Registered Charity No. 702429

CUT BOTH WAYS

MARKETING REPORT

Our major event since the last Cut Both Ways was undoubtedly the Boat, Caravan & Outdoor Show at the National Exhibition Centre. This year’s show was of a shorter duration, only six days instead of ten and included only one weekend. The organisers had also taken an additional hall which was devoted to boating. There has been comment in recent years about the proportion of boating to camping, caravanning and mobile homes and this was a move to redress the balance.

With the shorter period and no caravans in the hall, we were concerned about the attendance but it was unfounded. The exhibition and the boating hall were still busy and the organiser’s reported a slightly higher overall attendance than previous years. We had a smaller stand than usual but we still showed a reasonable profit of nearly £1200 on the event, thanks to our sponsors and a very generous donation from a new life member signed up on the first day.

A cold weekend in February saw us at Braunston for the OwnerShips Show. In spite of the weather there was a good turn out of prospective buyers for Owner- Ships and we made a profit of £183. A collection in the foyer of ADSA Supermarket, Cannock raised £255 and our attendance at the Whittington and Fisherwick Big Green Eco Fair, which was very much promotional rather than fund raising, nevertheless raised £17. All these events fell on the same weekend and to cap it all Bob Williams was on duty at Tamworth Road where we had a visiting wrg group. We managed to man all the events but it was touch and go, so we do need to recruit some new members. The existing team are very willing but we cannot split ourselves in two and we don’t like turning down good opportunities. We really do need your help!

Although Easter was extremely early this year, Eric & Doreen Wood still held their all-day coffee morning at Whittington Wharf. In spite of the cold and the snow showers, we managed to raise £483.

The annual joint Lichfield IWA/LHCRT jumble sale produced another £200 for the Trust and a collection at Waitrose, Lichfield yielded a further £241. My thanks to everyone who helped at all these events.

I also attend Lichfield Tourism Association meetings on behalf of the Trust and one of its most useful events is its literature ‘Swap Shop’. It is an opportunity to get the Trust’s membership leaflet into hotels, guest houses, attractions and many other places where visitors to the City can find them. Publicity is an important part of the function of the Marketing Group.

A considerable proportion of our income comes each year from the Grand Prize Draw; you will find your tickets in this issue of the magazine. Please try your best to sell them and should you need more, Sue Williams will be pleased to send some out to you. At this point I must say a big thank you to Trish Humphries who has once again agreed to promote the Draw and source the prizes.

A date to please put in your diaries now, Whittington Village Hall on Saturday 8th November 2008. That is the date for our autumn entertainment this year and it will be a performance by Day-Star Theatre of An Unpleasant Business. Day-Star is a long-standing group which for many years toured the canals, performing at countless boat rallies and festivals as well as canal-side pubs. They no longer tour by boat but instead they have a repertoire of plays which they take to village halls and small theatres. It promises to be an enjoyable evening. More details will follow in the next edition of Cut Both Ways.

David Moore
Marketing Director

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