Hastings Spin - conclusions and decisions from a meeting in the pub

Sunday afternoon, the pig in paradise, meeting with most hastings spinners present, discussing whats going to happen in the near and far future.

Monday afternoon, a email from organaisation princess squarexedge quoting everthing discussed in the meeting.

I hope she dosn't mind me sharing, but I thought I'd let HoPers know what we're up too, and get some views and opinions.

Spangly email, with some stuff you don't need to read, deleted.

Written by: squarexedge's email

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Some of this is for the kids who come along to spin, learn and enjoy themselves and some is for the people who are interested in performing with the spin. There are overlaps and one may become the other, so it’s a good idea to know whats going on.



Halls

Due to evil things like the weather and short days, we intend to rent a hall for a couple of hours every other Sunday. This will mean that the spin can carry on over the winter.



I seem to have the week off, so I’ll ring around and see what prices are like. It is very possible that the fact we want a regular booking is going to count against us, 1) because of the time of year and 2) they may well demand more money for it.



If anyone didn’t hear last night, Mike asked the people in the Pig about hiring the back room and got told that if we wanted it on such a regular basis then we’d have to bring in a lot of money/pay them a lot of money.



I think it was agreed that we would try for an inside spin every two weeks. No-one is saying that people can’t spin between these meetings, but it’ll be nice to know that people will definitely be spinning on certain days (and that we’ll be inside!).



Contact List / Phone Tree

Will asked if we could draw up some kind of contact list, and Aimee asked for a phone tree, so we all have certain people to contact if a spin is/isn’t on etc. If you could all send me your mobile and home phone numbers, email addresses etc I’ll make one.



Website

Mike will be registering www.hastings-spin.co.uk (or something along those lines) very soon. That means that not only will you all know where to look for news, we can also start using @hastings-spin.co.uk email addresses etc for gigs, which will look professional. So far, the suggestions for site content are:



News & Upcoming Events (gigs)

Performance Details

Fees
Contract
Code of Conduct – not drinking before a performance etc (so the people we’re spinning for can see we’re not going to put ourselves or the audience at un-necessary risk. Well. Not whilst we’re spinning, anyway)
Fire Safety and Risk Assessment information
List of members w/photos and contact details (sparkley emails, ooh)

Gallery

Forum (either pointed at the lazyfuck hosted one or a forum of our very very own)



Promo

Once we’ve got the halls sorted posters and flyers will be going out as quickly as possible – the more people we get interested the better, and I bet there are a lot of spinners who will be going into hibernation otherwise. Plus this is a good time to build our reputation as a spin, get more new spinners coming along etc so when the summer comes back they aren’t so nervous about coming!



We’ve got to emphasise the fact that we’re a group for all levels of ability – quite a few people I’ve spoken to have been too scared to come down because they think we’re all poi ninjas who’ll laugh at them or something.


Observer / East magazine

Pieces in the observer and east magazine would be lovely. Michael has the contacts, he can do that.


Hastings Spin

First things first – if we intend to make Hastings Spin a performance group everybody needs to sign some kind of membership thing. Not anything big and scary, we just need a defined list of members for reasons discussed at the meeting. It will also help with things like who we are insuring, who is responsible for any money needed, who is coming to gigs etc.



So far these are the people who have expressed some kind of interest:

Aimee

Colin

Kayleigh (as first aider)

Loz

Mike

Will

(Plus others who I'm sure will raise hands)


Registering the name

Copyright is more about intellectual property than it is about protecting names and logos etc, so we’d need to apply for registered trade mark status. However, that will cost £200 (at least), take ages and, at this point in time, be a bit silly. Plus I’m not sure the flame logo will be individual enough to be accepted as a trademark and…well we’d look stupid if we invested the time and money and were denied a trade mark at the end of it.


In the meantime we can use the ™ mark, because that doesn’t mean we’ve paid for it…I checked…



Insurance

You’re all aware that we need insurance to do gigs … we’ve been lucky that we haven’t been asked for it yet…well, not specifically anyway. Mike is going to get in contact with an insurance broker he was talking to at our last Harpers gig to talk about prices and things.



However much it does cost, we’re going to need to find the money somewhere. This could mean the people wanting to be covered by the insurance reaching into their pockets, or busking, or some other form of fundraising. Any ideas? I have some that could probably cover it up front, which I have no problem doing if i’m certain that I’ll get it back.



Funding / Fundraising

Although we talked about this quite a lot at the meeting, nothing was really decided. we need to investigate getting funding from local charitable foundations, the princes trust and further on down the line arts council funding etc etc.

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So thats basically it.
Views?

Otherwise, watch this space

You're so lucky

lucky? why so?
Oh I see, the fantastic group of friends, an ever growing spinning community, the possibilty of get gigs where we get paid in money instead of 48 bottles of stella

Yup.... biznitch

Plus the fact that you'll have spin meets all through winter. S'not fair.

Hello miss aimee.

I'm willing to help out for nowt but a good time when I'm in Hastings... That includes fire spinning, indoor meets, and gigs if you want me.

(all above is subject to me being around, that is...)

Excellent

"University Challenged" Tempted to steal that, I'm currently intending to quit university at Christmas. Either way i'll reply to the e-mail later probably Aimee.

good luck Aimée and you know I'll help out if I'm down also for nowt. PM me with details about you birthday spin and I will see about coming down to say howdy. Much love to the hastings possé, the place feels like a second home even though I'm not down as regular anymore

Um Yeah. And stuff. ect

I say we persuade Will to learn cube...I don't know why.

Erm - would you like some honest views about your propsal from someone who spent a year doing pretty much that exact same thing?

Not all of it will be pretty - could PM you if you'd prefer

Right.
Didn't want to post anymore in this thread until we were sorted on the hall. Whilst I was in Clapham hastings spinners rented a hall in west hill. The ceilings were too low. Hall proposition is on hold for now.

but..
I just recieved this email from the lovely flapjacks..


*****


Hey everyone.
I received a phone call today (mid lesson hurrah!) from this lady who wants us to do a performance/workshop/something or other/details below. I told her to e-mail me through the details so that I could talk to the rest of the group (that's you...) and see what you thought. I think she got my number from the woman that apporached me and Colin after the De La Warr spin, as I didn't recognise the name when she said who had recommended us.

I've said that we'd get back to her by Monday (on the presumption that we'll see each other on Sunday [which is the bonfire that was meant to be last Sunday until it was cancelled, I think all the same details apply]) I've got an e-mail and phone number for her so we can reply either way.

What's the opinion on this? (Colin you know lots about this kind of stuff, please reply!!)

I won't tell her anything definate until there's an okgo from everybody.

Kirsty x (koo)


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Subject: Hastings spinners wanted at Halton!
Date: Tue, 08 Nov 2005 21:21:57 +0000


Dear Kirsty

Further to our conversation today about the Hastings Spinners, here are some more details;

We are holding a party on Sunday 11th December 2005 to celebrate the unveiling of three new commissioned works (an illuminated artwork, children’s garden and a play area) on the Halton estate, Hastings.
Attending will be residents from the estate, the artists responsible for the three art works and various staff members from the housing association, public art officer etc. (we are catering for approx 100 people). The party will be held in the community flat and around the communal spaces – a fairly large grassy area, pathways around the estate and near the commissioned works themselves).

We have 2 proposals regarding the Hastings Spinner’s involvement,
either;

1. That a small company (perhaps 5 people) from your group perform at the party for a short time (approx 10 minutes) with poi and fire poi.

Questions;
Do you perform to music and can you provide the music / musicians yourselves?
What health and safety provisions would we need to consider for your
performance?
Do you have public liability insurance?
How much would you charge for this performance?
What happens if it rains!?

Or

2. That prior to Sunday 11th December 2 members of your group hold 4
x poi-teaching sessions with our group (approx 6 children aged between 7 – 12) to enable them to perform at the party (making a group of 6 children and 2 instructors). Again, this would culminate in a performance of maybe 10 minutes. Sessions would ideally be held after school on Wednesdays (16th November, 23rd November, 30th November, 7th November) for an hour each time. Exact start and finish times to be confirmed with you.
Total times = 4 x 1 hour sessions
+ 1 x hour assisting with the children’s performance on November 11th

Questions;
How much would you charge for these workshops and assisting with the children's performance?

Other Information

During the sessions I, or the artist in residence (Ashley McCormick), will be on site to supervise the children and assist the instructors.

I hope you can put these proposals to the Hastings Spinners and that
you will be able to participate in our party!
As you can see, the sessions would have to start as soon as possible
if we are to be ready for out unveiling, so please do let us know your availability as soon as you can!

I look forward to hearing from you soon,

Jill Cramp
Assistant to the Community Artist in residence
Impact Art Project
Halton estate

*****

Jeeeeeebus

Hubbada hubbada hubbada.
Big alarm bells going NO INSURAAAAAAANCE.
But all very exciting non the less.
We also have a gig in Canterbury, at the opening of the the new cinema/premiere of the new Harry Potter film.

Word is getting around so fast
we don't even have any advertising or what nots out.
I feel like


Never in a million years would I have invisulised this 2 years ago. Golly.

it is very exciting. but we need a spincore (yes there are now two spin groups...the actual tshirted spinners - spincore - and the other kids) meeting to talk about this stuff again. also to kick certain peoples arses into gear.

gigging is fine but we REALLY need to organise what we're going to do over the winter spin-wise. i'm sick of trying to sort stuff out and just have people ignore it. i'm not saying i'm washing my hands but i will be stepping back for the next month or so.

Spincore
Tis true though

With he help of mum I might just have a mosey at some other halls.
Praps with the money we get from these coupel of gigs (wether we put it away or have it for ourselves?) will give us a bit more choice as to where we go. *shrugs*

People do indeed need kicks up the arses, but you know and I know loz, that they are those sort of people. And me, you and mike are differnet types of people, ones who like to go in head first. Surprisingly we're the ones who arrange everything and organise things and what not...

The hall could work. Just because a couple of people are against the money/spinning indoors, dosn't mean that other people are.
Was thinking last night about how many spinners there are down our neck of the woods - and theres a quite a few. Enough to 'pay the rent'.

guys, sort out some insurance for this one

it sounds like your getting lots of feet in doors, at this stage you want to impress with all of your already thought of / coverd things ie. insurance and risk assessments.

If these are in place they will take you alot more seriously mentally and finacially

Your getting spinning on the map down there, make sure it goes well

If you need any advice you know where to find us

Good luck!

yep, insurance is VERY DEFINITELY on the cards. the thought of not having it and hurting someone makes me feel ill. we were thinking events insurance first off? dunno.
risk assessments already in the bag, mainly because i like them (no, really)

YipYipYip.
Praps its because I've been on HoP, and have had it shoved in my face YOU NEED INSURANCE TO PERFORM then..y'know.
The others have just been spinning with the hastings kids and despite me and loz drumming inot them that we need insurance the don't seem to think it as important..
And then theres the problem of baby aimée being under 18

events insurance you will stuggle to get.........

you want public liability insurance £2million for 165 squid

runs from september to september, i not aware that it has age restrictions?



As for the other kids of hastings if they want to take work seriously they will get insurance. If they do not just contact who they are working for and tell them to ask if they have any. You will find once the seed on insurance has been planted, there work will stop pretty quick.

Its this type of thing that reflects the prices you charge, im mean i bet they do gigs for "a few beers and free entry" thats coz they have no outlay on things like insurance, and im my opinion are not to be taken seriously when it comes to talking about shows.

Alot of promoters and venue owners are not clued up on whats required, so offer them your services - what to look out for in the fire performance world and offer you recommendations etc. No charge, makes them like you before youve even talked about working for them and youl get alot more respect for it.

few beers and free entry?
Thats pretty much all we get paid in atm

ah but your differant from them Aimz as you are thinking about these things and putting them into practice

It took me and hobbit about a year of gigging for beer and free entry before we got taken seriously........

your on the right path, stay on it