Great Western Coffee Shop

We don't yet know whether we'll be able to hold an in-real-life AGM for the Coffee Shop this year, but chatting among the moderators we're looking forward to work out provisionally what might and might not work for members if we can.

As I write - February 2021 - we're in The Doldrums of a lockdown, and in the thick fog of not being able to see what's ahead of us once a breeze blows into our sails and lets us travel again.  Some of us have had little motivation to look ahead, waiting for things to return, others have taken advantage of the lack of leisure and family visit time to think and plan as best we can against all the unknowns.  All of us have found the last year life-changing and challenging, and on that base we need to be getting thoughts and ideas for the Coffee Shop together.  "If it ain't bust, don't fix it", but yet not overlooking ideas and opportunities. You'll find other threads now and coming along in our "Frequent Posters" area that will take this forward.

   

Can I encourage all logged in members over this weekend to please vote in our AGM poll at http://www.passenger.chat/24621 , even if your vote is "I will not be attending".   I do appreciate that this may be as much fun as voting for a police and crime commissioner, with a low turnout, but I would appreciate your vote however it goes.

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Thanks!

Our AGM poll at http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=24621 - closes in 2 days.  Looking for answers to three questions
* When and where should we run it?
* What (if anything) should we run alongside it?
* Would you like to come?

I would hope to attend if it is held in Taunton, less likely if held elsewhere.
Any day of the week is fine by me, but Saturday probably suits most others.

It would IMHO be ideal if a GWR representative could attend and answer questions. If so I promise not to ask excessive questions about catering, and not to call IETs rude names.

Many thanks for your votes.   Correlating the answers in chunks:

I would very much like to attend the Coffee Shop's AGM if ...
... it was run in late August 2021   - 10
... it was run in late September   - 9
... it was run in late October   - 11
... it was run in late November   - 10

I would very much like to attend the Coffee Shop's AGM if ...
... it was run on a weekday   - 9
... it was run on a Saturday   - 16
... it was run on a Sunday   - 9

I would very much like to attend the Coffee Shop's AGM if ...
... it was run morning   - 9
... it was run afternoon   - 17
... it was run evening   - 5

I would very much like to attend the Coffee Shop's AGM if ...
... it took place in the far West   - 4
... it took place in Exmouth   - 6
... it took place in Taunton   - 8
... it took place in the Bristol Area   - 10
... it took place in Didcot   - 12
... it took place on Zoom   - 16

I am a Coffee Shop member but will not attend the AGM in 2021   - 8

29 members voted, of whom 21 would attend with the right mix. 16 out of 21 can attend on a Saturday, 17 out of 21 in an afternoon, 12 out of the 21 in Didcot and/or 16 out of 21 on Zoom.  Initial logic, then, suggests Saturday 23rd October or Saturday 30th October in Didcot (where I would initially look back to the venue we used there once before) looking to live stream on Zoom.

The survey does not give me any correlation data though - it is possible (though statistically unlikely) that the 12 who voted for Didcot includes every one of the five who could not attend on a Saturday, and from the remaining 7 none could make October.

I would very much like to attend the Coffee Shop's AGM if ...
... it was JUST an AGM   - 9
... it included a Keynote Speaker   - 12
... it offered networking opportunities   - 9
... it linked to a visit / trip / special journey   - 10

There will - almost automatically - be networking opportunities if we're able to meet up "in real life" and it feels obvious to look at timing in such a way that people who wish could visit the Didcot Railway Centre. There's also the potentially excellent opportunity to attact a keynote speaker with a venue in that area.

We are looking 8 months ahead and no major events as far as I can see - from ((here)) (https://www.wincalendar.com/Calendar-UK/date/30-October-2021)

That quote should be the ultimate test of the forum's extended character use!

Suggestion - to pencil in one of those two dates (moderator / admin team chat as to which over the next week or so), look at booking venue taking care to ensure we have a fallback if there are unexpected lockdown or other issues, look at a keynote speaker provisionally too.  Final thoughts / decisions when the May timetable is out or perhaps a bit later.

I am aware of the fare / routing issues from Taunton and beyond and can investigate options, but we need to note that we're not looking at a franchise operator really - more at a management contractor - and such things may be very quickly ruled out as impractical. But we can ask - and that might help people who really would prefer an AGM in the Western Peninsular zone too.

By George, I think he may have fixed it!

I doubt that I would travel to Didcot, that however should not be taken as any criticism of the provisional plan to hold the meeting at Didcot.
Pleasing the majority should be the priority, not planning to suit me.

Might also rule me out, as train times up to April showing a five and half hour trip each way.
Also puzzled as would have thought a visit to the Railway Centre is a good half day or more?
Guessing the Centre visit would be in the morning with the AGM in the afternoon.
100% sure Mrs GBM wouldn't want an overnight stay at somewhere nearby whilst I 'shed-bash' all day Saturday.

We have an issue with any IRL (in real life) meeting for such a geographically spread group.  21 voters will attend in the right circumstances but only 12 of those in Didcot and, yes, that looses us 9.  Problem is that when we look to do better - i.e. at different venues - we end up doing worse.

No rush over a few days or even a couple of weeks ... but looking at it.  The team will likely come up with something - perhaps further vote options. Any comments / ideas here (or by message) gratefully read.

I would favour Taunton, partly self interest I know, but it does have the merit of reasonable train services to most other parts of GWR land.

To be fair, you could say the same of Bristol, Westbury, Swindon, Reading, Didcot, Exeter...

Personally I will be delighted if it is possible to travel anywhere! But I wonder if it might be possible to have some sort of 'hybrid' setup where those who can attend in person do so, whilst those who can't attend via Zoom?

Totally yes - in fact YES or even YES - already planning with that in mind.