Author Topic: Mega 2015 in trouble  (Read 237 times)

Offline walktall

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Mega 2015 in trouble
« on: February 05, 2014, 10:12:29 am »
This is off Mega 2015 FB

2nd Feb

Tracey Mason-Garrill:
Quote
Hi, if you go on to the GAGB Facebook group and look at a document about up coming events, you will see that I've asked a question that many people have vocalised over the last few months. Here is an answering post by Dave Palmer

"The original Eastern England Committee, who Tendered for and were awarded the Annual UK Mega Event 2015, was formed by a 13 year old.

When this was found out, the committee disbanded, as everyone resigned. As of yet, no one has attempted to form a New Eastern England Mega Committee, to organise the 2015 Annual UK Mega Event.

If someone wishes to step up to the plate and form such a committee, within the next few weeks, the Account for 2015 is waiting for them, which as a Legacy Mega Event Account, virtual guarantees Mega Status pre 12 month Run In. Something No 1st Year Mega Event, will be awarded under the new Mega Event application process.

So the 2015 Annual UK Mega Event, is currently up in the air."
Dave Palmer.


Mark Holden:
Quote
A small group is forming to rescue this event and hopefully there will be news soon. Anyone willing to offer any help please contact me as it seems to have fallen on me to get a group together of willing volunteers. PLEASE HELP IF YOU CAN a lot of people doing a little is better than few people doing a lot. Looking at Peterborough as a possible location as it is central and there are, I am told, a lot of good caches in that area. Date still not fixed but considering we only started working on this about 3 hours ago we are not doing too bad I think
« Last Edit: February 05, 2014, 10:23:48 am by walktall »
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Offline walktall

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Re: Mega 2015 in trouble
« Reply #1 on: February 05, 2014, 10:22:49 am »
The discussion about this situation on GAGB FB has got quite lengthy and (to put it a polite way) there has been some disagreements/misunderstandings :(
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Offline Gackt

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Re: Mega 2015 in trouble
« Reply #2 on: February 05, 2014, 01:41:49 pm »
Well what a pickle.

I am sure there are a few 13 year olds out there that are quite capable of heading such an event up. But that aside, didn't anyone think to ask such questions at the time?

Anyway, I hope a new committee is formed and the event works out.

Thank you for posting the news about this, I hadn't heard anything about the situation before reading this.

Offline Griff Grof

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Re: Mega 2015 in trouble
« Reply #3 on: February 05, 2014, 05:11:43 pm »
I read about this on the GAGB forum.

I think it's the Mega event assignation process that is to blame: as you say, they should ask questions and quiz the chairman and their committee to make sure they are serious about it. Otherwise, an event could be put on to embarrass the UK as a caching community  :D

I hope it's all sorted soon, though - as I don't use facebook for caching purposes, please do keep us posted here WT :)

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Offline walktall

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Re: Mega 2015 in trouble
« Reply #4 on: February 05, 2014, 10:42:30 pm »
Dave Palmer did add this on the 2 Feb to answer further questions on the GAGB FB page:

Quote
Can I please make the Status of the Annual UK Mega Event clear for once and all

The Annual UK Mega Event Account, was created as a Legacy Account, which is passed on each year, after the Event. To the Next Organising Committee.

A situation arose in 2010, where the next holding Committee the 2011 Swansea Committee, felt put in a untenable situation, as there was 2 requests for the account. And the Committee was deadlocked over who to hand it to.

I was asked if there was anyway to resolve the situation.

So that the Account would continue to exist, I created the Annual UK Mega Account Stake Holder Committee. Which comprises of the Chairman or Nominated person on their behalf of each committee to hold the Account.

Because the Committee had not been formalised, both committees were requested to submit a Tender for the Account. These Tenders were then voted on, by every past and Current Member of Committees, to have held the Account. Everyone eligible was invited to take part in the Vote. Not every eligible person did.

And to make it very Clear, I did not Vote, and just acted as the Facilitator.

Moving forward from that point, so each Holding Committee is not put in a untenable position again. The Account is opened up for Requests, each year. With a process put in place, if more than one committee requests the account. Tenders Documents will be submitted by each committee, and the Members of the Stake Holder Committee, will vote on those Tenders.

Again I "will not" have any part in the vote. I just act as facilitator.

The GAGB, Groundspeak and the Volunteer Reviewers, have nothing to do with the Annual UK Mega Event or it's Stake Holder Committee.

My own role is just Facilitator, not a Member of the Stake Holder Committee. So as such, I am not empowered to make decisions, that is the role of the Stake Holder Committee.

And Tracey I just reported the facts as I was aware of them. Given that there was several person, actual named as being on the Committee.

When the original Chairman resigned, he contacted me to inform me that the "Vice Chairman" was taking over as the Chairman of the committee.

Another "Committee" member contacted me to inform me, of that persons resignation and why. Which would indicate a initial Committee had been formed.

It was only when I contacted the person who had been named as the New Chairman of the Committee, that I found out, that person was not involved in any way.

It was also informed by someone else that a attempt to re-form the committee was planned, that did not seem to happen either.

I sincerely hope that a Committee can be formed, to organise the 2015 Annual UK Mega Event, in Eastern England.

And I'm happy to confirm that if the event does go ahead, I will be Attending it, also I will be Attending the Camping Event.

As to how a 13yr old, was able to request the Account for 2015, Groundspeak insures peoples confidentiality, which means even Reviewers can not access personal information. So it is taken "on trust" that if the person is under 18yrs old, they are accessing Geocaching.com, under the supervision of their parents.

So it was and will continue to have to be taken on trust, that the person submitting a Request, on behalf of a Committee, for the Account, is a Adult, as there has otherwise been a failure by that Child's Parents, to monitor their child's Internet Activity.

Because otherwise, it would require, asking for proof of confidential information. And that opens up huge issues, for the Stake Holder Committee, and myself as Facilitator.
« Last Edit: February 05, 2014, 10:45:21 pm by walktall »
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Offline Bear and Ragged

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Re: Mega 2015 in trouble
« Reply #5 on: February 06, 2014, 03:23:06 pm »
Seems a shame that -as it turns out- a 13 year old can enthuse cachers to get together to try for the Mega account, but when they find out the cachers age, they all back out...
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Offline L8HNB

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Re: Mega 2015 in trouble
« Reply #6 on: February 06, 2014, 05:38:32 pm »
B&R - don't you think cacheings a bit like that though?  We've "known" you and vice-versa for ages but if we passed in the street would we recognize each other?
 :D :D
It is a bit surprising that it got as far as it did though.  Hopefully, they will get a recovery plan together.  From a personal point of view we'd look forward to an excuse to go over that way again.

 


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