NZFMM

THE 2011 MECCANO EXHIBITION incorporating THE 2011 MECCANO CONVENTION.
(preliminary announcement)

Hello to all Meccano modellers,

The MWT Meccano club wish to invite everyone to come and participate in the above Exhibition/convention weekend. It is our turn to host the 2011 Easter, 22nd to 24th April get together, and this time we are combining with Destination Manawatu in an exciting three day exhibition with a 1950's theme.The event is being held at the Palmerston North convention centre on the square and will be open to the public from 10.00am untill 4.00pm Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Destination Manawatu have built an exciting and interesting weekend around our convention,and will be carrying out extensive advertising to promote this weekend and have indicated to us that they are expecting to draw at least 30,000 people to attend.They have booked a number of other venues around Palmerston North all with displays and attractions akin to this weekend,and will be providing free buses running around a loop to link these venues together.This means that there is going to be a variety of places and things to see and do for partners, children, in fact bring the extended Family. Please keep an eye on their web site www.squareaffair.co.nz as time moves along. This weekend now has the potential to offer you and your models the best possible display chances, so that the maximum number of people get to see,and admire and appreciate the time and effort that you as constructors put into designing and building your creations. We have arranged for the convention centre to open from 8.00am untill 10.00pm on both the Thursday and the Friday, longer if we feel we need it, to get models in. Now here is something to ponder about, if you are planning to have a model that you think may be better displayed, at either higher or lower than normal table height, DM have offered the services of professional set builders, and also lighting if required, free of charge. More about this in later bulletins.

Now done to the nuts and bolts of this weekend.

1. Lets deal with an issue that a few modellers have been concerned about, which is what happenes if they cannot get there on the Thursday. Well its not a major problem, as long as you have registered and have told us what table space you require and paid your registration fee, there will be that space available for you when you arrive. But what if you get there after the hall has been opened to the public, still not a major problem. MWT has the biggest hall in the convention centre which has rear door entry and is on the ground floor(no stairs). MWT will have helpers there to asisit you in with your items etc, although it would be helpful if you could try to be there by midday on the Friday.

2. Another issue which has concerned MWT is the tight time frames surrounding this exhibition, and trying to find time to conduct some of the requirements of convention. We are but one part of a very large weekend, so to that end we have made some changes to the way the NZFMM Convention would normally run. To make the best use of time available to us, there will most likely be a show and tell session for those modellers who arrive and set up on the Thursday, most likely after tea on the Thursday evening. What about us Friday guys I can hear you saying. Still not a major issue as there will be time after the venue is shut to the public on the FrIday evening to allow you time, which would then be in line with what would normally happen at the convention.

3. NZFMM Convention AGM, well here's how MWT sees it. This would normally be held at or just before the prize giving dinner on the Saturday evening. Well we feel that by the time we get the last public out of the venue its going to be 5.00pm or even a bit later, with dinner planned for about 7.00pm it does not leave you the Exhibitor much time to refresh etc. It is proposed now that the best solution would be to hold the AGM on the Friday night after a quick tea. Remember we have the use of the convention centre untill 10.00pm or a bit longer. This is an important AGM as it is proposed to present a new constitution for members to consider.

4. All you Meccano folk still with me, not bored yet great.
The Committee have arranged a separate lounge off the side of the exhibition hall for relaxation and tea and coffee will be supplied here. NOW A BIG NO NO. Please, please don't take your drinks back into the main hall as this will infringe the in house catering rights, and likewise no food to be consumed in the main hall.

5. MWT will have registration forms available in a few months time when we know more re dinner costs and venues etc, and what accomodation packages may be available.

6. We plan to have a courtesy van available to collect folk from the airport/railway station, also to and from the dinner if needed, more about that on the Registration form. Please keep an eye on the NZFMM Web site, and don't hesitate to ask questions, we are here to help, further bulletins to follow.

Convention Committee:
Chris& Paulette Morton ceandpj.m@clear.net.nz
John Freer nhorvath@xtra.co.nz
Graham Hawtree Secretary mwtmeccano.club@xtra.co.nz