[Gloucs] Meetings and organisation - volunteers needed

[Barbie]

On Thu, Apr 13, 2006 at 07:41:06AM +0100, Francis Barton wrote:
> 
> My feelings at the moment are that, as we are all busy people, folks are 
> worried about stepping up to organise things because they worry that it 
> will be a big time-sink and a burden. Alternatively, nobody really 
> thinks there is much value in the LUG organising events (the UK LUG tour 
> thread notwithstanding) to complement the mailing list and help to 
> promote Linux in the county.

I'm happy to help out with organising events like the LUG Tour and
inviting people to come and speak. Having run the Birmingham Perl
Mongers for the last 5 1/2 years, I have got a lot of contacts who I can
ask to come along. I've also been arranging all the technical meetings
and have manage to interest several Open Source speakers, not just Perl
ones.

However, as I'm not a local, and am busy organising the YAPC::Europe
Perl Conference that'll be happening in Birmingham from Aug 30th to Sep
1st, I can't guarantee to arrange speakers for every month. Although
seeing as several of you seem to have some interesting projects and
there is always the workshop experience, that may work out just right.

We have access to the seminar room here at MessageLabs, and seeing as
it's reasonably midway between Cheltenham and Gloucester and pretty easy
to get to from other areas in Gloucestershire, hopefully its a good
venue for everyone.

The LUG tour is on Friday only because that was the only day they had
free, but if there is a better meeting day in the month for most people
I can arrange around that. The cost will always be free, with free tea
and coffee, and the venue is wheelchair access friendly.

> I think it depends on how many members want the LUG to function as an 
> event or club rather than just a "help" mailing list.

Having visited several other LUGs, the former does work well elsewhere,
even as a "drop-in surgery" idea where newcomers feel comfortable coming
along and asking questions. It's been unfortunate I haven't been able to
make a meeting previously, but I'm happy to try and promote the group 
where I can.

It would be worth arranging a regular meeting venue/date so that if
anyone does just want to drop in, they know where you'll be. With
Birmingham.pm, socials are always in the Old Joint Stock on the second
wednesday and the technical meetings are always in O'Neills on the last
wednesday. As such people know theycan just turn up and someone will be
there.

> I'll try to sort out the website with details of the UK LUG event soon.

Great, thanks.

Cheers,
Barbie.