Chch debrief

[Dunners]

FYI, the Baby & Kids Gear Sale details:
This Saturday 9 May
9-12
Cashmere Club, 50 Colombo St, Beckenham
$2 admission

I'm planning on going to see what it's like/how busy it is etc.

It is too late for a table this time, but if there's enough interest they will possibly run it again later in the year.

Details about the stalls:

Stall Details
Please give brief description of what you are intending to sell and whether new or used items (note any large items which would not fit under or on a trestle table)
Are you a commercial business  Yes  No
Cost per table is $25 to individuals and $50 to commercial/private businesses.

[Amethyst]

Just be aware you'll need permission to be there with cloth nappies
Not that I've been denied, but I was told the committee needed to vote on it.

[Dunners]

Oh yes, I realise that - as I said on the other thread PC have conflicts of interest due to their funding source. But, it still of interest for me - I want to see how busy it is etc. (I'd be interested to know what the stall holders get for their $ )

[Amethyst]

Carolyn has been to one before (as a retailer)

[Joanne]

There is a Baby and Child Market (now that sounds really dodgy ) held at the Windsor School Hall (Burwood) a couple of times a year. One has just been held last Saturday. It has free entry and doesn't seem to be affiliated with a particular group (ie PC or Plunket). It's a very busy market.
I'll pass on the details next time I see one advertised. The organisers do a number of different markets at this venue - there was recently a Retro/Vintage one as well.

Joanne

[erindeann]

Just wanted to mention --- as an relatively naive "outsider" who is new to MCN (starting with our first bub due in August) --- that I had heard about the Real Nappy Week before the event (March I think) and was originally quite interested in attending. That said, when push came to shove, I didn't attend.

I hope this isn't too taboo to say, but ultimately I opted NOT to attend because the event was held at a local church. I don't consider myself "anti-religious," but as a secular humanist, I was worried that the event would be somehow affiliated with the church itself, or that there would be people / aspects of the event that would incorporate advocating religious beliefs associated with that church.

While I realize that in all likelihood the event was probably booked at a church due to cheap rates / or someone being involved with the church --- the venue gave me enough pause to not attend. I was just a bit worried that perhaps the church and the event were somehow affiliated with one another. I've just recently joined the nappy network and found that they aren't associated, but obviously as a "newbie" who just saw the flier and heard about the event via word of mouth, I didn't know that from the onset.

I hope that's not offensive to anyone who planned / organized the event! But I thought that it might be useful feedback. Perhaps I'm the only one who would be slightly concerned about church affiliation involved, BUT it is also possible that a lot of people in Christchurch are secular in nature (or maybe belong to other faiths) and may have considered the nappy event to be associated with that particular church or religious doctrine.

Anyway, it's just food for thought.

I would have likely attended were the event at a more public or "neutral" type venue -- like a library, or a school for example.

I hope that helps! Again, it's not an issue of being anti-religion, but I think a lot of people may have thought the church itself was sponsoring the event, or that there would be overlap in kind of information given.

[Louise]

Wow, that is something I would never have thought of being someone who is very comfortable in a church environment. I would never have imagined someone could be put-off coming to this sort of event because it was held in a church hall.

You are right - it was held in that church due to a TNN'er having an association with that church and it was solely used as a venue. TNN has absolutely no affiliation with any church or religious group.

The year we held it at the Riccarton Library we had a lot of thoroughfare. Although central I think we found parking was tricky and the room was quite small but otherwise good. We had to really rush to get out by 4pm when the library closed. Was there a reason why we didn't go for the Sydenham Library since we've had so many meetings there in the past? Not big enough?

Perhaps we will have to try for a community centre? Bishopdale have a good community centre (above the library) with a large room and two smaller (but still large) rooms which can open out and become one large room.
There is a small lift to get up there otherwise the stairs - I have been there once when the lift was out of order which would be a bit of a disaster at an event with little babies/preggy mums. We'd have to have a couple of dads doing "pram carrying duty" up the stairs.

Anyway, I have got completely ahead of myself and not having been at the RNW event this year I am not sure if I ought to be commenting.

[Joanne]

The Baby and Child Market that I mentioned a couple of posts up, is on again THIS Saturday 1st August 10-3pm at the Windsor School Hall.

Sorry no contact details - I've just seen the advert in the 'gig guide' section of yesterday's Press.