Wouldn't it be good in 2008 to...

[aminorjourney]

Do a UK EV expo like the Canadian EVCO group have just done. There's some photos up on this website.

Of course, this year the BVS calendar is pretty choc full. We've got the Newark Kit Car Rally (16/17th June), the Electrathon, (30 June/1st July) the Bristol Motorshow (12-15 July), the London to Brighton (22nd July) and the International Balloon Fiesta at Bristol (August 9-12) to name but a few.

But an EV expo where we can get people all together to share electric transport. That'd be grand

What do people think? Where would we hold it? Perhaps the committee could talk about it at a future meeting?

[qdos]

Count me in on it!

I think from the AGM it may be wise to go for a pretty central location but then what is central? Geographically it's actually up near Newcastle! But how about the Midlands perhaps next year's Newark Kit Car show ? Although I know of a much bigger show which might be good.

[aminorjourney]

Tough call. It would be good to have it within easy reach for everyone though

[ChrisB]

Where ever it is you wont please everyone, its a fact of life

Sometimes it the financial side of things that dictate where you end up.

ChrisB

[qdos]

I totally agree Chris. I've lived in each quadrant of the UK and I'm now doing the middle bits LOL but what really amazes me is how some people think 5 miles is too far to go for things. I once drove up to Scotland and back in a day setting off from Surrey!

There's arguments for and against any location. Its a very sad and selfish thing but the fact is that unless something is within a stones throw of London it's likely to be ignored by the press.

To be brutally honest though I think the country would be a lot better off if we took a hacksaw round the M25 and draged the middle bit and dumped it in the ocean somewhere or maybe Texas

I think the objective of such a show/stand would be to get publicity and interest so really it needs to be a place that attracts Joe public as the likes of you and me are already hooked on Electricity anyway. We need to draw in more outsiders.

[arsharpe]

Sounds good, I am up for it and can provide charging facilities to get people there (http://www.ev-network.memberlodge.org/)

If it is a long way away I may need help charging myself.

A local museum http://www.milestones-museum.com/ does transport type days and has lots of open space. Let me know if you want me to contact them.

Regards,
Rob

[aminorjourney]

Perhaps we should ask the Committee to discuss this at the next meeting?

[qdos]

Sounds good, I am up for it

Up for what? Helping run round the M25 with a hacksaw ?

The museum at Basingstoke might be a good venue I used to work at Lightwater and the M3 corridore is very good for access although I would wholeheartledly agree with anyone from north of Watford saying it's once again SE biased. I'm realy a Northerner myself and I do get peed off by the SE comandeering everything but let's face it it is where one hell of a lot of folk live and where most of the press tend to travel and it's publicity we need. So yes I'd back Basingstoke as a suggestion

[MB]

Instead of a central show, what about several smaller shows?

The problem with having a central show is that it is mutually inconvenient for everyone and only die-hard enthusiasts attend. A smaller roadshow has the benefit of being reachable by far more people, and is far more practical for electric vehicle owners to attend with their vehicles.

You need a small core of commercial sponsors who would agree to take a stand at each event. There would need to be a small exhibition, an area where owners can show off their cars and a couple of other attractions - electric vehicle test drives, that sort of thing.

You would need to get local publicity for each event from local newspapers, TV and radio stations.

There are companies who will arrange the whole roadshow for us, but it does cost money. If there were real interest, I could get some quotes. Then we need some commercial sponsors to cover the costs...

[qdos]

I'm pretty good at doing things on a shoestring budget and I'm fairly confident we really don't need to spend much money. There are plenty of motoring club events that go on all over the country which we can tap into I've got us stand space at one of the south coast's biggest events for example and it won't cost us a penny

I'm very confident we can repeat this throughout the country. There's plenty of people who want to be seen to be green who'll happily have us present. However I do honestly think we need to create a much slicker more professional image, but trust me that's not too hard to do it just needs a little know how I do think that the magazine and the website are a massive step forward so far.

You are quite right about the local element and I think that the emerging regional enthusiasts organising local meets is the way forward I do believe that one or two of our members have volunteered to travel a bit further afield to help support other area gatherings and I think that a travelling information and PR pack etc. is a good idea. I think we could do a good job in-house though it's just a matter of knowing who is able to do what things and how we can scratch one another's backs in the interest of progressing the BVS and our beloved EVs

There's a lot of people beavering away in the background offering their services and talents to the BVS and it's great to see. If we keep at it who knows what we might achieve. I'm sure we can do a pretty good job if we all pull together the way I've seen a fair few of the Society's members doing I for one would like to say well done everyone and let's keep up the good work