CHRISTCHURCH RNW in here now!

[Kaz]

RNW 11-17 October

Once again - I'm not organising (somebody slap me)

But I kinda feel like a general eco baby/ earth parenting type expo could be fun. There is no Parenting and Child show down here, so I figure if we get cracking now we could have a good event happening.

Key things that would need to happen now:
1. Decide if we want an Eco baby expo, fairly mainstream but would have to consider the idea of compostable disposables etc. Or a more Hippie/Green Earth Parenting event where everything is a little more fringe (for the average parent) maybe not to us

2. Find a venue large enough with good parking and is reasonably central. Not a church hall and relatively cheap/free.

3. Chose a date.

4. Find out how much it costs to get signs printed, ads in papers etc, so we can work out a budget for advertising - some of the free ads have to be put into magazines 3mnth in advance, so we need to sort out the details now.

5. Contact prospective exhibitors. Would hope to have 30ish if possible.

6. Find out if we would need to hire tables etc for exhibitors and work out how much we should charge/ table.

7. Start getting a pool of volunteers and a team of key organisers - I don't think I can do this one by myself

Please feel free to add suggestions, comments, volunteer for something. Will add more as my brain starts working.

[hannah]

whats the date for RNW this year Karen?

[Louise]

Sounds like a good plan Karen. I am pretty useless when it comes to helping with stuff like this but will try!

Maybe we need to go for a community centre as the venue? Fendalton Community Centre has pretty good facilities although I don't know if they have tables which we could use. Our church meets in this venue and they have one large sports hall with a kitchen off it, then a smaller nicer hall and seminar room (carpeted, some small tables in those rooms but you aren't allowed to eat in the carpeted rooms). There are toilets in between. You can hire one half or both together.
There is some parking out the front and reasonable parking along the road. Is just down the road from the Fendalton Library. I think you contact the CCC for info on this venue. There is lots of seating available in the hall.
Bishopdale also has a community centre but it is up stairs - would have good parking in the Bishopdale shops carpark but would be a pain for parents to drag prams up and down the stairs and the rooms are quite small.

Most Eco events tend to be at that place (??) in the lower Hagley Park - although parking there would be absolutely horrible if it coincided with Saturday sports.

I think the expo could be marketed more towards eco/green baby/parenting style but allow (almost) anyone who is keen to hire a stall - the more stalls the better the event will be. I have no problem with compostible disposables for example but we wouldn't want to allow those cheap-bulk disposable nappy shops to have a stall.
I would be keen to hire a stall for my cards/stationery which don't have a lot to do with eco/baby stuff so...... just throwing that out there!

We'd want to have some food for sale too I think - even just a sausage sizzle and some drinks (juice and water bottles?) for sale. Would help keep children happy, be good if it was a cold day and could boost our income which would help with expenses. Soup in a mug with a bread roll is cheap and easy to prepare and have in a crock pot for sale. $1 for a cup of soup plus 50c for a roll would go down well. Would be easy to have GF alternatives as well.
I could possibly volunteer dh and my older children to be on sausage sizzle/drinks stall for some of the time.

[Kaz]

The dates are 11 - 17 October.

[Emma]

I'm in. I reckon go big as possible given that there's no p&c show this year. Still plenty of time, could even get some marketing info together and get some sponsorship.

[Kaz]

NOT plenty of time, by the time all the info is colated and a budget set etc it will be October plus I need to fit in having a baby

I was thinking of getting people to take on a job, find out the info and then get a meeting organised for the end of June. Decisions can be made and exhibitors contacted by mid July. Confirmation asap, so we can advertise and get alternate exhibitors if we don't have enough to fill the space.

I think to get in the Tots to Teens and the Family times (both free) you need to have the info in 3mnths ahead. I figure it would need to be in the Sept/Oct issues.

I remember a few years back New World sponsoring a baby show - it was at the Pioneer Stadium, Lytelton St. Wasn't as glossy as the P&C Show but it was fun anyway.

Sometimes the Council has mentoring for events which would benefit the community - just a matter of finding the right person to give us the information.

Also want to encourage exhibitors to have givaways and prize draws, as most people like that kind of thing.

[Emma]

Well for those of us not having a baby any minute its plenty of time!

Sponsorship is often who you know or who you bothered to ask nicely. We've managed to get sponsorship for stuff even a month out, but thats not ideal

I've got a conference end of June then I'm event free so can put more time into this.

[karmiec]

Well Done Kaz!!!

[Kaz]

So, any volunteers to get things moving, otherwise I will shelve it and let something smaller happen which takes less organisation.

Just don't have the time energy or head space to do lots this year.

[Louise]

So, any volunteers to get things moving, otherwise I will shelve it and let something smaller happen which takes less organisation.

Just don't have the time energy or head space to do lots this year.

Sorry I'm not able to do much at this point in time either! I could find out how much it costs to hire the Fendalton Community Centre hall if you like...

What are the dates for RNW?

[Kaz]

That would be great Louise.

Unless some more capable bodies come on board, there's not much point getting too excited - If we want a big event we need to start the prep work now otherwise it is too stressful and retailers won't sign up if it's too rushed.

Might be something we put away for next year.

[louloulou13]

Sounds great. Would be happy to help out but would also hope to be an exibitor so not sure if that would be a conflict of interest....

[hannah]

I'm keen to help this year. Shall think on it and get back to you all.

[fnk]

It sounds a really awesome idea but unfortunately this year I just don't have the time to help. I feel like I am running everywhere as it is at the moment!
But we could do a organic food/spices stall if you were interested in that sort of thing as well

[Tash_BeBops]

Im stretching myself really thin at the moment too.... I would love to take part, but not sure how much help i can offer with organising?