Events are core at the TSGARC – we like to do stuff!
This page is intended to provide guidance to members who simply have an idea, who wish to know more about what’s involved in organising an event or who are just plain curious.
What is an event?
Just about anything really. We use a very broad definition. Some examples are:
- giving a talk to members
- an external speaker giving a talk
- a trip to a museum
- a day or multi-day outdoor activity such as a field weekend
- a quiz
- a meal.
So I have an idea how do I know if its appropriate?
Simple really, don’t be shy, talk it over with a few members and get some feedback. If in any doubt grab someone on the committee – they will be able to offer advice.
I have an idea, but do I have to organise it?
Not necessarily. But event organisation is considered a core member responsibility and all members are encouraged to take part. Depending on the size of the event, at the TSGARC, we share the work between members. This lowers the work on individual members, diversifies event organisation between members and gives each member a greater sense of participation, reward and ownership.
But surely event organisation is the job of the committee, right?
We are a club of members for members. We members are what make the club. Being actively involved with events gives a sense of reward and ownership. For this reason all members are encouraged to get actively involved in event organisation – after all its a way of getting the club doing the things you enjoy.
So, I have an idea how do I make it happen?
Its important to understand that there are two key roles to organising an event. They are almost always fulfilled by two different members:
- leader – the member who has overall responsibility for making the event happen
- publicity – the member responsible for ensuring the event is publicised appropriately.
Depending on the size of the event, the ‘leader’ role may do almost all the work or be just a coordinator of other members. For larger events multiple members may be responsible for different aspects of the event. For example, a member for accommodation, another for transportation, another for booking venues etc. In this example, the ‘leader’ would ensure that those separate activities deliver what is needed at the right time to make the event happen.
Vital to our club is publicity. At a basic level we have a need to grow the club by attracting new members. If we keep all our events secret, no one outside the club knows that we exist or what we do. Publicity may simply be letting members know an event is happening. But its highly likely to involve getting a News article onto our website both in advance and after the event. This can be small but ideally includes a photo. We also push publicity to the RSGB for inclusion in Radcom and to the local press. Its the responsibility of ‘publicity’ role to ensure we publicise the event appropriately. We have a dedicated committee role for public relations so its really good to get them involved – early.
To make an event happen we need stuff that costs money. Do I have to pay for it?
If your event needs money, something renting, purchasing etc ensure you discuss this with the committee at the outset. We all contribute to the TSGARC through our membership fees and part of that contribution is for the purpose of supporting events.
All expenditure must be approved by the committee. Depending upon the amount, the TSGARC may choose to pay directly or ask you to pay and reclaim the expense from the club. In the latter case it is essential that you obtain a receipt.
Is there a checklist of things that need to be done when organising an event?
Yes there is 🙂
- Lead organiser: ____Enter name here_____
- Publicity organiser: ____Enter name here____
- Date of the event: _____dd-mon-yyyy_____
- Description of the event: _____________________
- Committee approval: _____Date approval granted by committee_____
- Funding required: Yes/No (Delete as appropriate)
- Funding purpose: _____Describe what the funding is fo _____
- Funding approved by: __Date approval granted__ (Name committee member who approved funding)
Top tips
- Don’t be shy – jump right in and help out
- If you are unsure about anything – find a committee member and discuss your idea with them.