Team Meetings

We have now held three team meetings and have now decided to slip in a fourth to get in a final run through of our “presentation” just prior to the Farewell Dinner which is being hosted by Bexhill RC. We held the first meeting in January at Ray’s house in Hastings where his wife, Jenny, did us proud with a roast dinner (all hosts note Tom is happy to live on roast). It was a great meeting getting to know one another and going through all the things that we have to do prior to departure. We have an excellent mix of skills and everyone was enthusiastic to play there part. Three of us live in the north of the district and were able to travel down to the south coast in one car whilst Andy came along the coast from Eastbourne by train. Although we are at opposite ends of the District the journey only takes an hour and a half. The internet makes life a lot easier in getting the various things sorted out but its no substitute when getting to know one another, despite Cheryl’s disclosures! The weather was kind to us and we got our first team pictures in Ray and Jenny’s garden. We all went our various ways after the meeting fired up with enthusiasm bolstered by the incredible support we are already getting form District 9520 in Australia. Oh did we mention Hastings has a Norman Castle, one of many in District as the incoming Australian GSE team will attest.

Our second meeting, in February, was at Tom’s held in the Harbour Masters Office in Whitstable. Like Hastings it is a seaside town but on the north coast and famous for the local oysters. We sorted out the “uniform” clothing we want and outlined our elements of the presentation. Andy seems to have drawn the short straw, being a Freelance Designer; he has taken on coming up with a logo and the design for our team hand out, business and thank you card. His idea for the team logo is brilliant and we will have it on the literature, embroidered on our polo shirts and fleece and we are also having a District banner produced which will include our GSE logo. The pressure is really starting to tell and despite all best intent there was lots we were hoping to do which we are struggling with due to home and work pressures. DG Denis joined us and even bought us a beer when we went up the pub lunch time. He is very supportive and is keen that we get the most out of the trip. He has asked us to try and tie up with clubs in Australia to set up matching Grants for possible projects in the South Pacific region. After the meeting we all went out for a meal and for the first time sat down and relaxed and really started to get to know one another.

The March meeting, our third, hosted by Richard at Whitstable Community College was an ideal venue as we aimed to get a full run through of our presentation in the college’s media suit. Work and pressures are really taking their toll. Richard is working day and night towards the financial year end, he has suffered a family bereavement and his house sale has just fallen though and it looked like he was going down with flu. Tom’s dog has broke its leg, his younger brother and child have moved in with him and a spate of bombs are turning up on the beach, least of all his computer crashed with all his presentation locked on it. Cheryl managed to move house she is frantically choreographing a new production but her planned change of schools has been turned down. Her computer also decided to ditch half her presentation. Andy is completely buried in animations and his 5 minute run though of his section of the presentation lasted 20 minutes looks like a serious bit of editing will be required. Ray is gamely struggling on keeping on top of things from his various holiday destinations via his lap top, retirement must be hard! Apart form the fact that nothing that we have ordered has turned up yet we are very optimistic that everything is in hand! Last years GSE Team Leader Chris Barnett joined us and was very helpful with his comments and advice. Richard decided to take an early exit to recuperate but the rest of us gamely went out for a meal afterwards. The Duke of Cumberland is rapidly becomining our local!