CONFERENCE 2011
CONFERENCE 2011
Michelle Withey & Glyn Goodwin here with some great news for you!
We know that this year’s conference has only just happened, but we are well on top of planning the FACE conference for 2011 (keen aren’t we?)
The 2011 conference will be held in Hertfordshire, central to all areas of the UK and easily accessible by road, rail (and air for those from further afield). We are very mindful that the last couple of years have been financially hard for most of us, so we have GREAT news about next year’s conference venue and costs.
Like us you probably have in mind a youth hostel as being very basic, maybe a little grubby, with dormitories, refectory canteens, communal showers and being one step up from camping? Well boy were we wrong!
We visited the YHA in Lea Valley in and were blown away by the facilities on offer at an amazing price compared to lots of other venues & hotels we have looked at. Taking into consideration the need for a separate room for retailers, a light and large room for painting, dining facilities and comfortable bedrooms, this ticked all the boxes.
Yes some of the rooms do have a few beds…and there are some with bunks, but if you need to have a room with just one other person they will be available on a first come first served basis. Anyway, it’s much more fun to share with friends :) & it keeps the cost to a minimum.
OK…so there is no pool or spa but most of us don’t have the time to use those when provided anyway as we are all busy painting or watching painting, but for anyone who does have the time the hostel is part of a huge country park. ….so you can clear your head with a brisk walk in beautiful surroundings.
We will be able to offer delegates an all inclusive price from £90* for the whole weekend. *This will vary slightly depending on whether you share a multi bed room or have single/double occupancy and if you book early.
That price includes Bed & breakfast, Lunch, evening meal, tea & coffee, and the Gala dinner on Saturday, as well as the entertainment! So it should be much more accessible for lots of people.
We have brokered a deal whereby we get the entire hostel for our exclusive use for the whole weekend. There are plenty of beds available which are divided into lodges, each lodge having separate bedrooms with an en suite bath/shower per room, and a shared rest/ living room with tea making facilities per lodge. We will still be having all the usual competitions, challenges and fun activities we have come to love at the FACE conference weekend.
We will be offering a three part payment plan, Pay pal payment facility, and also a discount if bookings are made early. We want to make it as easy as possible for anyone who wants to come, to be able to do so at a very reasonable rate.
We have decided on a theme of Murder, Mystery & Masquerade, and on the Sat evening there will be a troupe who will be entertaining us….where there will be a Murder for us all to solve!
Most details should be available along with an early booking form at this year’s conference at Exeter, and the booking form will also be on the website ASAP after this year’s conference, as well as on the reverse of this letter.
When we sent out a questionnaire last year asking members what they wanted from their conference one if the things a few of you mentioned was that you would prefer a slightly earlier date than March. So you will also notice we have moved the date slightly forward into mid February, which for most is a quiet painting time.
The fun begins on Fri 11th Feb 2011 with the AGM in the afternoon and continues through Sat 12th & Sun 13th.
There will be an option on the Thurs and/or Sun nights too for those who want to, all prices for these extra days will be on the booking form.
We are very pleased at the prospect of being able to offer many more members the opportunity to come to a conference for a very affordable price, and hope you will all support your association and make it a weekend to remember.
Yours excitedly, Michelle & Glyn