to add on the side, racks, rails, shelves and all manner of extra bits that they wish to squeeze in.  In most cases we do our best to accommodate these and where we know about them, to work them into the plan from the outset, but the 2’6” gap between stands gets more and more compromised until it is not unusual for someone arriving towards the end of set up time, to be unable to fit in at all!
The next challenge is stand content.  We limit the overall number of any type of stand, but hours go into making sure readers, jewellery and crystal stands are spread around the hall and not on top of each other.  We do our best not to have readers side by side or directly opposite each other.  If possible, not back to back either – although that can be hard to achieve on smaller shows.  Likewise, jewellery will be as spaced out as it can be and any other stands that do similar things.
We then take into account personal preference – back to a wall, near the loos, not near the loos, near the café, not near the café, near the entrance, not near the entrance – in a darker part, in a lighter part – not near readers, not near therapists, not near noise, not near music – even not near a particular exhibitor or list of exhibitors!
Things are taken into account like leaving sufficient depth for back boards – they do not do well on corners of central blocks as they impinge on the stand at the end – readers will want chairs in front – does the gangway allow for that in that position?
Eventually after draft 14 or 15, we have a floor plan!
Then, someone cancels!
We usually manage to re-let the stand, but more often than not, it may not be for the same thing or it will not fit the space.  Maybe the new exhibitor has a couch but the original one didn’t, so the replacement won’t fit where the first one was.  We start to swap spaces.  This has a ‘domino’ effect.  You move one, then the one next door can’t stay there, so you move that one and again, the one opposite now has to move.  By now we can be up to draft 20 or more. We have learned over time not to print the actual floor plans for our stewards out until the day before we set off, just in case of last minute changes
We used to print the plan in the show guide with a key.  This was in the ‘good old days’ when we received very few cancellations.  As the recession hit and cancellations and changes to stand size increased, we had to stop this as it caused more havoc than help!  The guide goes to print about three or more months ahead of a show.  The amount of changes that can occur in that time meant the plan could end up having no resemblance to the eventual lay out of the event.  We still get visitors asking for that, but it is simply no longer possible.
So, we arrive at the show, we adjust the tables that the venue has set out, to take account of the latest draft of the plan.  We juggle them about to get the right amount of space between, or as best we can, we put out the table names, the information sheets, the feedback cards and any other bits and pieces and then we are ready.
Exhibitors start arriving and before long, someone either won’t fit the space as they have something we didn’t know about or have forgotten about, or simply don’t want to be where we have put them and want to move.  They feel cramped, don’t like the way the neighbouring stand is set up, don’t like the energies in that spot, want to be facing the door – all manner of things can mean an exhibitor doesn’t feel happy in the space allocated.
My instruction to the team is, that within reason, we do what we can to make everyone happy!  My theory is if an exhibitor starts the show on a bad note, they are less likely to give off a positive, upbeat energy and so perhaps won’t have a good weekend.   If we can do our best to accommodate what they are asking for, they will be much better placed to take advantage of the weekend.  So, we adjust tables, move bits and pieces, move whole stands and generally try to be accommodating.
Sometimes though, someone can just be too unreasonable in their expectations, or more likely, arrive too late and so we are limited for options as much of the space is already set up.  Then, reluctantly we have to say no.  On occasion, by the time a show is set up, the draft of the plan that we are using (which by now can be number 28 or above) may bear very little resemblance to the finished show!
I must admit, there are times when I think those promoters who have a ‘this is it, take it or leave it – if you didn’t book it and didn’t pay for it, forget it’ approach, might actually have something!  There was one famous occasion when we had moved about 12 stands and ended up with two readers too close together and no more time or space to alter anything anymore, when I threw the plan up in the air and said, “Floorplan?  What bleep floorplan!”   The team fell about laughing, particularly as most of them had never heard me swear, and it stuck!  It is now the phrase often used if we get several changes on set up day and especially if it happens on the Saturday morning set up.
After all, “………….how hard can it be?  You stick some tables in a hall…………..”

Next instalment:  Advertising

The Life and Times of an Event Promoter - More Things That Have Gone Wrong

The Life & Times of an Event Promoter – a light hearted look at a promoter’s musings:

More Things That Have Gone Wrong – a trip down the memory lane of my biggest nightmares and some of the things that have provided the steepest and sharpest learning curves!

Following on from last month’s instalment, here is a chronicle of more of the mini-disasters that have befallen us in the run up to shows over the 14 years of show promotion.

As I said last month, retrospectively, these things become funny, particularly when you remember how you were running around trying to sort it out, but at the time, the stress levels are off the scale.

Hopefully we manage to keep a calm, unruffled surface so that neither visitors nor exhibitors have any idea of the panic going on behind the scenes.

Here are a few more of the memorable ones from the ‘casebook’ ………………………….





‘THE STRANGE AFFAIR OF THE MISSING MONK’ –

In 2010, we were approached by a lady who was organising the Western area of a UK tour for Lama Ahbay Tulku Jigme Thupten Rinpoche, a high ranking Tibetan monk.  He was on a fund raising tour for his monastery and she wondered if he could attend the Manchester show and give blessings for a donation.


We were most pleased and excited to have him, but as the Monastery rooms do not seat large numbers, suggested we sold tickets for consecutive sessions throughout the day for a ‘donation’ of £5.  This would prevent a scramble for places and make the whole thing run smoothly, or so we thought.  Ha!  As my old grandmother used to say, “You know what thought did!” Five sessions a day in a room holding 35 people for two days – 350 tickets available and by the last week before the show, not a one left!  We even had a reserve list of names to take any cancellations.


The Thursday afternoon and evening before the Manchester show is spent packing up the ticketing system, loading the van, packing our own personal things for staying away and generally running through everything to make sure nothing vital has been forgotten.  We normally finish all of this by 10 p.m. and then are up at the crack of dawn to travel to Manchester.


At about 4 p.m. on this particular Thursday, just as I was signing everything off and closing down computers etc ready to start this mammoth task, in drops an e-mail from our visiting monk to say there were problems with his visa and he didn’t think he would make it to the UK until the following Tuesday!  This is the sort of e-mail that you read but the brain cannot comprehend what it is saying – so you read it again and realisation begins to dawn.  You have 300 people who have paid for tickets to see a monk who is not going to arrive!  Some are travelling from as far away as Scotland, Somerset and in one case, Europe, especially to see him!  Errr…………………  brain freeze!


Instead of packing and all the other things we were supposed to be doing, Chris and I spent the whole evening phoning everyone on the list, explaining the situation and getting their details to refund their card with the £5.  One of us phoned, one processed refunds – then we would change over and the other one phone etc.  We phoned the last one at 9.30 p.m. and with the exception of about 15, had managed to contact everyone.  We e-mailed those and another half-dozen got back to us, so we had 10 who may arrive not knowing the monk was a ‘no show’.  Not good, but better than we could have hoped.


We then had to start all of the jobs we should have been doing and eventually hit bed at 3 a.m. to get up again at 6 a.m.


Imagine my shock then, when on Saturday afternoon, in walks said monk who after much cajoling of authorities had managed to sort the problems with his visa and get to Manchester.  He wanted to continue with his sessions on Sunday.


There followed one of these surreal conversations through his interpreters while I tried to explain that we couldn’t contact the people that had previously booked and now been refunded, while he wanted us to try – all in the middle of a very busy Manchester Saturday.  Oh boy!  In the end we settled for a few large posters on the two entrance desks and let fate take care of it and his helpers collect cash payments.  He was full all day so it worked – in a fashion!


I recall a lady who stood in front of me at a show and uttered the now immortal phrase:  “I am going to do one of these – well, how hard can it be?  You stick some tables in a hall, charge people to have a table and charge us to come through the door!  How hard can that be – it’s a win-win situation.”  Ha!




‘THE MYSTERY OF THE MARKET LICENCE’ –

I suppose given the size of the Manchester show, the sheer numbers of visitors and the complexities of fitting all those talks into the small rooms in the Monastery, fitting stands in and around pillars and trying to pull the whole thing together, it is bound to throw up more issues than any other show – stands to reason really.

There have been a couple however, that like the missing monk, were totally unexpected and threw us a real curve ball!

The next of began two weeks before our October show one year.  Our advertising hit the Manchester Evening News and one diligent and slightly officious member of staff in the Manchester Markets Department spotted it.  She rang up and asked a few probing questions and then announced, “So in effect, you are running a market”.  I agreed, as this is indeed what we are running –with some additions and trimmings its true, but a market nevertheless.

“You need a licence” was her next one-liner.  I was ready for this – “the Monastery informs me they have checked with the council and hold all necessary licences” I said – ha, that burst your officious bubble thinks me!  She went off to check and came back to announce that in fact, they did not hold a market licence.  Apparently Manchester is one of few cities that hold some particular ancient charter and the granting of licences is a different procedure which can take up to six weeks as a minimum.  By now the rest of what she said was lost in a blurr as the panic and brain freeze kicked in!

We weren’t licenced – the Monastery had let this slip the net – we had two weeks to the show – 8,000+ brochures were in circulation - £3,000 of newspaper advertising was paid for – people were booking hotels, travelling from Europe and the length of the Uk – and they were not going to let me run the show!  Aghhh………………..

A phone call to Elaine Griffiths MBE, the CEO of the Monastery was in order.  I explained the problem – she assured me they were licenced for absolutely everything and not to worry, but she would check it all.  Thirty minutes later she was back – apparently they were not licenced for markets.  She was mortified – completely unable to find out why not, but rather than waste her time on ‘why not’, wanted to get to grips with sorting it.  I mentioned the officious lady and passed over her name “… but she said it will take six weeks” I said “Do I worry now?”

To this day I have the greatest admiration for the determination and strength of Elaine Griffiths!  “I don’t need her name” she said, “I start at the top!”  That is exactly what she did.  I understand she rang the Chairman of the Council (or the CEO or whatever it is on a council), reminded him what a good friend the Monastery is to the Council and got him to sort it!  She made it clear that, to coin a phrase, the show must go on and that she wanted him to pull whatever strings were necessary to ensure it did.

Not sure what he did but I would have loved to be a fly on the wall when the phone call between him and the officious lady took place.  The result was our licence arrived in three days and the show was saved.

I was then presented with a bill by the Monastery for the licence fee, but couldn’t really complain.  Apparently we are their only event that requires one – when they have a handful of stalls at concert or when some speaker visits, it is not enough to require licencing.  As such, as they only need it for us, we have to pay for it every year.  It costs a further £700 a year for the two shows – sigh…!

All of this taking place, and most exhibitors and public blissfully unaware.  Easy this job – stick some tables in a hall…………………………………  ha!

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‘THE CASE OF THE MYSTERIOUSLY SHRINKING HALL’-

We had one attempt at a show in Stoke on Trent, using a sports hall, but one that seemed familiar with running non-sporting events.  Sports halls are notoriously difficult to run shows in – unless you are wearing shorts or lycra and carrying a bat or racquet of some description, they don’t seem to want to know.

When you come to book the show, you speak to a ‘marketing’ or ‘sales’ person, who is eager to get the booking.  He/she promises all sorts of things, yes we can do that, no problem, of course you can have this …………..  and so on.

This is all well and good, until one gets to the weekend of the show and finds oneself dealing, not with this amazingly obliging person, but with the ‘duty manager’ for the weekend.  In many cases this poor soul is well hacked off at having a non-sporting event in his wonderful sports hall to start with.  To add to that, not only does he/she have an event to contend with, but one full of strange things and equally strange people!

Words like energy, atmosphere and ambience clearly have no place in his vocabulary and with a deep sigh, one just knows this is going to be somewhat challenging!

All our sports halls have had similar problems over the years, one reason we have given up on them, but the best of the lot had to be this one we tried at Stoke on Trent.

We had previously viewed a few times of course, and submitted a wonderful floorplan for setting up on the Friday ready for our arrival. We arrive at 10 a.m. on a Friday, make the necessary tweaks to the lay up, put out table names and other newsletters, envelopes etc, and then exhibitors are allowed in from 2 p.m. to start setting up. No one had made any mention of problems, so it was quite a surprise on arrival at 10 a.m. to find a big green curtain drawn, effectively cutting the hall in half.  Not only that, but they had meticulously laid up half the floorplan, even to the point of a double stand having one table in place actually butting up to the curtain, without the other on the opposite side!  It actually looked quite comical, but also rang LOUD alarm bells.

Having tracked down the duty manager and politely enquired about the reason for this, I was informed they had badminton till 9 p.m. and weren’t prepared to cancel it.  The conversation that ensued became a little less polite as it progressed, but the end result was that they simply were not going to budge.  Brain Freeze!

Not for long this time though as it was clearly pointless wasting any more time, so the energies had to be transferred from arguing our corner into resolving the problem.

I decided to separate the exhibitor list into ‘those we knew would definitely arrive that day’, ‘those we knew would definitely not arrive that day’ and ‘those who might arrive’.  A quick look at the floorplan confirmed that ‘sod’s law’ was definitely alive and well and in full swing – the majority of the stands that we knew would definitely arrive and those that might arrive, were in the half we couldn’t use till after 9 p.m.  Wonderful!

I spent the next half hour re-jigging a floorplan that had been carefully pored over for hours previously and managed to fit everyone into the operational half without leaving all the readers who normally are the ones to arrive on Saturday, next door to each other in the other half!

We then had to stay onsite until after 9 p.m. to set up the other half ourselves, ready for the Saturday morning.  No dinner again that night.



 ‘THE ADVENTURE OF THE KITCHEN THAT NEVER WAS’

There are too many of these incidents to relate without getting boring, but a fitting one to end on, was perhaps the one that gave me the biggest episode of brain freeze of any I have encountered.

The Monastery is our biggest show and the most difficult in terms of planning and organisation.  Anything up to 70 workshops and talks spread over two days and 7 rooms, with up to 75 tickets available per session, takes quite a lot of preparation and organisation.

A careful site visit per show takes place, just to make sure there are no changes before we start planning the schedule.  Well, it certainly does now!

There was a show a couple of years ago, where I made the mistake of assuming that as everything had run well for a few times and as the earlier one in the year went well, it would be enough for the October show to exchange a few e-mails with my event contact and go ahead as before.

Imagine the scene when during set up on the Friday of the show, one of my stewards came to find me with ‘a bit of a problem’ in one of the rooms.  “A bit of a problem”?  That had to be the understatement of the year!!!  The room had been booked out for 7 sessions per day for two days, with 65 seats per session, most of which were fully booked.  It now held a bright, shiny new kitchen!  Cupboards, appliances, the full works.

We were at the Monastery, we had no way of contacting all of the visitors even if we had the time.  Too lose 910 seats during a weekend would cause chaos and one of the speakers in that room was flying in especially!  Brain Freeze!  This time, the thaw took some time to set in and I must admit, it was one of the stewards who actually said, ‘isn’t there anywhere else to use’?  That started the cogs whirring, every space that could be used was in use, but after some thought, I hit on the room used by the NFSH at this show (National Federation of Spiritual Healers, now called The Healing Trust).  I hated to do it, but needs must.  I liberated the room from the NFSH and used it for the workshops, installing the poor, long suffering NFSH onto the first floor landing, near to the lift!

This is where they spent the next few shows until fortunately some more changes enabled us to give them a room again this year.  We do thank them for being so obliging in our hour of crisis.  It certainly saved the day on that occasion!

~~~~~~~~~~~~

So there we are folks, just some of the things that can go wrong when you think every ‘I’ is dotted and every ‘T‘ crossed.  Life has a way of keeping us on our toes and preventing us from becoming complacent it seems.

When I recall these incidents, which with the distance of time have now become amusing, I still think of that lady uttered the immortal phrase:  “I am going to do one of these – well, how hard can it be?  You stick some tables in a hall, charge people to have a table and charge us to come through the door!  How hard can that be – it’s a win-win situation.”

I often wonder if she tried, and if so, what she thinks now!





In the next instalment –   The origins of the phrase ‘Floor plan?  What Floor Plan!’ (Occasionally and only in times of greatest stress ‘Floor plan?  What ‘bleep’ Floor Plan!’)

Guest Post - Misty Rae Cech

Essential Oils For Cold Care And A Strong Immune System by Misty Rae Cech

The true medical aromatherapists around the globe tell us time and time again: the most effective use of essential oils for health is the combating of infectious illness. Aromatherapy in the US is still mostly relegated to support of the psyche - which it does quite well - but study after study continues to confirm the antibacterial and antiviral effects of essential oils, along with their great compatibility with human physiology. Many protocols (detailed instructions) have been translated and published from the European medical aromatherapy literature - information which you can personally incorporate into your own natural health and wellness program.

For the uninitiated, essential oils are the volatile aromatic compounds distilled from plants. They are the chemicals that give plants their smell; the luscious aroma of a rose or the sharp scent of peppermint. Plants use these chemicals for, among other things, defense from invaders such as bacteria, fungus and viruses. Each plant's oils have a unique makeup as a result of the plant's own physiology, natural environment, and its potential microbial invaders. Because of their chemical structure, essential oils are easily absorbed into the human body, passing through cell membranes, then further on into the bloodstream due to their 'lipophillic' nature (a structure in alignment with the lipid components of our cell walls). Essential oils can protect us from microbes in many different ways, from keeping the space around us naturally microbe-free, to readying our immune system for defense, to actually destroying the microbes once they've entered our bodies.

For starters, lets look at keeping the air and our environment pure and healthy. A cold-air nebulizing diffuser works best for this, as it creates a fine mist of essential oils which disperse throughout your living or work space. Diffusing essential oils into your environment provides three primary benefits: First, the oils are directly eliminating microbes in the air, thus reducing the concentration of live pathogens you may be inhaling or touching at any time and reducing the load on your immune system. Second, most essential oils, and particularly the strong anti-microbial ones, have an uplifting effect on the psyche and a sharpening effect on the mind. Your space will smell nicer, and generally will be more pleasant to be in. This can be very pronounced in certain workspaces where the air can be heavy. Lastly, in many cases, essential oils will actually fortify your own immune system to prevent you from catching an illness in the first place - some studies have shown mammalian cells having increased resistance to microbial invaders after exposure to essential oils. Many single oils can be used for this - Eucalyptus Radiata or Eucalyptus Globulus are excellent all-around choices, as is Ravensara, and the oil of Rosemary of the Cineol chemotype. A popular oil blend can be made using 3 parts clove bud oil, 5 parts lemon oil, 1 and a half parts Eucalyptus Radiata, 1 and a half parts Rosemary Cineol and 2 parts Cinnamon Bark oil. Diffuse these oils to your heart's content - it's a wonderful combination!

Next, it's important to fortify your own immune system. Medical aromatherapists don't claim essential oils as wonder drugs in this regard - it is important to keep yourself healthy for your immune system to work effectively. Many natural medicine physicians believe it important to keep your own internal 'friendly bacteria' in balance for best protection. This can be done by eating a 'clean' diet with an abundance of natural and organic foods, and consuming intestinal bacterial support in capsule form (available at almost all health food stores). On the aromatherapy front, the essential oil of Niaouli has been considered by some to be the single most powerful supporter of the human immune system. Niaouli essential oil is distilled from the leaves of the Niaouli tree, native to Madagascar, but now being cultivated in Spain for aromatherapy use. According to Dr. Kurt Schnaubelt, one of America's leading medical aromatherapists, "Niaouli oil is as complex in its composition as it is in it's uses...One of the fastest-acting and most effective applications of Niaouli is to apply anywhere between 5 and 20 drops to the whole body during the morning shower. This procedure will become entirely holistic if a loofah glove is used and the oil is worked into the skin along the energy meridians. This application...is especially recommended in the flu season, as it stimulates the defense mechanisms of the body." Niaouli would also be appropriate for diffuser use similar to the Eucalyptus varieties.

Once a bacteria or viral infection has set it, treating it with essential oils can be a little more complex. The difficulty lies in finding the proper oil for one's particular illness, as some oils are excellent against certain microbial strains, though these same oils may not be the right choice in other instances. Prevention with immune stimulant oils as above is best; however, at the very first signs, application of 10-20 drops to the skin of both Eucalyptus Radiata and Bay Laurel essential oils to the skin in the steam of a shower (so that the skin is more porous) is called for. Eucalyptus can be applied to the chest and back, whereas Bay Laurel should be applied directly to the lymph nodes to support the immune response. The vast majority of individuals will have no sensitivity response to such application - if, however, any skin irritation is noted, apply diluted to 5% in a carrier oil such as olive oil hazelnut oils. Green Myrtle can be used in cases of bronchial infection where Eucalyptus may be found to strong an aroma. Ravensara used in the same manner is called for in cases of colds and flu - it can be a stronger antiviral than the above mentioned oils, and has a pleasing aroma.

In general, Eucalyptus Radiata and Globulus, Green Myrtle and Ravensara can be applied to the skin (dilute if any sensitivity is suspected) or used with a diffuser or inhaler to loosen mucus and support the body's cleansing process. Rosemary Verbenone is indicated for sinusitis and bronchitis - The medical aromatherapy literature indicates this may be inhaled, applied topically in small amounts, or even ingested (with great caution) one drop two or three times daily. Also, one drop of Bay Laurel can be taken internally at the onset of a sore throat, as it directly supports the lymph system in the area.

When choosing your own self-healing methods as part of your overal natural health and wellness program, it is important to choose the proper modality for each situation. Conventional medicine has it's place, and should absolutely be employed when it will provide the best results. When it comes to common colds, the results have not been so dramatic. Alternative therapies have offered a reasonable solution, and can be effective if used wisely and with discretion. There are many helpful texts available for the use of essential oils as medicines - Advanced Aromatherapy and Medical Aromatherapy, both by Dr. Kurt Schnaubelt, are excellent sources for the intermediate to advanced practitioner. Be aware of your own body's sensitivity to any essential oil and adjust usage accordingly, and seek professional advice whenever necessary.

About the Author: Misty Rae Cech ND is the Director of Wellness at the Ananda Apothecary, a resource for essential oil supplies and information.

Article Source: NewAgeArticles.com

Guest Post - Garden Magick

Garden Magick - Transform a Difficult Garden into a Sacred Resort for the Soul by Carolyn Donnelly

Are you establishing a new garden? Are you trying to bring a long neglected or difficult garden back to life again? You can create a flourishing garden anywhere. All you need is loads of desire, a little imagination and an open mind. In this article I briefly summarise some techniques that I have successfully used for encouraging growth in difficult areas of the garden. By adding a little magick to some basic ecological gardening principles your can create a sensation.

There are a few essential requirements for a healthy garden. These are: soil with the correct texture, nutrient levels, and drainage; water; sunlight and the appropriate plant choice for your local environment. Garden bed preparation is of utmost importance and you would be well advised to ensure that you have provided your plants with the best physical environment possible for their successful growth. But getting the physical environment right is just the first step. To get the best out of your garden you need to provide a happy environment, full of positive energy and a little magick.

Visualize

When you first start planting out your garden it doesn’t look much like it will in two, three, five or ten years. Visualization is a crucial part of the garden design and planning process. It is also important for the growing process. To keep your garden growing in the direction would like it to grow, you need to visualize regularly. This is just a matter of looking at the garden and imagining what it will look like when your plants are fully grown. In doing so you are mentally sending your plants messages of encouragement. Make a habit of visualizing your garden on a daily basis and imagine it as it will look in, say, five years of constant and healthy growth.

In the meantime … fake it

While you are in the early stages of garden creation, try making a ‘fake it ‘til you make it’ garden. This simply means creating an interim garden. You can do this by placing pots filled with colourful plants around the area. This will give you some instant gratification for your efforts. It will also give your new plants some company. After all, plants are communal and are not meant to grow alone.

You can quickly and easily create new pot plants by taking cuttings from other plants in your garden or your existing pot plants. Put the cuttings in water until they sprout roots – some won’t grow roots this way, it will be trial and error but many will grow roots within a week. Alternatively, buy some plants, preferably colourful flowering plants. Of course, choose appropriate plants for the location of your garden - shade loving plants for areas with little sun, etc.

Place the pots around the area where you want the garden to be and in between the plants that you have recently planted. If the garden is located in a harsh landscape that is subject to extreme hot or cold or strong winds, you can place the pots so that young plants are protected from harsh winds or direct sunlight. If your environment is particularly harsh, you may consider adding small screens made from bamboo or other natural materials to protect young plants until they establish. In a dark or very shaded area, ensure that your pots will not block any sunlight that your seedlings may be receiving.

Attract Native Animals

Life attracts life, so by attracting as many animals to your garden as possible you will increase the life energy of your garden which will help your plants to grow. Place rocks and logs in your garden to provide shelter and homes for small lizards and insects. If you do not have any tall trees, installing a pole that a bird can perch atop (but a cat can’t climb) is a great idea, as birds will contribute seed laden droppings that can bring additional plants to your garden as well as additional nutrients. Show your delight when you notice a new native occupant and let him know he is welcome.

Allow the ecology of your garden to evolve along with the growth and addition of your plants and other components. Resist interfering by removing or killing particular animals that you don’t like such as spiders. Instead, become curious and learn about them. Talk to them. You will gain an entirely new appreciation for these animals and improve your karma at the same time.

Avoid Using Poisons

Garden shops are full of garden poisons. It’s big business. It would be easy to assume that weed killers, snail killers and the other exterminators are an essential component to gardening. However, the reality is that they are really bad for your plants and the animals that add value to your garden. There is almost always a natural or more gentle alternative to using poisons in the home garden. It is far more effective in the long term to pull weeds out by hand and you will save a lot of money.

Decorate and Communicate

Celebrate your garden area by decorating it with beautiful things, such as hanging pots, statues, bird baths, sculptures and low lighting. These will add positive energy and atmosphere. If possible, include an outdoor table and chairs and spend some time there entertaining friends, laughing and having a good time, or just be there on your own relaxing and smiling upon your garden. Make sure you remove or disguise any ugly or unsightly objects. It is important to keep the area beautiful as you are more likely to spend time in, and give loving energy to, a garden that you like the look of and feel good about.

Take a leaf out of Grandma’s Book

Did your Grandmother speak to her plants? Mine did, and that practice was passed down to my mother and now I do it. It works! You don’t need to spend a lot of time in conversation with your flowers. Simply walk around and admire your plants for a few minutes most days. In the difficult spots, stop and talk to those plants that are struggling. Express pleasure when you see some growth. Smile at your plants and talk to them in a light manner as you are attending to their needs.

Crystals for Positive Energy

Use crystals and semi precious stones to add some beneficial energy to the area. Here are some ideas:

Agate

This crystal is known for its ability to produce abundance and increase yields in crops. It can be used to enhance the health of your pot plants or your garden plants.

Jade

Jade represents life and growth and has been associated with the health of plants and the environment. Place jade statues in the garden or use jade in a decoration that hangs above or nearby your plants.

Moonstone

Moonstone helps to enhance the growth and health of plants. Use it in decoration in your garden or wear it when attending to your plants.

Clear quartz

Quartz will amplify and enhance the qualities of any other stone and can be used to achieve any goal of pure intention. Use it alongside the other stones or alone in your garden to enhance plant growth. I hang crystals over pot plants to improve their performance.

These are examples of stones and crystals that have specific qualities that can assist plant recovery and growth. However, there are many crystals and stones that have healing and nurturing properties so it may pay to experiment. Crystals can be placed in pots, used as a display on a table, in a bird bath or water feature. They are particularly beautiful when they form part of a hanging decoration.

Add a Little Fairy Magick

Fairies have long been associated with gardens. Flower fairies were thought to live in the flowers of plants. They looked after the plant by ensuring it had everything it needed. You can add your own bit of fairy magick to your garden by placing a hanging fairy near the garden that you want to prosper from this energy.

You can also increase the positive energy of your garden area by hanging or placing sculptures of powerful symbols such as the Sun, for positive energy, and the Moon, for receptivity and supernatural powers. Both of these symbols together represent balance and harmony. There are many other symbols of good fortune such as Buddha that will enhance the energy and the feel of your garden. These symbols and bearers of good energy also look great.

Feng Shui Garden

Designing your garden for good Feng Shui

The Feng Shui garden is designed to allow Chi to flow. To create good Feng Shui, design your garden with plenty of curves. If you have a garden with very straight edges, add features that give the impression of curves. You can achieve this by the way you place your garden features and how you locate your plants. Choose rounded pots and curvy furniture to increase the positive Feng Shui in your garden.

Windchime Magick

Another way to increase Chi in your garden is by hanging a windchime or a windchime bell. Windchimes aid in the flow of Chi and add an additional element to your garden through sound. The right windchime can create a sensation of peace through its harmonic tunes. It is worthwhile selecting a well made bell or windchime that you enjoy listening to as this will make a valuable addition to the atmosphere of your home and give you joy every time the breeze blows.

Water Features

A water feature is also extremely beneficial in the creation of a positive Feng Shui garden. The water must be flowing, however, so that Chi can flow and so that it does not become stagnant. The addition of fish to your water feature will provide more positive energy due to the additional life. Be sure to find fish that do not eat the spawn of local frogs. Gold fish, which originated in China, have become an environmental nuisance in some countries and they will eat frogspawn. For frog friendly fish, check with your Government Fisheries Department.

Frog Magick

Frogs represent good luck in many cultures around the world. The first frogs hopped this earth alongside the Dinosaurs. They are wise beings, worthy of respect and they will bring good energy to your garden. Be sure to locate any pond a good distance from bedroom windows, however, as frogs can croak up a storm at night.

Scent

A wonderful way for a garden to enrich your life is through scent. You can create a special atmosphere by planting the shrubs, trees and flowers in your garden that provide certain scents that enhance particular moods. Add some instant inspiration by filling your pots with lavender, jasmine, geranium, lemongrass or whatever your nose desires.

Burn incenses outside or light a scented candle at night while sitting in the garden. Select the scent that will be most beneficial for your garden’s growth. Try gardenia or lavender for love and healing, ginger for success, patchouli or rosemary for love and growth, the invigorating benefits of sweet orange or frankincense and myrrh for healing and growth.

A closing thought ..

Your garden reflects the relationship it shares with you and the other inhabitants of your home. By increasing the positive loving energy in your garden you will create a place for growth and harmony, a place where life will thrive. In return you will receive much enjoyment. By combining good ecological concepts with a little magick you can turn a difficult garden into a sacred resort for the soul.

About the Author: Carolyn is an ecologist, avid gardener and supporter of new age spirituality. Her website, Placid Moon www.placidmoon.com, features a range of products that can assist you in building your ‘sacred resort for the soul’, such as essential oils, incense, scented candles, incense burners, candle holders, oil warmers, crystals, hanging sculptures, windchimes and bells.

Article Source: NewAgeArticles.com

Weekend Reads

With just a week to go until Newark, we're very busy with last minute prep and getting ready for this popular event.  We can't wait.

In the meantime, have a great weekend x


Stone Soup


Healthy eating, loads of gorgeous recipes with all diets catered for!


Angels on Earth


A massive resource of true angel stories.  Entertaining and inspiring.



Body Mind Spirit Guide


A general Mind, Body, Spirit site, with lots of articles to browse through on a lazy weekend morning.


Druidry

With sustainable living and  a more "close to nature" sprituality seeming to be on the rise this is your first stop if you have an interest in Druidry.  Lots of information and advice.

Interview - Simon Goodfellow from October 2013

Re-posting this interview with Simon Goodfellow.  He will be one of the speakers at Newark this month.

To start with could you tell us a bit about yourself (a quick intro, most people know you!)

Simon has been working professionally now for coming up to 14 years.
The Spiritual journey stated when Simon lived in Spain, at the time he was the owner of a very busy and successful bar.
But Simon felt very drawn to crystal healing.
Simon flew back to the UK and went on crystal healing course he sole intention was to work in hospitals and clinics.
However when Simon was healing people he would start to pick up messages for people.
After a while Simon stated to ask the people he was healing about the information he was picking up.
To his surprise the information was spot on.
This then lead Simon to have a reading, Simon was told he needed to develop is abilities.
This Simon did by attending the Arthur Finley college of Mediumship.
Soon after his return to Spain Simon started hosting small Mediumship evenings in his bar, these became very popular and Simon increased these to once a week.
Simon also started one to one readings for customers in the bar.

"The Spiritual work did take over the bar in Spain and because I was flying back to the UK 3 and 4 times a month it was time to leave Spain behind and return to the UK.
I still travel back to Spain to work as I have many clients over there."

You do a lot of different type of work, which do you find most rewarding - readings or developing other peoples skills?

Simon gets great satisfaction from all the aspects of his work but if he had to just pick one it would be developing other people's skills.
Simon does run three levels of Development workshops which are very popular.


What advice would you give to someone who has had some psychic experiences but is a bit scared of it?

The advise would be there is nothing to be scared of, Spirit want to work with you and to develop your abilities, but please don't confuse your self stick to one way of teaching.
There are many mediums and clairvoyants and we all work very differently.
When you want to start developing always go to the person you are drawn too, much like when you want to book a reading.


Do you have any plans to write a book? 

Yes, a book is very much in the horizon but sadly this as not been done as yet.
Dave my partner set the wheels in motion and we will be getting the book done soon.


Which writer/thinker has influenced you the most.

 I love many different books about a very diverse subject range, but I must admit I do love books by Doris Stokes she was an amazing lady.


What’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given.

To develop my Mediumistic abilities. The satisfaction I get from bring closure to people is truly rewarding.


Would you name 6 “Desert Island” books or films (ones you would like if you were stranded on a desert island - for young ones who don’t know about Desert Island discs!)

Again my Cd collection combined with Dave's is truly diverse and sometimes a little camp and cheesy but I'm a very big follower of the Eurovision Song Contest.
When I first met Dave he made me a compilation CD for every Eurovision winner since the contest first started.
So the Cd's would be that one plus a little of Susan Boyle, Jane McDonald, Michael Buble.

The Life and Times of an Event Promoter - Things That Have Gone Wrong!

Things That Have Gone Wrong – a trip down the memory lane of my biggest nightmares and some of the things that have provided the steepest and sharpest learning curves!

I think one of the primary necessities for being an event promoter is a sense of humour.  You simply have to be able to see the funny side of things, even if this is retrospectively.  Over the 14 years of show promotion, we have had many crisis points and unexpected happenings to deal with.

We usually manage to keep a calm, unruffled surface so that neither visitors nor exhibitors have any idea of the panic going on behind the scenes.  However, there has been more than one occasion where I have been searching for the nearest rafter to hang myself from!

Here are just some of the more memorable ones from the ‘casebook’ ………………………….

‘THE CASE OF THE SHRINKING TABLE STOCK’ –

On my very first show I learned a very important lesson – be specific or check for yourself!  My first attempt as a promoter, was a one day show in a hotel in the market town of Sleaford, Lincolnshire.  An acquaintance of my then partner wanted to help and be involved and as I was living on-board a boat in Scotland at the time and as she lived in Sleaford, she acted as go-between with the hotel.  One of the things I asked her to check out, was the number of tables the hotel had to offer as I needed thirty-eight and wanted to be sure they had enough.  Sure enough, she popped down and counted them for me, later announcing that there was no problem, they had forty.

We had been granted access at 8 p.m. on the evening before the show, following a conference during the day, so we eagerly arrived to lay up the room.  It was at this point we discovered the forty tables were actually forty 3’ square tables, not forty 6’ trestles as I required. My forty tables had in a matter of seconds become twenty as two would be required for each stand!

That was my first experience of what I now call ‘brain-freeze’.  You know you need to do something to prevent impending disaster, you need to start planning, you need action, but the brain simply freezes up and can’t see beyond the problem staring you in the face!  It was my son Phill bless him, who melted the freeze this time – ‘Dad stores the rabbit club tables at his place – should I see if we can borrow them?’  That was all it took – just something to tip the brain out of freeze and into action.

We duly borrowed the rabbit club tables which were 8’ trestles, my son’s dining table, various coffee tables and occasional tables and anything else we could lay hands on.  That was the first outing of the now established phrase ‘Floor plan, what floor plan?’ as my carefully, hand-drawn as it was back then, plan disintegrated.  8’ tables took up the carefully measured 2’ 6” gaps between the tables, the odd shapes jutted out in all the wrong places – oh boy!

Exhibitors arrived on the morrow after a very sleepless night and ‘What a shambles!’, ‘This will never work!’ and other such comments were rife as you might imagine.  We fielded the moans and complaints to the best of our ability, making changes as we went and eventually fitted everyone in, in a fashion anyway, and opened the doors.

In the public flooded!  On that first day we had just short of 700 people through this small hotel with odd shaped tables!  It was wall to wall people – all the readers were doing back to back readings, the talks rooms were full with people standing and sitting on the floors to get in and traders couldn’t wrap goods fast enough!

From ‘This will never work!’ in the morning, we graduated to ‘When’s the next one’ by the end of the day, and learned my first two important lessons in the process -

Lesson one – be specific – don’t say tables, say 6’ trestle tables!

Lesson two – double check arrangements, dot I’s and cross t’s.



‘THE MYSTERY OF THE FLOATING CARPET’ -

In the early days of the Lincoln show, we used what will always be to us, ‘the cow shed’, now more grandly called ‘the exhibition hall’.  Actually, I think that is what it was called back then – just not by us J

We arrived at the point after a few shows, where we thought it would be good to incorporate music.  For this, we hired our first marquee to be erected on the hard standing at the front of the building, using one of the fire exits for entry from the show.  I discussed the drilling of the hard standing with the venue, they advised what they required as repair following removal………….  all was going swimmingly!  Swimming was nearly what we were doing!  We had discussed carpeting the marquee to give a better ambience.  We even got to choose the colour – a nice, deep blue I remember.  I assumed that as we were having carpet, the marquee company would automatically realise we wanted a false floor laying…………….  Not so!  We didn’t even notice on set up day that the carpet had actually been laid direct onto the concrete hard standing area, rather than onto a built in raised floor.  They had laid the ramp between the marquee and the hall, carpeted it and – it all looked wonderful.

Overnight we had torrential rain, so when we arrived on the Saturday and were going about the early morning jobs,   I asked one of our helpers to go and open up the marquee and check the roof hadn’t leaked.  She came back ashen faced – the roof was not the problem, the rain had washed down a nearby slope and flooded in under the marquee.  This was when we discovered the missing floor, quite simply because the carpet was actually floating on a large puddle – well, more like a mini-lake!

Brain freeze! Fortunately not for long this time.  Living on a boat meant pumping and sucking up water was something with which I was not unfamiliar!  We need a commercial strength wet vac I announced!  They all looked at me with blank expressions – 7 a.m. on a Saturday morning in Lincoln showground – where were we to get such an item?

These were the days of what was termed ‘bare bones hire’.  They gave you a key to the facility and left you to it!  No event’s manager, no site staff – we were on our own.  We located an out of date yellow pages in the office of the ‘cow shed’, sorry, exhibition hall, and set to work phoning around the tool hire companies.  Most didn’t open till 8 a.m., which did nothing for the nerves.  My butterflies had somehow acquired hobnail boots and were dancing a jig somewhere in the pit of my stomach.

We eventually located one and someone was dispatched to fetch it.  Forty-five minutes later we were taking turns to vac as much water and squelch out of the carpet as we could before opening at 10 a.m.  We got rid of most of it, but the music had the additional accompaniment of ‘squelch’ to go with it for the rest of that day.

Lesson three – never assume anyone from whom you are acquiring equipment or services knows what you want or what you mean, or will even use common sense.



‘THE ROADSIDE SIGN ADVENTURE’ –

In the early days of building shows, one of the most effective forms of getting people through the door, was our signs campaign.  We used to have anywhere up to fifty boards made, depending on show, and place them on grass verges, telegraph poles, lamp posts, fences and anywhere where traffic might slow down long enough to read them.  In some cases we even had larger banners made that could be staked into the verge if there was space.

Without a doubt, this is what built up the attendance in the early days as visitor after visitor would tick ‘Roadside Sign’ as the reason that brought them to the show on our marketing survey.

It was a real blow therefore, when in around 2005/6 local authorities started enforcing Fly Posting law and issuing fines to those who flouted it!  More on this in a later blog!

My first experience of this new drive to reduce fly-posting when it first became law was at Grimsby.  At that point I knew nothing about it.  I quickly learned after that day however!



At about noon on the Saturday, an officious little man appeared at reception asking for me.  He was a council official and his new job was to enforce the fly posting laws that had suddenly become fashionable.  He announced that he had counted twenty signs and could fine us up to £350 per sign.  My mouth dropped open so much, it is a wonder my chin didn’t hit the desk!  He was going to give us an hour to get them removed …………  in the middle of a busy Saturday show!



Brain-freeze!  Not for long though, this was seriously going to hit my pocket – one of the quickest and surest reasons to melt brain-freeze!  He was clearly the sort of chap that loved his work and would pursue it to the fullest extent, but aAfter some reasoning and sweet talk, I managed to melt him sufficiently to give us till 7 p.m. that evening – two hours to do it in after the show closed.  The butterflies were past jigging, they were now into a full samba!



I was in no doubt that Saturday night or not at 7pm he would be inspecting to see if we had complied!  Needless to say, the minute the venue was secured, we were all off in different directions to retrieve the signs!  We actually had forty-five out, something I saw no reason to inform him of – he had only spotted twenty, but which twenty?  We had no way of knowing, so down the lot had to come.  I have known more entertaining ways of spending a Saturday evening than stumbling through wet grass verges, in the dark and cold, trying to cut down signs with one hand and hold a torch with the other!  By the time we had finished, we were too late to get dinner anywhere, so it was a quick MacDonalds – ughh!  Maybe not entertaining, but certainly memorable!



In the next instalment – More Things That Have Gone Wrong!  Including, ‘The Strange Affair of the Delayed Monk’, ‘The Mystery of the Missing Market Licence’, ‘The case of the Mysteriously Shrinking Hall’ and ‘The Adventure of the Appearing Kitchen’!

Weekend Reads

After the wonderful and fast paced event that was Elsecar...things have outwardly calmed down a bit.  Though still a lot of behind the scenes work going on!

Hopefully we'll all have a few moments over the weekend to relax a bit.  If you find yourself at a loose end, we've got a few awesome sites to check out!

Whatever your plans this weekend, have a great one.

NASA (Image Gallery)

Phenomenal shots from the NASA  archives.  Not just missions and launches but some of the most beautiful shots of our planet and what lies beyond it.  Looking at these images it's very easy to see why many astronauts return home with a new found sense of spirituality.

Do You Yoga

A daily dose of yoga.  From news, to inspiration to blogs and instructors.

The Creekside Cook

A slice of life from an American lady reviving some family recipes and gardening tips.  Some good things on here with a bit of everyday fun too.

The Daily Epic

Epic stories from around the world.  Like a classy version of BuzzFeed!  That's the only way I can think of to describe it...

Featured Exhibitor - Joylina Goodings

Joylina Goodings is an intuitive spiritual life coach, inspirational speaker, psychic clairvoyant, healer, teacher, author and angel expert.

She travels all over the world teaching, giving workshops, healing and readings.

Joylinas' website www.joylina.com has a big selection of articles and information and provides a platform for distance healing which she sends out free of charge around the world.

Her main motivation is to connect people with their authentic selves and find their souls' purpose.

She is very much in demand as a speaker and healer and has contributed to many magazines including Chat its Fate, More To Life, Kindred Spirit, Soul & Spirit and Spirit & Destiny.

If you want to know more about her and her work pop over to her website and have a quick look at this interview/article she wrote for Silent Voices.

Joylina is also the author of the book Your Angel Journey which I can personally recommend!

We are always very honoured to have her at our events and she will be at our next event at Newark in September.

Interview - Sue Hickman

Today we've got an interview with Sue Hickman from Forever Living products.  Sue is at many BSSK shows throughout the year.  We've asked her a little bit about herself and the products and would like to say thanks to her for taking the time to answer our questions.  Personally I'd heard of Forever Living but didn't know a huge amount about it, so it's been fascinating to learn about more.

1 - To start with could you tell us a little bit about yourself.

For 30 years I was a Police Officer and if you had told me 6 years ago I was going to become an advocate of Natural Health products I would have looked behind you for the men in white coats.
However I had a health challenge in that I had arthritis and was taking pain killers on a daily basis. I bought a new puppy and this changed my life. I played with the puppies on the floor and had to use a chair to lever myself back to my feet and the women suggested I tried drinking aloe vera and it would help me. She told me it came with a 60 day money back guarantee and I thought what have I got to loose. I tried it and within 6 weeks I was off my painkillers and back doing the things which had become so difficult like climbing flights of stairs and playing golf. I would never be without it!

2 - Could you explain the benefits of Aloe Vera

I'd never heard of Aloe Vera but when I researched it I found that we have been using it for healing for thousands of years. Records of it being used for medicinal purposes go back to 2100 bc in Southern Iraq but the most famous is 1550 bc in the Papyrus Ebers  which details the ancient Egyptians use of it. There are many other references to it throughout history Christopher Columbus and Mhatma Ghandi both refer to it and it forms part of the Veterinary Coat of Arms.
So why is it so good. We have established that Aloe contains over 75 nutritional compounds including vitamins, minerals and amino acids but the synergy of them working together make it naturally anti inflammatory, it balances the immune system, its a natural antibiotic and is naturally both fungicidal and bactericidal. Most people know it is excellent with all kinds of burns (anti pyretic) but it is also anti itching (antipuretic). This means that it is excellent in helping the body to cope with a number of challenges like mine.

3 - How do you sell, is it just online and show or do you do parties as well?

I attend the BSSK Shows as a way of letting as many people as possible learn about the benefits Aloe has. I do have an online shop which repeat customers use but in the first instance I prefer to talk to people  and discuss the benefits which can be achieved. Once you actually feel the benefits of taking Aloe Vera you do find it difficult to stop talking about it. I occasionally will arrange a party at someones house if they want their friends to find out about the aloe they are using or will speak to Womens Institute or Church Groups but primarily I just talk to people wherever I go.
Forever Living are the Worlds biggest growers of Aloe Vera. It is all organically grown and has been since the beginning. We do not grow our Aloe for anyone else and only use the inner leaf gel in our products. The outer leaf is put back onto the fields for fertilisation. Aloe is like an apple once you cut into it it starts to oxidise so you have to stabilise it. We have a patented stabilisation process using fruit and vegetable juices not heat treating or carbon filtering it like the commercial process.

3 - Forever Living have a lot a bee products - is that a sustainable source, can more bee farming help to increase their numbers?

What is often unknown is that we are also the worlds largest bee keepers. Our bees are kept in the Sonoran Desert away from all pollutants. This keeps our bee colonies strong in a time when the world is becoming more and more worried about loosing bees. We have specially designed hives which allow the bee's to keep all the Royal Jelly, Pollen and Propolis they need and skim a little surplus off for our use.

4- which writer/thinker has influenced you the most.

I have been most influenced by the American Motivational Speaker Jim Rohn. He shows us that we can all lead inspirational lives starting today and if we want something badly enough anything is possible. One of my favourite Jim Rohn quotes is:
Its not what happens which determines your lives future. Its what you do about what happens.
All of us are in like a little sailboat and its not the blowing of the wind which determines your destination its the set of the sail. The same wind blows on us all. The wind of disaster, the wind of opportunity, the wind of change….. the wind when its favourable and unfavourable.. The same wind blows on us all…….. the difference in arrival is not the blowing of the wind but the set of the sail.


5 -What’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given.

The best advice I ever got was "if its to be its up to me". We waste time and energy looking for someone to blame if our life isn't exactly what we want it to be but we all have it in our gift to live the life of our dreams. We have to just stop wasting that energy, decide what we want and actively pursue what we want.


Forever Living Products is a Network Marketing Company and I use my experience with the Company over the last 6 years to show others not only what remarkable products the Company has but also how they can use the Company as a vehicle to get whatever they want in life.

Guest Post - Pendulum Divination by Carolyn Donnelly

Pendulum Divination - It’s Fun and Anyone Can Do It by Carolyn Donnelly

Divination is a simple way to tap into the deep reservoir of wisdom that each of us holds in our higher conscience. The pendulum is not a magickal implement. It is only a tool. The magick comes from our ability to access a vast pool of knowledge that we already have at our disposal. Everyone has the ability to divine. For some it will come easily and immediately. To others it may take a little practice. It is a fun way to find answers to some of life’s questions and to develop your psychic ability.

People normally turn to divination when they have a burning question or when they are at a crossroad and must make an important life decision. It is usually a time of indecision and divination can help us to determine what is really important to us. Our mind is a strong and influential force that often rules our decision making. Our logical mind, however, can trick us into making decisions that do not take all the important aspects of ourselves into account. Divination helps you to tap into our intuition and find out what you really want and what will really help you to achieve your life goals.

Divination can also help you in many everyday practical ways such as: finding something that is lost; for better health; for healing; and even to help you make better gardening decisions. This paper will concentrate on how to use a divination pendulum.

The Pendulum

A pendulum is a convenient tool for divination as it can be carried around in your pocket or worn as a necklace. A pendulum can be made from any small symmetrical object that can swing freely and easily on the end of a cord or chain. You can use a bolt, screw or nut from the garage tool box, a ring or pendant from your jewellery box. The kitchen drawer can also offer surprising small objects that you be used as pendulums. Before writing this article, I searched through my kitchen drawer for examples and found a round key-ring, a small padlock and a symmetrical key, all of which could be used as a pendulum. The object must be reasonably symmetrical however in order for it to work correctly and it must be of a certain weight. For instance, if it is too light it will not pull the cord tight and swing correctly. If it is too heavy, you will find it difficult to hold it gently between your fingers.

Choosing a Pendulum

Although you can use just about any symmetrical object, made from any material, most people tend to choose a pendulum that they like the look of and feel comfortable with. You can buy beautiful pendulums for a small amount of money from new age and metaphysical shops. They are typically made from metal, wood, semi precious stones or crystals and usually come with a chain or cord attached. Remember, that the pendulum is not a magickal implement but only the tool that allows you to unlock the secrets of your own higher self.

However, the material that a pendulum is made from can increase particular energies that contribute to the power of your divination. Pendulums made from semi-precious stones or crystals bring to your divination the special quality that the stone or crystal provides. These special qualities can assist you by increasing the positive energy during the divination process. Below is an example of some semi-precious stones and their particular qualities:

Amethyst – soothes the nervous system, balancing emotions. It helps you to feel more in control. It is good for relieving physical and emotional pain and overcoming addictions, dispelling anger, fear and anxiety.

Citrine or Golden Topaz - a highly positive stone that can guide you in a positive and creative direction. It is good for dispelling insecurity and negative thoughts and for attaining inner calm and security. It is motivating and helps you to achieve clarity of thought and resolution of problems

Clear Quartz Crystal – a highly spiritual stone, quartz is good for psychic development. It is purifying and creates harmony and balance. It enhances the qualities of other stones and can be programmed to achieve just about any goal.

Rose Quartz Crystal – the love stone, rose quartz creates harmony and balances emotional states. It is the stone for self-acceptance and appreciation of all things. It brings peace, compassion, self-love, happy relationships and receptivity to beautiful things.

Sterling Silver – brings clarity of thought and enhances your ability to deal with intellectual problems.

Tiger Eye - strengthens convictions and brings courage and confidence. It is good for mental focus and for promoting energy flow around the body. It is said to attract the people and things into your life that you need to achieve your goals.

Chambered Pendulums

Many pendulums contain a hollow chamber into which you can insert an object of significance to your divination questions. Chambered pendulums are usually made from metal and have a small hinged lid that opens to a small hollow chamber. Objects that are commonly inserted in the chamber include small crystals or stones to increase particular energies or a hair or piece of clothing from someone central to the question that is being asked. This makes chambered pendulums a very powerful tool for use in pendulum divination.

Preparing for Divination

Because we often turn to divination when we have a great desire to find the answer to a question, it is important to ensure we are in the right state of mind for undertaking divination. A genuine desire to find an answer is an important factor to successful divination. However, it is also important that you do not approach finding the answer in a desperate way with too much emotional attachment to the answer. You must approach divination in a relaxed manner, remaining a little detached from the answer. If you are too anxious and put too much pressure on yourself, the process will be ineffective.

For the best results, especially if you are using divination as a way to answer a question that causes you stress, it is advisable to undertake divination directly after meditating. Alternatively, here is a relaxation technique that will assist in reducing any anxiety directly before undertaking divination:

Light an aromatic candle or incense in a relaxing scent (examples: amber, lavender, geranium, jasmine, frankincense) in a room where you will not be disturbed. You could put on some relaxing music if you find that calming. Sit or lie somewhere comfortable. Once you are settled, imagine a light entering your body from your feet and gradually filling your body. As the light travels up your legs and through your body visualize the light entering every sinew, muscle, tendon and vein – every cell. Imagine the light to be soothing, calming and relaxing you as it pours into every aspect of your body. If you have an ache or a pain, concentrate the light on that point, making it bright and imagining the light healing the pain. As the light continues to make its way up through your body, it takes with it any pain, discomfort or stress until finally pouring out through the top of your head, expelling anything that is making you ill at ease.

By relaxing prior to divination, you will reduce your internal ‘noise’ and will be better able to focus your mind on the question. A more relaxed state will help you to remain calm and will assist you to get in contact with your intuition.

Determining the Question

Because pendulum divination is used to provide a Yes or No answer, you must be careful how you ask the question. The question must be unambiguous. Sometimes it is better to ask a series of simple questions that can be answered with either yes or no than to ask a complicated question where answering yes or no does not really give you a meaningful answer. Spend some time on your question as, if you ask ambiguous questions in the early stages of learning to use the pendulum, you may loose confidence in the accuracy of the process.

Practicing with a few simple questions first will help you to determine how to best form a question to find an answer to the important issues. Sometimes the timing for the question is not right. If this is the case, you will not receive an answer. You can, however, ask the pendulum whether the timing is right.

How To Use Your Pendulum

Determining the Yes and No Signals

Find somewhere comfortable to sit. Hold the cord or chain of the pendulum between the thumb and forefinger, leaving 2 to 4 inches of cord between the pendulum and your fingers. Ensure that your fingers are pointing down so that the pendulum can swing freely.

Hold the pendulum in front of you, so that it has plenty of room to swing above your knees.

To start the divination process, swing the pendulum in a motion away from you and towards you. This is the neutral action and is a way of saying, “I am ready to start divining”.

Firstly, you need to predetermine the signals that mean Yes and No. To do this, you ask the pendulum.

To determine the Yes Response - While your pendulum is still swinging in the neutral action, state, ‘show me my Yes response’. You do not need to say this out loud but make sure you state it clearly in you mind. Now watch the pendulum. It will change direction or change its movement style or it may stop altogether. Whatever movement it makes after you ask for your Yes response is the movement that will be your signal for Yes.

To determine the No Response - Swing the pendulum once again in the neutral action. While the pendulum is still swinging in the neutral action, state ‘show me my No response’. Watch the pendulum and whatever motion it makes will be your No response.

Repeat the process outlined above until you are confident that you have a predetermined response for Yes and No.

If You Don’t Get a Clear Signal

When you first start using a pendulum this process may take a while as you are using a part of your psyche that may not be well practiced. You need to be patient with yourself and keep you mind focussed on the question you are asking. For some this comes immediately but for many it will take practice.

If, after trying a number of times, you are not getting a clear signal from the pendulum for Yes and No, you can decide your signals using your conscious mind. To do this, repeat the exercise as stated above but this time decide on what movement you would like to be your Yes signal and what movement you would like to be your No signal.

To consciously determine your Yes signal, firstly swing the pendulum in the neutral position, then state in your mind, or out loud, ‘this will be my Yes signal”. On making this statement, deliberately swing the pendulum in the motion that you have chosen to mean Yes. Do the same thing to determine the No signal. Once you have set your responses, practice swapping between Yes, Neutral, No, Neutral, Yes, etc. Test out the predetermined responses by asking some simple questions and let the pendulum signal the answer.

Like anything new, your divination will improve through practice. Practice helps you to focus your mind and will help you to develop an emotionally detached disposition when divining. Over time you will increase your ability to ‘hear’ your intuition and improve your general psychic ability.

Carolyn runs Placid Moon, an online New Age Store that sells a range of Metaphysical and New Age Products and Gifts. Placid Moon features a number of quality and reasonably priced Silver and Semi-precious Stone Divination Pendulums, including Chambered Pendulums. We also feature a range of Aromatherapy and Relaxation Products including Meditation CDs, Scented Candles, Incense, Essential Oils, Oil Warmers and Incense Burners. Visit us at http://www.placidmoon.com and browse our site today!

Article Source: NewAgeArticles.com

Weekend Reads

Have a great weekend!

With only a week to go until Elsecar, we have a few sites to waste away a few lazy weekend moments...

Nell Rose

A prolific article writer on lots of weird and wonderful subjects.  A great site to dip in and out of.

Spiritual Awakening Blog

Musings on one persons' spiritual journey.  Opinions, inspiration and great articles.

Edgar Cayce A.R.E.

The official website for the Edgar Cayce Association for research and enlightenment.

Eartheasy.com

Tips and articles on sustainable living, lots of ways to help protect Mother Earth.

10 Things...Instructions & Inspirations for Making Altars

All spiritual traditions have a place for worship, meditation, remembrance, or simple contemplation.

Sometimes they can be as simple as a few favourite things place together and other times they can be an area full of magical items placed carefully and according to ritual.

Here are a few inspirations for making your first.  Or, if you've already fell into making altars, some new ideas and inspiration.

Silverwitch

A lovely blog post on the placing of a spiral altar which can be made inside or outdoors.

Mind Body Green

Simple steps to creating a simple altar.

Elephant Journal 

Creating sacred space with a simple altar.

Happy Black Woman

Using an altar as a "spiritual centre".

Pagans Path

An altar for magik.

Feng Shui

Creating a feng shui sacred space.

Mexico Retold

How to make a Day of the Dead altar.

Custom Pet Urns

From an urn business (sorry!) but the idea of a pet altar or shrine is nothing new but this site has nice, creative ideas.

Spirit Voyage

Creating an altar specifically for meditation.

Spirit Makeover

Angel altars.