Agents on the scene
So, wow. Still in its first week, the Wings 2014 fundraiser broke £100,000 last night. We suppose that means we better start fleshing out our “stretch goals” a bit.
And if you’re one of the 99% of readers who haven’t donated yet – perhaps because you’re wasting your money on trivialities like feeding your family or paying bills or something – this is where you can offer us some help that’s just as valuable instead.
As we mentioned in the fundraiser blurb, we’d really like to put on a series of live events in cities and towns and villages around Scotland, but with none of the usual boring, interminable speeches full of stuff everyone’s heard a hundred times before. We’d like to just go in, say hello and then spend a couple of hours trying to answer people’s questions about independence – whether they be undecideds or even No voters – in straightforward, non-politician language.
The trouble is, we have no idea where to do it. We don’t know which towns have which venues, when they might be available, what facilities they offer or how much they cost to hire out. But the people who live in those towns do, and as we’re now nudging quarter of a million monthly readers we figure we must have most areas covered.
So here’s what we want you to do. In the comments below, tell us as much as you can about possible venues in your area and how we could put an event on in them.
– We’re looking for places that hold 100-300 people, and preferably already have PA facilities in place (which we imagine pretty much everywhere will).
– We’d like to know roughly how much they cost to hire out for an evening in June/July (and obviously whether they’re already fully booked around that time).
– We’d like to know if you’d be prepared to help out, both at the event (eg passing around a radio mic, manning a leaflet table or acting as bodyguards in the event of attack from crazed “Better Together” grassroots activists, if they’re not both out that night), and before it, distributing flyers and the like.
We really want to make this happen, but we can’t do it without you. We don’t need answers right this minute, obviously, but the sooner we have some sort of database the sooner we can start the mammoth task of trying to organise the whole shebang.
Over to you, folks.
Sadly, Hampden Park is booked this summer! 🙂
Fantastic idea – good luck with this!
Ambitious, or what?
Happy to lend a hand – Edinburgh can do with at last four venues. Goodness knows how many Glasgow could embrace.
Dundee University seem willing and able to rent out lecture theatres.
I think the biggies they’ve used for the Five Million Questions series hold around 400 people, which I think would be needed in a major city.
They also have the advantage of being able to cope with overspill by piping sound into an adjacent lecture theatre.
I can enquire, unless any other Dundonians have experience of dealing with them already and are better informed than me.
What about the music hall in Aberdeen?
The Soutar Theatre at AK Bell Library in Perth is an ideal venue. Capacity is 125. Good sound system and acoustics. I can provide additional equipment such as wireless mics. Disabled access and all necessary facilities.
Ive not checked on availability, but the cost for evening hire after 17:00 for 3 hours or less is £141.10.
I have considerable experience in organising and chairing events and excellent contacts in the local SNP and Yes Perth & Kinross.
What about the music hall in Aberdeen? That’s roughly right size.
Stu there are events happening in local venues all the time, organised by the various Yes groups. Are you perhaps ‘better together’ working with them, helping them, hosting more?
I don’t think we want duplication – say a Yes event in, say, Strathaven’s Ballgreen Hall one month, followed by a Wings event a week or two later. So let’s not reinvent the wheel, just make it run smoother, with even more marketing to a wider audience.
In essence the Yes groups are already a long way down the same road. And what you envisage is already happening. But together you could cover more. Worth exploring?
It means sharing platforms, but Yes are doing that, with speakers from Yes, from political parties, from BforS, trades union, LfI and more.
So find out what’s already in the planning, work together, fill the gaps, and do more, bigger and better. Now I know Yes might not want to form links, but they won’t if we don’t ask, and we’ve all got a common aim.
I’ll be more than happy to see what I can do in South Ayrshire.
There are church halls all over Ayrshire that are being utilised by YES Scotland so perhaps they can point you in the right direction as far as pricing is concerned.
This is a good place. I went there for the YES Musselburgh event .http://www.thebrunton.co.uk/info/2/hire_our_venue Audio set up in place.
Go for it ! This will scare the veritable poo out of the other side. Stand by for a tsunami of mouth foaming from them.
The Steps Theatre would seem a good place in Dundee. It’s central, easily accessable and holds 250 people –
http://www.leisureandculturedundee.com/library/stepstheatre
… and as Yes Blair said the other day, HQ doesn’t necessarily know what the groups are doing these days, so it’s really a matter for the local groups. Yes Clydesdale are very active for instance, and others will be too, all completely autonomous from Yes HQ, putting on their own events with their own funding, buying in Yes products from HQ and supplementing this with other literature such as the Aye Write cards – so Wings is on their tables.
Now this IS a venue 🙂 http://www.edinburghfirst.co.uk/venues/assembly-hall
I think we should, if we can, brand the meetings differently from the (great) YES Campaign meetings, to try to get along a different crowd (of DON’T KNOWS and NOs) if we can.
Something along the lines of:
Unlimited Free Drink and Find Out The Truth About Scotland’s Big Decision Meeting.
You get the idea.
Why not think bigger – how about larger conference centres.
SECC – Glasgow
Eden Court – Inverness
AECC – Aberdeen
EICC – Edingburgh
As said in the original fundraising thread, Rev, I’m more than happy to film events in Central Scotland which we can then upload to your and my youtube channels for those people who aren’t able to make it.
Why not think bigger – how about larger conference centres.
SECC – Glasgow
Eden Court – Inverness
AECC – Aberdeen
EICC – Edinburgh
Please get Inverclyde buzzing!!
The new arts venue The Beacon might be ideal place – Ted Christopher would know!
It might be worth your while contacting the Highlands and Islands Touring network. They have a lot of knowledge about venues throughout the area:
http://www.thetouringnetwork.com
I do not stay in the area, but it would seem that Aberdeen would be a great place for your intentions.Maybe others on site could suggest a good venue.
…and have them broadcast live on Wings
Rev. Are we preaching to the converted?
Would it not be an idea to invite societies, undecided etc. in these areas to come along.
After all it’s seems a bit of a waste of time and effort as well as money if every live event was full of YES supporters from wings.
What about colleges? schools?
Can we come up with some ideas on this?
As I used to live in NE Fife, I know that area reasonably well, as probably do a fair few WoSers.
Kirkcaldy obviously and the mining towns would be two groups, separate from Dunfermline and the Queensferry area.
The Howe, that is Freuchie, ‘Muchty, Strath, Falkland would be another singularity, as would Cupar. St Andrews may be a lost cause but the sort of people who live there and could vote Yes may not have the motivation to take the bus to Cupar.
Venues would need to be sorted by those who are still local and can beat the jungle drums.
Music Hall Aberdeen good suggestion from Scott assuming our village idiot councillor Wullie has no plans to add the Rev to his banned list.
http://www.renfrewshire.gov.uk/webcontent/home/services/leisure+and+culture/venue+hire/ed-meetingsandconferencehireatpthandrth
I’ve popped off a wee email asking if PA equipment is included, available to hire or will have to be supplied. I’ll get back to you when I have a reply.
Following on from Heraldnomore’s comment about duplication of effort – why not reach the parts of Scotland that other campaign events canna reach by providing a ‘mobile road YES show’?
Perhaps rent and refurbish an old library bus that allows people in to browse the literature and talk to the resident YES team during the day, and then in the evening you can run a film or perhaps a performance? For example what about a satirical puppet show that highlights the absurdities of the bitter together mob? (Do not underestimate the power of puppetry – they have long been used to motivate and inform resistance movements……)
Should be great fun …
What about the Mitchell Library in Glasgow?
Might be useful to contrast against the Better Together use of the venue?
St Brycedale Church in Kirkcaldy.
It’s already been used for a couple of YES meetings (there will be another one later this month on the 27th Mar)
Obviously, there could be an overlapping between Wings and YES (the organisations and not the bands!)
But I feel it’s an important battleground because:
a) It’s Gordon Brown’s backyard
and
b) It’s home to the notorious, Labour controlled council buildings known as the ‘Kirkcaldy Kremlin.’
This is an area where the positive YES message needs to be hammered home.
I agree with heraldnomore. meetings already happening all the time now
re Anthony Armstrong’s reference to South Ayrshire – we are already in the middle of programme to have Yes evening in every village in south Ayrshire south.ayrshire4independence@btconnect.com
In Maidens this evening – 19.00 at Bowling club
Monkton on Thursday evening
Ayr town hall filled to overflowing for Jim Sillars yesterday evening
Co-ordination of activities essential
Here’s a good online database that you can all refer to, it gives details of lots of performance venues around Scotland, with contact details etc. They are mostly professional venues rather than town halls etc, but that might be better as they will be staffed and have sound, lighting facilities etc.
http://www.scottishtheatres.com/touring/presenters.php
The Scottish Arts Council used to do a good venue database but don’t appear to have it any more since they became Creative Scotland, maybe someone can find it in the archives. Or they might be able to send it via email.
I’m inclined to agree with Heraldnomore. Lots of Yes groups are already doing this kind of thing, with Yes cafes, roadshows etc. Some have speakers, some don’t. The frequency seems to be ramping up too. I imagine by summer there will be few places left that haven’t had a visit or a meeting of some sort.
Personally, I think what we need are a few summer events which are not so overtly political, fun, highly visible. I’m thinking Yes ceilidhs, Yes flash mobs, Yes picnics and so on. It’s in this kind of area that local groups struggle a bit, because such things are inclined to cost. If you remember, we had a discussion about fun events some time back, and a lot of people were up for them.
Maybe talk to National Collective?
Great idea.Spread the work load .We provide a list of suitable and available venues,with costs,for Stu to select from.I’ll see what I can come up with.
@ Achnababan: Following on from Heraldnomore’s comment about duplication of effort – why not reach the parts of Scotland that other campaign events canna reach by providing a ‘mobile road YES show’?
Here’s the mobile screen machine that is available for hire:
http://www.regionalscreenscotland.org/screen-machine/
Langside hall in Glasgow would be a good venue, not sure how much it costs but there are loads of different sized rooms as well as a large hall and a small one. It’s a good point on the Southside where many could travel to easily.
@achnababan 11:35
“Perhaps rent and refurbish an old library bus that allows people in to browse the literature and talk to the resident YES team during the day, and then in the evening you can run a film or perhaps a performance?”
or maybe use something like this:
http://screenmachine.co.uk/about-screen-machine/
Re Tim F-G’s offer to film and upload, that goes for us at Clan Destiny too. Tim, we should liaise about this so we don’t get in each other’s road. We’re in North Ayrshire. Where are you?
or, if you REALLY fancy a challenge – Ibrox 🙂
I was in Ayr Town Hall last night, I was squashed and overheating in the back corner of the room.
I think these extra funds should be used to reach new people rather than those YES Scotland are reaching, there were a few people with a more centred view at Ayr Town Hall but not enough, the right message can penetrate the more conservative of our population.
Uddingston Cricket and Sports Club are touting for business.”For any occasion”. It is a good venue with lots of parking.
Details from their local advert.
Contact Emma to discuss your event;
Tel 07775325880
email uddingstoncsc.convenor@gmail.com
Plenty of helpers from Yes Uddingston and Bothwell. I am sure that they would be delighted to help out.
Biggar Corn Exchange (South Lanarkshire) has a theatre style auditorium and seats 114 in 8 rows of rake seating. It has all the facilities.
01899 221555
email: biggarcornexchange@btconnect.com http://www.biggarcornexchange.org.uk
Dunphail says: Music Hall Aberdeen good suggestion from Scott assuming our village idiot councillor Wullie has no plans to add the Rev to his banned list.
Funny, I was just speaking to a contact at Aberdeen City Council this morning and as we were talking some sort of alarm went off telling people to evacuate the building.
I said “that’s either a fire drill or Alex Salmond has just entered the building.”
“Aye,” he said, “the shutters are coming down and the guys in silver asbestos suits with the electric cattle prods are on standby.”
Forgot to say I’d be prepared to help out and also have a few friends also in the security industry who may be available although I don’t know if they would do it for free – but they are very good with both the spotting of and dealing with crazies!!!
When you are speaking to venues remember to ask if they have a black out, it will be mid summer; screens and projections might be required.
Hi,
What about the Victoria halls in Helensburgh, I’m sure this will be a key area for votes in the referendum. Hall prices depend on the type of function and what they would class this type of meeting as, so as low as £15 or highest £117.50. The main hall holds 300 people.
I would be happy to help out at an event like this.
Bobby
http://www.argyll-bute.gov.uk/rooms-victoria-halls-helensburgh
@achnababan
Love the idea of a Wings touring bus. Maybe an open-top double decker? Saves all the hassle of booking venues. And we could do all kinds of different things with it depending on what local groups wanted. We could escort it with a car cavalcade in one place, carry musicians in another, show ‘Scotland Yet’ in a third, put on a show for tourists in a fourth.
Whatever is decided, I don’t think we should mix the Wings brand in with Yes grassroots. Wings should be doing something that’s bold, big and Scotland-wide.
We’d be up for it in Dunblane. The Victoria Halls can easily accommodate 100+, with the balcony available as back up for many more.
There also seems to be an issue with the masonic brethern up here. I’ve heard from more than one source that they seem to have been “advised” to vote no.
If that’s the case, are there any masons on here who can tell us if there would be any mileage in trying to hold meetings in Lodges?
The Queen’s Hall in Dunoon would be a perfect venue. Here’s a link to their site with rates in regards of hiring the facility.
http://www.argyll-bute.gov.uk/price-list-queens-hall-dunoon
Fantastic idea. It`s the grassroots campaign that will win this on the day. Street presence, door to door, community meetings will all engage the people in a way the media can`t.
It was amazing to hear a bunch of former NO voters at my work yesterday all discussing indy, Voting NO is now a big no no for them. I was a bit apprehensive a while back about even discussing it because I was over hearing people come out with all the usual BT myths but slowly and surely i`ve managed to convince about ten close work mates.
Not everyone has spare cash but spare time is just as valuable. Lets do this!
I’m Rural. Nearest town is Forres. The Town Hall is a good venue. In the gift of Moray Council, of course. Then there’s the Universal Hall in Findhorn. It’s in the Findhorn Foundation but it’s been the venue for lots of mainstream performances. It’s a very good space and might connect into a wider, non-political audience. No idea about costs, nor a current contact.
Paisley Town Hall, where this year’s National MOD was held.
Ideal size and all set up for audio/visual gigs.
Glasgow/Paisley catchment area, great potential for really big crowd.
Gets message out and also great prospects for good fund raiser.
Virtually every village and town has a village or town hall that would do ! Would try Stirling Albert Halls, or Stirling Raploch Centre. Also need some activity in Dumfries and Galloway, constituency for one D. Mundell (e.g. Moffat Town Hall, or Dumfries Loreburn Hall).
Memorial Hall in Lanark just held the launch of Clydesdale BT, so they couldn’t refuse by way of balance, could they? Set up equipment wise and around the 700 capacity. Someone on the ground there will know more.
St Andrews has the Byre a Theatre closed under cuts, but open this weekend for StAnza, Scotland’s poetry festival and might be available. Fife Council run now, capacity 220, fully equipped and accessible.
Also St Andrews Uni Union, Younger Hall and Town Hall.
Dundee Whitehall Theatre, capacity 700+, hosted Georgeous George G. Just say naw, so balance there could be argued, programmed nominally by Dundee Council.
Perth Concert Hall, Arbroath Webster Theatre, Adam Smith in Kirkcaldy, Alhambra in Dunfermline? Privately owned.
Could all take format of talk, question and answer and then some entertainment whilst social chit chat/ networking happens.
Could tie it in with National Collective, surely a lot of cross over already exists!
@Achnababan. Excellent idea about the mobile road show, it can park anywhere, outside Schools, Colleges, Universities, off town centres, fairs etc. etc. etc. and there’s free advertising to boot on the side of the van/artic. Of course it could be manned by several volunteered handing out leaflets.
Not to sure about puppets though.
@Jim T. Can’t tell you its a secret:-)
Identify and target ‘difficult’ locations?
No point in putting a show for the converted, it’s conversions of NOs and don’t knows which is needed.
Also a slightly OT thought, wingsoverscotland.com needs to be read by folks other that Yes stalwarts. How do we get people who visit BBC, Scotsman etc for their news to also try here? Does wingsoverscotland.com come up well in related google searches?
The Dalhousie building at Dundee uni is ideal but don’t know how much it costs. I would help out at any event in the Dundee and Angus areas.
Hii, I am organising a music event in support of Independence in August. The venue is a well known music venue in Dundee (Buskers), It can manage several hundred patrons. I had planned to approach someone involved in the YEs campaigns to give a talk prior to the bands performing, however if it is feasable and the venue is happy to do it (i think they would), I would prefer if this kind of information session could happen prior to the event, a ‘two in one’ as it were. Anyhoo if you are at all interested then get in touch and we can see if it is possible. I will be on hand that day anyway so would be happy to help out as would several others.
I agree with kininvie on both points: fun and celebratory events such as ceilidhs (Whisky Kiss, anyone?) and flash mobs; and Wings orientated, rather than joining in with already planned YES Scotland events.
Eye-catching events and, especially, musical affairs, with polemics in between numbers. 😉
Better Together has the franchise on terrifying the elderly, let’s us do joyous things in contrast.
Could we not use google adwords to have WOS ad above every NO search and every indy question searched, I’d do all that no problem.
ie, someone googles, “what will happen to my pension after independence”, we have an ad leading to a landing page that deals with that issue.
HI Rev.
How about North Glasgow College in Springburn? I know that Yes Maryhill and Springburn are looking into the possibility of an event there so will check with them for procedures, costs etc.
Springburn as you know has predominantly voted Labour since ever and has one of UK’s highest child poverty rates in return, so could be a challenging but very worthwhile location.
Will update with costs as soon as I can.
Congrats to you and all WOSers on the £100k+ 🙂
The Pickaquoy Centre in Kirkwall will hold up to 400 and has PA etc.
O/T Referendum debate in Stromness, Orkney last night. Result was No 25 Yes 67 Undecided 12. Speakers were Liam McArthur MSP and John Aberdein. It was filmed, although Liam (for No) was not keen, and will be up on the Yes Orkney website soon.
Rev, Peter’s correct about the Soutar Theatre in Perth – excellent venue which regularly holds SNP/Yes events
http://www.pkc.gov.uk/article/4690/The-Soutar-Theatre
You may also consider the Salutation Hotel, pretty central in Perth, looks similar capacity to Soutar Theatre, which you could also stay in if needs be.
http://www.strathmorehotels.com/Salutation+Hotel/Conference+Banqueting/
If you really want to show off, there’s THE conference venue – Perth Concert Hall – probably too pricey though.
http://horsecross.dp.tincan.co.uk/conferences
For more leafy Perthshire, you could try the Birnam Institute – says it holds up to 150, 4 hrs £180
http://www.birnaminstitute.com/index.asp?tm=13
@ AllyPally, I’m in Edinburgh. Could travel up to North Ayrshire for the day. My email address is timfg at hotmail.co.uk.
caz-m Paisley Town Hall would be great – also the Arts Centre holds about 150 folk for something smaller. The technical guys are brilliant, but the venues are operated by the cooncil which is Labour run at the moment. Tweedie Hall in Linwood or Renfrew Town Hall would also be a good size. If the (Labour run) council put a spanner in the works then could try the Wynd Centre which is Church of Scotland run. Since the CoS are on record as wanting the debate to improve then it might be smart to use their venues.
The old screen machine would be great, much better than village halls etc.
@Charles Docherty: Please get Inverclyde buzzing!!
The new arts venue The Beacon might be ideal place – Ted Christopher would know!
Radical Indy had an event at the Gamble Halls in Gourock, I’m fairly sure it can hold 300. While I can understand centering most Inverclyde things in Greenock with its 45,000 folk, I’d love to bring some love to Gourock too: we don’t even have a local Better Together activist, yet we have a pretty strong No contingent. 10,000 may not be a lot of people in the grand scheme of things, but they’re MY 10,000, and I want them to be on the right side of this.
Great idea ! Targeting Gordon Browns’ backyard is a must . They have just re-elected Labour , but there are budding YES voters out there .
“Then there’s the Universal Hall in Findhorn. It’s in the Findhorn Foundation but it’s been the venue for lots of mainstream performances”
http://www.findhorn.org/universal-hall/facilities/#.UxXDLz9_tA0
The Foundation (being often ‘alternative’ and free-thinking/aspirational) is fertile ground for Yes. They are instrumental in the local Yes group.
I live in Biggar and I see @Elizabeth has already suggested Corn Exchange, which would be an excellent choice. I just wanted to say I am up for helping at ANY type of event. Just let me know. I agree it should be something different, less formal, more interactive, more fun
Mitchell Theatre in Glasgow has several suitable rooms and the Gaiety in Ayr has a room for 100+.
A public event in Berwick would be interesting – might generate some press too…
I suggest getting into those Labour heartlands in partnership with LFI. Each one can also be tailored to suit a particular audience: economy, business, finance and pensions, welfare etc.
I think this is a great idea, anything which engages with the public is clearly a good thing.
However, looking at all the pro-indy sites as a whole, Wings, Bella, National Collective, Newsnetscotland etc. it is clear to me the one thing that is currently missing and might make a substantial difference is interviews. Interviews with experts, interviews with everyday people, with politicians and so on. Someone doing the job and asking the questions that mainstream journalists will not, because they have no motivation to do so as they tow a pro-union line. How many questions go unanswered because of media bias, whether by commission or omission. We need people to go out there and ask the hard questions that no-one is asking. The overall impact of the pro-indy textual world is considerable but people need to be able to digest information in other ways. People need more independence stuff they can watch. There are already some good podcasts, but the visual world is almost entirely controlled by Better Together and its media lackeys, or is restricted in the main to recording debates, speeches and the like.
It would be nice to redress this more. I think there is great potential in a Wings youtube channel in terms of generating its own content. I’d really encourage allocation of resources in this direction. All you need is someone with a video camera and people who are prepared to do a little research to be able to cope with and conduct interviews. There is no shortage of well educated articulate YES people who would be able to do this.
Anyway, just a suggestion. University facilities can often be obtained free of charge. Having organised a few events here at St Andrews I know this to be true. All it needs is someone within the university to make a booking, or more preferably to host it in combination with one of the student societies etc, and then invite everyone along. I think the main costs are in terms of effort by volunteers, not so much in pecuniary terms. My experience of events is purely within the University world so I have no idea how much your average town hall etc. costs but most of this information is usually available on the internet or with a quick telephone call.
O/T
Take a moment to wish Alex Salmond all the best on his visit to London today.
He will be talking about all the positive things that will happen between Scotland and rUK after a YES vote in September.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-26424658
I don’t live there, but after Aberdeen CCs meltdown this week, you HAVE to go to Aberdeen! Calling all Aberdonians!
I should be available to help out at anything in the Airdrie , Coatbridge , Motherwell and Bellshill area .
How about using some of the larger bowling clubs? Could be a good way to reach out to older voters too.
Agree we shouldn’t be preaching to converted. Need to target working class labour areas and get messages like those from Labour for Independence out there.
I would also suggest:
Forres/Elgin town halls – both good sizes, with seats/PA equipment etc – all costs listed.
http://www.moray.gov.uk/downloads/file87248.pdf
Goodness, that was a quick reply!
“Many thanks for your email regarding PA equipment.
For Renfrew Town hall you can get one microphone on a stand in our main hall there is no charge for this you would have to ask for it when hiring.
For Paisley Town hall, again for the main hall you can get one hand held mic and also in our Alexander Wilson suite a mic and a stand. For the Loggia it would cost £56.00 for a pa system.”
Rev, pop me an email if you want more info or have other ways I can help/liase 🙂
I’d be up for anything in Perth or Perthabouts, as long as it fits in OK with what the local Yes group are up to – and it looks, from Peter Bell’s comment above, as if it might.
I don’t know how universal it is, but we in West Lothian certainly have a problem booking Council-owned venues for a ‘one-sided’ campaign event. Yes East Lothian OTOH hand seem to manage to book community halls no trouble. I think the legal departments of different councils are all reacting differently – but before booking anywhere council-owned, it’s as well to be sure as ‘a refusal can only disappoint’ 🙂
Edinburgh College Music Box (Sighthill campus) – 120 cap seated venue in West Edinburgh. The Yes campaign are currently looking into hiring the venue for an upcoming event in April. LCD projector included, big PA. Plenty of parking in the summer months, also handy for bus/ trains.
Rev
I think you underestimate the size of potential crowds.
You say you would like venues that hold about 100-300 people.
I would say that you need venues that hold 500-1000 people.
If managed correctly, then the sky’s the limit.
I see Achnababan already got in there with the same idea as me. Some sort of mobile venue with access to literature and being able to set up to hold small talks with local yes celebraties.
I think the idea of a bus fitted out for people to just turn up and ask questions would be a great idea, especially in the NE Fife where everything is in Cupar….you could then visit Tayport, Newport, Wormit, Leuchars, Guardbridge and Balmullo (the forgotten part of NE Fife.
I think keeping this as a grassroots project is a better idea – people are getting sick of the politicking and might be more willing to listen to ‘ordinary folks’.
Peter A Bell said
The Soutar Theatre at AK Bell Library in Perth is an ideal venue. Capacity is 125. Good sound system and acoustics. I can provide additional equipment such as wireless mics. Disabled access and all necessary facilities.
Ive not checked on availability, but the cost for evening hire after 17:00 for 3 hours or less is £141.10.
I have considerable experience in organising and chairing events and excellent contacts in the local SNP and Yes Perth & Kinross.
How about something really controversial in Perth and see if you can get the old Town hall? Guarenteed to get in the papers draw a crowd and certianly wont be booked up, lol
@Prof. Dumb Down
Good idea. Perhaps also interview some BBC/Unionist journalists and find out what they really think (if anything).
You can put me down on your data base to help anywhere around Kirkintilloch Kilsyth cumbernauld area.
Targeting bowling clubs is a good idea, there does seem to be a particular fear amongst some politically unaware pensioners that they won’t get their pension in an independent Scotland obviously through the despicable interventions by Brown and Darling.
As recent polls have shown that the YES Vote is strongest in the less affluent constituencies of Scotland we should concentrate our fire there.
Why not places like Easterhouse ,Preisthill, Westter Hailes etc.
Have an open night and make sure we have lots of voter registration forms there to sign up the disenfranchised to mobilise our vote.
It worked for Obama and showed the pollsters were not asking or identifying this section of society.
Going into places that the mainstream are covering is not the best possible use of our resource IMHO.
Inverclyde – Beacon Arts Centre on the Waterfront in Greenock as already suggested by Charles Docherty above would be ideal. They have a number of rooms for hire plus a studio and large theatre. Yes Inverclyde would be interested in getting involved in any debate whether it is just the indy side or both campaign sides. I think we are short on debates showing the difference between both campaign sides and it would be good to have both sides to get more people to go + to show what the No side really are like.
Paisley town hall would be good. Ideal size and has the audio/visual equipment you’d need. I’d be able tae help oot if needed, and could also get a few more bodies.
http://www.renfrewshire.gov.uk/webcontent/home/services/leisure+and+culture/venue+hire/ed-meetingsandconferencehireatpthandrth
Irvine Volunteer rooms, always attracts a good crowd. Last weeks debate with Tommy Sheridan and the Coward Donohoe was overflowing
Maybe Hamilton Town Hall would be of use. I’m not sure what time I could dedicate to helping out as it were, but I do feel that Hamilton is largely disconnected from the debate as despite having an active YES campaign, you just don’t hear much about it here. Perhaps a Wings presence would help solve that.
After all, as far as I’m aware, there is no Better together arm operating here. Not sure I want that to change much though. :p
Have just contacted Patrick Burgh Halls. Their biggest room (theatre size) holds 439 people. Costs £291, plus £26 for p.a. with three mikes, if more mikes needed then just hire more. Availability is good for June/July.
Contact: robert.hugh.black@glasgowlife.org.uk
Telephone: his direct number 0141 287 8995
The Volunteer Rooms – Halls For Hire in Irvine KA12 0AB
Be the first to review this business
Address:
High Street
Irvine
Ayrshire
KA12 0AB
01294 278 390
http://www.northayrshire.com
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Shouldn’t we aim at converting NOs. We’re told elderly and women less inclined towards Indy, so should we ask parent and toddler groups, OAP groups, golf clubs, bowls clubs, etc if we could go along and have a chat?
Im well up for that Stu Im going to check out the cost of Lochgelly town hall (yes that one) and take the fight right into Gordon Browns back yard.
Ok Rev, details for Inverness
Eden Court, One Touch Theatre. Seats 200 £2000+Vat
Inverness college lecture theatre seats 120 £160 half day/evening
Spectrum Centre seats 160 £25 per hour
Help with flyers, admin, all goes without saying 🙂
Ryan Centre, Stranraer has all the facilities for conferencing as well as a staged theatre area, sound and lighting systems etc. FM held one of those summer surgeries there a couple years back.
I like Stuart Black’s idea of mixing the formats. Enough of terrifying the crap out of people or fighting forest fires of pooh. Let’s win people over with a little vision.
Pollokshaws Burgh Hall’s Ball Room holds up to 200 seated
http://www.pollokshawsburghhall.co.uk/theballroom.html
Rates are listed on the website too. Catering can be provided. A traditional Labour heartland but there is a lot of poverty in the area. A event like this could be just what is needed to sway the people here to vote for the first time. I live locally so can be on-hand to help co-ordinate the event.
Livingston Football Club rent out their hall, SNP used it some months ago, so they are amenable.
Forgot to say, that price is for 3 hour hire, day or evening.
In the last few days, and especially last night canvassing, I’ve detected anxiety about currency, and especially jobs. Being in Edinburgh, Standard Life has had a lot of publicity. We need the economics of independence put clearly, with good graphics, in both leaflet form, and in a series of PowerPoint presentations by experts around Scotland.
In the last 6 weeks, I like the idea of the Wings open top bus going around the country.
There are a couple of theatres in Angus that would fit the bill, the Reid Hall in Forfar and the Webster Theatre in Arbroath. The Webster has a smaller auditorium upstairs which should house around 150 people. Alternatively it may be worth looking at corporate facilities in the FE colleges which are not widely utilised in the summer. Angus College (now part of Dundee and Angus) has excellent conference facilities including a lecture theatre with around 200 seats. The same college houses the Gardyne Theatre in Dundee. Colleges are always eager to boost income by hosting corporate events.
Another option might be the Whitehall Theatre in Dundee.
Any school hall in Aberdeen that Alex Salmond is banned from.
There are some larger, higher profile, venues in Fife such as Dunfermline (Carnegie Hall), Glenrothes (Rothes Halls), Kirkcaldy (Adam Smith Theatre), Lochgelly Centre run by a Fife Council arms length body. Some of these may be a little larger than your target capacity though.
Unfortunately no prices are quoted, nor indications of availability but it seems they can provide PA equipment.
http://www.onfife.com/about-us/conference-hiring
These venues are all Labour areas with many Yes votes there for the taking.
Agree with the earlier poster – the shadow of the labour controlled ‘Kirkcaldy Kremlin’ looms large over the town. It’s like Sauron’s tower!
I agree with the previous comments to hold one of these meetings in Fife’s industrial areas. Glenrothes or Kirkcaldy. Labour heartlands will be a key area for us.
Wonder if the Rothes Halls would be any good? Below is a link with more info. Location-wise, there is lots of free parking and it is in the west end of the indoor Kingdom shopping centre and the main bus station is just outside. So good for getting to from most parts of Fife.
http://www.onfife.com/venues/rothes-halls/venue-hire
We need to do something different, to attract people who don’t go to political meetings.
A series of Wings ceilidhs/parties. Local performers and speakers, puppets (puppet shows really are good) balloons and badges etc. and not just evenings.
A mobile unit can reach places that fixed venues do not. The middle of estates, close to or at other events like games days.
As Donald said, we need to reach other people.
Working with National Collective would probably work very well.
Great idea. If available more than willing to help. Livingston Football stadium offer such a venue and service. Prices and size of venues attached. Good luck!
http://www.livingstonfc.co.uk/foodcreations/conferences.html
For a big gathering how about hiring Michael Sandal the philospher to chair a debate – he gets good viewing figures and moderates tricky questions without letting anyone off the hook. It makes good TV and may even get an airing from a commercial station.
I like the idea of putting journalists and politicians on the spot – so far they’ve coasted through a compliant media. With the kind of funding that Wings can command it may well be possible to make some of these mouthpieces an offer they can’t refuse.
I will help out anywhere in Fife or Perth ! This idea , Rev , has made my day !
Maryhill Burgh Halls is an excellent venue with full PA facilities and can accommodate around 200 people theatre style. I don’t know costs but I would be happy to help out if you put on an event. http://www.maryhillburghhalls.org.uk/spaces/
Good site for reference by Visit Scotland.
http://www.conventionscotland.com/venues/all-venues
HAVE GUN WILL TRAVEL. Younger folk will not know of this excellent western tv series. Anywhere in Glasgow,S. Lanarks,N.Lanarks,Ayrshire,E.Renfrewshire, just give me a call and I will assist if required.
Re- Battle Bus how about contacting Stagecoach to see if the Souter family can help out.
All this is a great idea. I don’t think the venues should be too big as the message can get lost.
I was thinking of the Clydebank one where it was better in 2012 than 2013 cos the latter was too big.
In the college where I am a lot of the students are really badly informed but they will not believe one side they want to hear both and I know the BT lot will not agree to this as they don’t want to be put under scrutiny.
I really think we have to push the idea that they will be charged fees in the event of a No – the SG has almost done too good a job in protecting them from reality.
I’m happy to help out in Glasgow/Paisley/East Ren and I agree we need to target the elderly, women – the old need to know that IDS is going to privatise the state pension.
Apologies if someone has already thought of this!
The Macandroids were at Creiff Gathering last summer and there was no YES presence.
Rather than attracting YES voters to venues it might be more cost effective to set up camp in places where crowds are going to gather anyway. All the Highland Games/Gatherings, Edinburgh Festival, EF by the sea in North Berwick, outside Commy Games venues, etc. I’m sure folk can come up with more ideas.
Also a shout out for the SW Scotland, usually gets forgotten. Ryan Theatre Stranraer, The Cinema Newton Stewart and The Cochran Hall Kirkcudbright hold between 200-250 with staging and PA systems.
I love the idea of the open top bus, with lots of available info. as well as the little blue book, perhaps a DVD of short films, including something by Business for Scotland? Those ones with Ivan McKee were excellent, copies of Chris Silver’s new film would be ready then too.
The bus would be ideal for the Highlands and the last six weeks or so would be a great time to go for this. It would be on everyones’ minds, and, if you’re looking for the female vote, great timing as the kids are back at school and in the rural areas many of the tourists are heading home and things are getting quieter which means people would have the time to engage.
I’d love to help in any way that I can
Brechin City Hall holds 299 max including 160 in the balcony.At the moment,it’s available any week night June and July except for the third week of June.Most weekend evenings also.Cost is £16 per hour.You can book through Angus Council website.Plenty of local volunteers to help,including people very experienced in such things.
I’ll look into the Spectrum Centre in Inverness.
It has the advantage of being in Farraline Park which is the rural bus station for the Inverness area. Easy to get to and from by public transport. However for Inverness itself, I’d like to see area meetings in “suburban” places like Culloden and Hilton.
Have you thought of having two meetings in each venue? One in the afternoon and one in the evening? Not everyone works 9 to 5 and some of us are pensioners (some of us pensioners don’t like to be out late and the evening bus service sucks).
On the subject of pensioners I’d like to ask that pensions be a major subject in the wee blue book. I’m a YES/SNP activist, so I’ve talked to lots of people at the door. I am stunned at how many people think their pensions “come from England” or “come from London”.
Little blurb about Partick Burch Halls:
http://www.glasgowlife.org.uk/venue-hire/community-facilities/Partick-Burgh-Hall/Pages/default.aspx
Re heraldnomore’s commented – established YES groups would jump at the opportunity to feature Wings in their public meetings plans over the next six months. Most already know – and have experience of local venues. Our group YES Clydesdale, also have PA equipment including projector & wireless mikes for venues that don’t have such facilities. We also have HD video equipment and the skill sets to edit & publish online.
We would be happy to contribute & co-participate in a larger event outside of our home territory – be that a “Wings Roadshow” – or an event that featured Wings together with others.
Rev – you are invited to Clydesdale!
How about Cottiers Theatre, in the affluent West End of Glasgow. Hire of their theatre would work – and a chance to attract those who are better-off (and hence more likely to be no/undecided). Plus, a quality bar. Enquiries to 0141 248 8330, or theatre@cottiers.com
Skye Gathering HAll in Portree,Aros also in Portree good venues to hold something both hold in excess of a couple of hundred people
How about set up at a few stalls at festivals, maybe do something joint with National collective ect at T in the park?
Here’s a link to a really useful events guide for any of you who may not have put on an event before but are keen to run something now. It was produced by the promoter Duncan MacInnes for the Scottish Arts Council. It is over 10 years old now but is still mostly relevant and handy for reference.
It is aimed mainly at promoting arts events in community halls so lots of it isn’t relevant but it still has tons of useful information, like the page on “Setting out the venue” as well as sample press releases, ticketing, check lists etc that might be useful.
http://www.scottisharts.org.uk/resources/publications/audience%20dev/pdf/AD4%20Dont%20Panic.pdf
I went to a Yes meeting last week at Coatbridge College (Swinney and Canavan speaking). The venue was a lecture theatre with perhaps 400 seats available and it was rammed (probably because of the big hitters).
I’ve no idea about cost or availability but I think this is good one to go with. The facilities were excellent.
Also Coatbridge regularly has one of the highest Labour majorities in the UK, so there’s plenty of minds to persuade there.
Did some digging for Rutherglen/Cambuslang. I know the local Yes group used St Columbkille’s church hall and that can accommodate around 100+.
Rutherglen town hall and the Cambuslang Institute are available and can accomodate up to 150 in Rutherglen and 266 in Cambuslang. Prices vary depending on the size of the room booked and availability seems to be ok.
I’ve also been in touch with the local Yes co-ordinator (good shout Heraldnomore) to see about co-ordinating with the local pro-indy groups (YEs, SNP, Greens, LFI, etc), I’m just waiting on a response.
If you have an idea of numbers you’re aiming at Rev I can get more detailed proposals cobbled together.
And the idea of Wings sponsored Battle Buses, love it!
The cost of any hall hire in Angus will be met by local volunteers.Accommodation could be provided for Rev and a few aides if required.
Ready to help in Brechin – but couldn’t we just borrow that aircraft carrier for a tour of the islands?
Aberdeen Music Hall seats 1100 people so maybe a bit on the big side, plus their PA is shite. A non-council venue might be better, so the Aberdeen Arts Centre on King St. might suit.. seats 350 and has a much cleaner PA.
Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire still has a lot of no voters, probably a lot yes since yesterday’s North Sea Oil tax announcement but still a lot.
Labour for Independence have an event planned in the University next month, so they must rent out, Music Hall, church hall in Portlethen where Alex Salmond was.
I would sit behind a table and give out leaflets for you or beat up one of the two grassroots no campaigners with my walking sticks if they get stroppy 😉
Stonehaven Town Hall is an excellent venue, seats 200-300 I’d say, hire costs either £18.51 per hour (“Commercial Community Rate”) or £37.02 per hour (“Commercial Rate”). Hire of small p.a. system is £10 for up to 4 hours.
To book contact
Diane Dunbar
01569 768358
diane.dunbar@aberdeenshire.gov.uk
Cowdray Hall, Aberdeen is good for 250 max people and I have attached the current prices. However as its Council run, and in the current political stooshie, they might just say NON.
http://tinyurl.com/po9vr8x
Paisley town hall can be hired out for £67.50 an hour for almost 400 people.
Renfrew town hall costs £40 an hour for over 200 people.
Not sure of the availability of either. If you think they are a viable venues, I can investigate further.
http://www.renfrewshire.gov.uk/webcontent/home/services/leisure+and+culture/venue+hire/ed-meetingsandconferencehireatpthandrth
I can see all the YES and WINGS flags flying high at the festivals this year, they would be all over the TV screens too!
Dont know if wings organising events would be the best way forward.Yes we will fill the events,but is that getting the message to the undecided or no voters.Perhaps it would be better to support Yes Scotland as they are already working on the ground and i am sure they could benefit from the good people of Wings.
Just another idea i was thinking about(dont know the costs)Voters are voicing there opinions that they are not getting enough info.Could we possibility put together a DVD (our very own Scotland future)that we make sure goes into every single household and business in Scotland.As most people have a DVD player they can watch the info at there leisure. As i said just a idea
The enthusiasm displayed here is very heartening,makes a geezer like me very emotional.
Another good resource would be an up to date press email contact list to put in the repository, if anyone is willing to share theirs…
Alex @ 1.22 pm.
That was what I was thinking. Providing it had the good quality researched material that the Rev provides.
taysideterrier says:
“How about set up at a few stalls at festivals”
I believe Yes have the festivals targeted, but only heard this second hand so would need verified.
I’d volunteer to do any (or all) of the festivals – usually there anyway 😉
Only places I can think of in Aberdeen would be the Music Hall or Pittodrie.
Loads of Hotel conference rooms but not aware of any with the capacity.
Mair than willing to stand outside lookin vaguely threatening whilst smokin cigarettes to keep out any Tories/BT types
Area’s around Middle, Glasgow. West End, Newton Mearns, Bearsden. Lot’s of political and economic illiterate’s who believe that now their house is worth 230,000 they should really be considering voting Conservative!
For what it’s worth, the Elephant in the room is the BBC in Scotland. Maybe helping with more thought provoking billboards. I know that ‘exposing anti-indy bias on the BBC’ is doing around 8, but I think more is needed in that area.
The poor already are with us. Thats in the polls and here on the ground in Kirkcaldy. Its the middle we need, places like Bugger’s Freuchie, probably Blairgowrie, Haddington and so on.
The puppets are a great idea, kids show at 3:30 talk about the possibilities for childcare in iScotland and how pensions are paid and protected and what happens if free care is taken away. Put them on the top deck of a bus so the kids can clamber up to it.
Our local Yes say St Brycedale can manage 400 and costs £200 by day and £300 by night and they got 330 for the Tommy Sheridan evening that is on YouTube.
I like the DVD idea, we could also make videos for each issue and tie them into Adwords so everyone that’s searching for advice on a certain issue can watch a facts based video with no affiliation to any site or side.
If we believe our message we shouldn’t need to wrap up it up in our colours or only express our side of the argument.
There are 5 council halls in East Dunbartonshire, covering Bearsden, Milngavie, Torrance and Bishopbriggs, prime hunting ground for targetting No voters. 😉
http://www.eastdunbarton.gov.uk/content/business_and_trade/conference,_meeting_and_event/venue_hire_and_hall_bookings.aspx
The link gives phone numbers and has downloadable booking forms. The large main halls in Bearsden and Milngavie can be had for under 25 quid an hour (non-commercial rate), the lesser halls are cheap as chips. My contract here is up at the end of the month so I will be bidding a sad farewell to Stavanger, but happy to be available for anything that I can do in pursuit of this.
Thinking outside the box a little – Jack Foster of “Fear Factor Scotland” movies is making a longer film due out soon, what about putting it out on DVD and getting the footsoldiers to deliver it.
I really think we need to take the arguments to those people who aren’t engaged yet rather than wait for them to come to us.
“but couldn’t we just borrow that aircraft carrier for a tour of the islands?”
Should be plenty of room on it, they’ve no bloody planes! 😀
Summerhall near Meadows/Southside may be a good/bit different Edinburgh venue.
http://www.summerhall.co.uk/about/accessibility/
I’m not sure advertised sit-down events will attract enough non-decideds/DKs to justify all the effort/expense though – the idea of (also having) an on-tour bus is a better/more likely way to engage with lots of them. Used to work on a publicity bus for a charity, was good at attracting folk everywhere it went..
In Skye, the Àros Centre in Portree, Columba 1400 in Staffin, Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, Broadford Village Hall and Kyleakin Community Centre in the south end and Dunvegan, Uig and Minginish Halls should be good.
The WRI has a list of halls they use for their meetings at:
http://www.swri.org.uk/WhereToFindUs
Following on from BBC article. St Columnakils in Rutherglen has a large church hall.
What about an Indy congress. Like the RIC one last year?
Public meetings are fine but if you want to get to the voters then you have to go to them. In the 60’s and 70’s we used to hire a coach and fill it with canvassers and leafletters and take it to the housing schemes.
A possibility would be to liase with Yes Scotland and arrange to provide the transport for them.
One coach firm here in Dundee has messages on their buses, ‘supporting Scottish Independence’. I’m sure they would happy to help.
http://www.sidlaw.co.uk/index.html
Looks like Aberdeen Council buildings could be available, massive climbdown from Labour on the 1.30 news it was all apparently a slip of the tongue. Councillor Young was unavailable for comment.
Here in East Kilbride, there are a couple of council venues available:
The Villiage Theatre seats just over 300 with full PA etc.
The Arts Centre can seat 100, again full PA etc.
Apart from that, there are the usual hotels:
The Holiday Inn is a good option as it’s right off the A726 and on the 66 bus route, so it’s easy to get to. Holds 80-320 in various rooms.
For a more central location, The Bruce Hotel is in the town centre, so much easier to get to, although there is no dedicated parking. Plenty of shopping parking though – but probably closed at night. Not sure of the capacity as I’ve never been in, but website suggests 2-300.
In terms of PA/video for hotels, there are a couple of local hire options I have contact with. I know some of the techs at the council venues, and I’m more than happy to help out in a technical capacity if I’m available.
With regard to holding events, you can hire Bonar Bridge hall (Sutherland) for £55 for an evening. I would think the capacity is 100 but may be more. Most of the villages have halls available for hire.
Can we get the BBC to cover WoS events impartially of course.
Jackie Bird – Sally Magnusson would love to be invovled Im sure !
Sorry previous link to Cowdray Hall, Aberdeen didn’t work. Here is the correct link.
http://www.aagm.co.uk/Venues/CowdrayHall/ch-overview.aspx
Happy to help out anywhere in Ayrshire, esp East Ayrshire. Although Yes has fairly good presence here already, there are a depressing amount of No voters from a lot of our outlying villages as well as in Kilmarnock. Happy to be involved in a yes tour around East Ayrshire as I think the area has a lot of potential of being convinced if they are properly engaged. But anywhere in Ayrshire/Renfrewshire I’m happy to help out.
Alex Salmond’s New Statesman lecture is coming up in a few hours. You’re to tweet them questions via their @NSLiveEvents account. Expect lots of questions from people not engaged or informed on debate asking about “subsidy junkie Scotland” or being forced to join the euro currency, etc.
I like the video idea and also posters.
I know there are some excellent ones around – bright and staight to the point.
LfI have put on a short ‘weather forecast’ link which hits home quite well especially if it coud be put alongside how much wealth we produce.
The Pearce Institute Govan Glasgow , holds 250
O/T Radio Scotchland this morning
School kids most likely to vote on information provided at School.
School Studnet interviewee –
We’ve had some information already from school on the referendum and been told we’ll get information on independence later in the year… (hmmmmm?)
Guess who gete info in first then ?
O/T, but ACC ban on SNP is now abandoned.
The authority’s deputy leader, Marie Boulton, has now said talk of a ban was a “slip of the tongue”.
Yes, Willie Young’s tongue ‘slipped’ for about a whole two minutes on national television, must be a new world record there.
See Scottish Labour? See petulant, sulky weans? Diddies!
stu
im in glasgow try and get intouch with billy mcCallister he’s snp
he can tell you what halls to go for and where to avoid speak to him away from glasow city chambers even by phone dont even contact him by e-mail there
i think that’s what glasgow needs non politico types telling it like it is as we are sick of all the bullshit
dont let labour fool anybody come sept 18th they are going to be dropped from a great height
try and get community central halls on maryhill road they can hold a good few hundred also maryhill burgh halls on gairbraid avenue they can hold upwards of 300 in the main hall
sorry stu if you want to get intouch with billy phone gcc and ask for his details word of warning you are known to them so get somebody else to get intouch i cant do it we had a falling out in the city chambers and cant darken there doorstep again
be carefull of who you speak to and what you say as these bastards are well conected
Looks like Aberdeen Councillor Willie Young looking very foolish and, of course, unavailable for comment.
Yes Troon: We have booked Troon Town Hall, +400 capacity, for the 25 June, now at the stage of securing public-known figures to speak at the event. A coordinator for nationwide bigger events is perhaps needed, and to safeguard against WOS duplicating? Also some Yes groups may have neither the people nor resources to take on a bigger event and would benefit from assistance.
Two issues currently irk me:
Cancellation of the Rally, and the WWI celebrations to be held in Scotland. Wings has the readership and potential to stage a public statement of support for independence. With the events scheduled for Scotland this year – Open Golf, the Gathering – we would have an international audience.
Venues? historic Stirling, Inverness, Perth. Oh and Renfrew Town Hall has a stunning exterior, and Renfrew the Royal burgh has links to the Bruce via his sister Marjory.
Confession: I haven’t contributed yet. A +£400 car repair bill last week, road tax due end March, MOT in mid-April. I will contribute but not what I’d hoped to do. Well done to all who have provided such a massive sum. Rev’s 0.5% analysis did sting a bit.
Annie, So Young was unavailable for comment. He was bleating this morning calling AS a sneak thief for going into a school at Hazlehead. Not really a slip of the tongue as he said it at least 2 or 3 times. SLAB, the gift that keeps giving…
http://www.remotegoat.com/uk/venue_view.php?uid=28437
Huntly worth a venue at least 200 people would get in the Hall
What about some events being held simultaneously or at the same time even at sites across Scotland, like the bingo does but without the felt tip pens.
Apologies if idea already proffered.
Hi Rev
I have done a few venues already for live stream in Glasgow and have Glasgow Uni and a comedy club in Glasgow coming up plus one in Motherwell.
Shettleston Juniors in Glasgow is in a Labour area, has WI-FI, PA, a bar and holds up to about 150 people. We done a live stream from there recently with Jim Sillars, Business for Scotland, Bruce Morton and Donald Reid. See http://new.livestream.com/IndependenceLive
I think there’s a fundamental problem here.
We are all separated here. Stu lives down south and is busy doing this site. Us readers are dotted all over the country but it seems that none of us is in a group.
The thing that local Yes campaigns have in their favour is numbers of activists and local knowledge. We are not an organised group.
Why don’t you do something in conjunction with the Yes campaign using their operational skill at local level but invite different speakers.
If this is not popular, I would suggest that instead of doing lots of little shows, do three or four larger ones for maximum publicity and get them filmed properly for You Tube.
Larger venues in the city may potentially bring in a large audience, attract better speakers and more publicity. The internet is the platform that could ultimately deliver the most viewers.
Easterhouse, Brown’s backyard are perfect areas if you want to take the fight to them, or Morningside (Darling), Aberdeen or Govan.
I’d have Riddoch, McWhirter, Ian Bell, Robin McAlpine (he is brilliant if you haven’t heard him)
but also consider Labourites like Alan Grogan etc.
Can help in Aberdeen/Aberdeenshire – clootie8@googlemail.com
Inverurie in Aberdeenshire has a town hall should hold about 300. It also has Wyness hall which I think could hold up to 200 appropriate. Inverurie is the heart of Aberdeenshire and has alot of people coming into it. There is also Thainstone mart just outside inverurie
@Alan Mackintosh:
“Inverness – Spectrum Centre seats 160 £25 per hour”
They also have seminar equipment available for hire for events, including laptop, screen, powerpoint projector. Been there for Yes and RIC events and it’s a good location – very central with good parking nearby.
http://www.spectrumcentre.co.uk/conferences.html
Happy to distribute posters, etc. Maybe even design on for the Invernes event 😉
My sis & I have been talking for a long time now, on doing this very thing, Sis is from a part of FIFE & a member of a Bowling club that has more, NO people & Don’t know people, than it does YES people… WE have said for weeks now we are going to Organise a Dance & party Night in the Coaltown Bowling Club Fife, so that we get the people IN, and we were going to approach the YES campaign for some help & ask for some speakers to attend, HOWEVER this sounds a much better idea, we know we CAN get the hall for NOTHING, Sis’s hubby is also a Musician and plays there, so has all the equipment required for such an event. Plus he runs a Karaoke. Another reason the hall would be free to use, Is he often gives HIS time free to members. For their birthday parties & such like.
If ever there was a part of Fife to CRACK & try to bring with us on the YES side, it is this area… Please consider us, NO cost to Wings, but a presence there who can talk, with the right answers to questions asked, should go a long way to convincing others I believe.
Just to add to my earlier proposal to use Uddingston Cricket and Sports Club.
The local MP is Jimmy Hood (Lab)of “I don’t care if Scots are better off. Im voting No” fame. and the local MSP is Michael McMahon (Lab) no need for an intro there. So a couple of open goals await.
O/T but I found this website for Yes in the Glen, I found the website a bit poor TBH and lacks info on the website itself eg no dates for the event (16th Aug)Seems they are needing a hand with fundraising aswell as web design….off to donate.
http://www.yesdunfermline.com/
DVD is an excellent idea.
Printed material is good, but people will be getting a lot of that through the door already. More likely to watch a DVD.
There’s plenty of material already on YouTube, and the Jack Foster stuff etc, so filling a DVD shouldn’t be a problem.
This gets to people who don’t use the internet which we know is a critical audience to tackle.
Anyone got any idea how much DVDs would cost to produce ? Imagine if the volumes are big enough then probably not that expensive ?
Do you think the Yes campaign would give us a download from the YesMo database so we can specifically invite Nos and DKs?
Or is that pushing it?
Would you consider more rural locations?? Like the person above… Aberdeenshire needs someone like you you guys!!!
The battle bus is a great idea, could reach the smaller communities as well as the larger ones.
Would be like having a Yes shop in every town and village.
@Tim F-G says
“I’m more than happy to film events in Central Scotland which we can then upload to your and my youtube channels for those people who aren’t able to make it.”
I think high quality video versions of any events posted on YouTube is crucial. Business for Scotland have some Ivan McKee and Michelle Thomson videos on YouTube which are good, but which would be so much more effective if they were professionally filmed and recorded. Be fantastic if WoS events had really good quality video versions.
I play in a pipe band and the Highland games season runs from May to September. Despite dressing up in kilts every weekend, there are a lot of No voters in the community.
The two sides did have a stall in Ayr last year but it would be good to see a stall or tour bus at one of the major competitions in Glasgow Green or Forres.
I agree we need to target more No/DK voters but informing more yes voters with solid facts and information can only be a good thing.
For smaller venues if you have a digital projector/laptop/small speakers and a screen you can easily show recorded speeches/films followed by a Q & A with local Yes people. You don’t always need to bring a bit name.
Just heard back from The Steps Theatre in Dundee – £55 an hour, but they close at 8pm on weekdays and 5pm on Saturdays, so I’d guess that’s not really suitable.
The Belmont Cinema [Picturehouses Corporate], Aberdeen does corporate hire with 2 cinemas available at 145 and 270 seats respectively. All audio/visual equipment in place.
Prices roughly £350 weekdays & &450 for Sundays. Saturdays £600. I spoke with the General Manager and he has experience with panel presentation type meetings. Bar and catering available. [01224-343500]
I’ve just scrolled down to the bottom, so forgive me if it has already been suggested, but the GLO centre in Motherwell is a very good venue, it hosted a debate between Frank Roy and Blair Jenkins recently so there should be no reason for you to be refused. I would be happy to help out, and if you were to organise I could ask the people at Yes Motherwell and Wishaw and the Lanarkshire Forum For Independence whether they would be willing to help which I’m sure they would
Love the idea of a WoS touring bus, with HUGE WoS logos and the banner flying from the roof. The drivers could act in relay, taking bus to first venue, then another driver takes it to next venue and so on. Contacting the Souters is a god idea as they are onboard with the cause.
Would drivers of the bus have to have HGV/PSV licenses? Maybe the Soutars could provide a driver, paid for by WoS?
Not a driver myself, so not sure of practicalities (although many years ago, I did use to issue HGV and PSV licences).
Re allaying the fears of the elderly and pensions, I remember seeing someone’s letter from DWP confirming there would be no problem with the payt of state pension in an Indy Scotland – so copies of that letter (with recipient’s name and deatils redacted), could be given out at venues esp if including bowling clubs etc.
Oh and happy to help at any WoS venues in Edinburgh.
Lot of suggestions about Theatres, Town Halls etc. Nothing wrong with these and this is in fact where the vast majority of meetings have taken place to date.
I’d much rather get in amongst the communities where they would normally socialise such as Shettleston Juniors mentioned above, all social clubs in fact, bowling clubs and the like.
Most social clubs will have rooms that accommodate in excess of 100 and much larger in some cases.
Advantages in my view:
In many cases a mid week booking would be free for the hall, and optional at around £1 to £1.50/head would probably through in sausage rolls and a sandwich.
You are right in the heart of communities who normally wouldn’t dream of travelling to a town centre theatre to listen to politics.
If it was fairly informal, normal club members would no doubt be interested at least for a bit not just the political anoraks. I will make some enquiries about actual costs, capacities and available nights in the Dundee/Arbroath area and get a list to you.
O/T
@ bobby Mckail 1.33pm
Re: BBC bias
Just had a reply from BBC to my complaint about reporting Standard Life and NOT reporting Standard & Poors report.
My basic complaint was that they did not report Standard Life’s statement in full and misrepresented it. They came back saying amongst other stuff: We reported exactly what the investment firm has said which is that they are “drawing up contingency plans to move the company out of the country unless a formal currency agreement can be agreed”.
This is definitely not in the statement published online by Standard Life. Link here: http://www.standardlife.com/utility/customer_statement.html
Can anyone point me at the origin of the BBC words quoted at me?
I would get back in touch with the BBC and ask them but, undoubtedly will get fobbed off again. They didn’t address my point about them not reporting Standard and Poors at all.
On topic…. Great idea with the big conversations. Most folk concerned with “country can’t afford to run itself”, some still hung up on devo-max (as if it existed)and need to be informed that “promises” made by pro union parties in the next few months will disappear like snaw of the dyke after the referendum.
Need to find venues which older people would be willing to attend, especially places where they could have a cuppa as well.
There is a hall here in Huntly Aberdeenshire called Stewart hall has all what you need to get people in to hear the truth about our future with independence for Scotland
@ Prof. Dumb Down says:
“The one thing that is currently missing and might make a substantial difference is interviews. Interviews with experts, interviews with everyday people, with politicians and so on. Someone doing the job and asking the questions that mainstream journalists will not, because they have no motivation to do so as they tow a pro-union line.
I think there is great potential in a Wings youtube channel in terms of generating its own content. All you need is someone with a video camera and people who are prepared to do a little research to be able to cope with and conduct interviews. There is no shortage of well educated articulate YES people who would be able to do this.”
Actually, I think this is an excellent idea. As others have said, many local events might compete with other events for the undecideds, but simple black and white answers in high quality video form would be so useful as a campaigning tool. Imagine being able to point undecideds at a video to answer a specific question.
For Creiff read Crieff – I didn’t think it looked right 🙁
Rev Stu – for Mcandroid read Macandroid – doh!
@TJenny,
Shouldn’t need a PSV as no passengers being carried( prob an HGV though depending on the weight) a driver and 2 helpers would be more than enough. Used to run an IT bus ( less than 5 tonnes) into small communities in South Lanarkshire. Very successful venture it was too. Did it on a car licence.
I agree with those who say we must concentrate all our efforts in the less affluent areas which are traditional Labour voting areas. That’s where the referendum will be won.
Repeated events targetting Wester Hailes or Easterhouse or similar areas, perhaps every month in each of these areas will be more beneficial to the yes campaign than any number of city centre events.
Have you consider WoS tv ads at all? STV do Scotland wide ads from a few hundred up to a couple of thousand per 30 seconds http://stvcommercial.tv/micro_region_maps.
You’re not a political party Rev and it could put WoS right into the middle of the debate, where it belongs. There’s still nearly a month in fundraising left, there’s loads of no copyright HD youtube footage, amazing Scots actors and musicians that might spare a free ten seconds, Eddi Reader is a YES vote apparently, with a fabulous singing voice.
Vote NO BBC bias rules the waves in Scotland but how hard could it be to get WingsoverScotland on tv? Or wouldn’t it be nice if all our friends at Pacific Quay knew what it feels like to want to throw your tv in the recycle bin.
After watching that horror show of a debate last week between Stairheid Lamont and Nicola Sturgeon, it might be wise to hold debates/discussions with high voter participation, and getting thoughts from non-political people about the future of Scotland. I am afraid to say the politicians just become too confrontational and aggressive, particularly given the stakes involved. The MSM are also a problem in portraying the referendum as a war or a battle etc.
We really could do with a more discursive, more creative, even meditative approach towards the referendum. Get comedians, writers, sports figures, people from the music side of things, small businessmen/women, people from the voluntary sector, academics from both sides etc. No shouting, no trolling, no tribalism, no ranting at each other, just non politicians and voters being honest with each other, and sharing their visions and fears for the future of Scotland. We really need to listen to each other better, especially in terms of fears and hopes.
A presence at T on the Park would be fab. Would it be possible to contact some of the big names in music, who are indy supporters, The Proclaimers, Mogwai etc, to make guest appearances at the WoS venues, or at lease give us a shout out if the are on stage at e.g. TiTP?
Link to the type of place I’d like to see events taking place. A friend has a charity night organised here on a Friday night in April, can accommodate 180.
https://www.facebook.com/FairfieldSSC
Club comes free and they have even thrown in a few small prizes for the raffle. Also slap bang in the middle of three Dundee council estates.
I’ll look into the Kirkintilloch/Lenzie area – combined population about 30,000 so worth it id say.
But already plenty of possible places I can think of:
Miner’s Welfare, Kirky Tel: 0141 578 0024
(been many years since i was last in but could easily seat 200+)
Lenzie Town hall: 0141 775 2902 (200+ again id say)
Lenzie Union Church Hall: 0141 776 1046 (maybe 150 tops)
Will contact and look into costs.
But I agree with others that we really need to target the folk who cannot be a*sed gettin up and going to these things (a huge number of folk fall into this category). Flyers through the door are useful, but too many chuck them away for this to be effective.
Has gettin Wings on the telly been looked into? Surely weve got the sort of money now that we can launch a limited ad campaign? – We must target folk who are not proactive at all in finding out the truth – getting their attention while their eyes are glued to the telly is the only real hope.
Just a short 20 sec ad showing a few facts would be enough to inform and interest them – and hopefully get them visting the site…
Ivan –
(blimey here’s a fella that we should include in our list of speaker’s. You’ve been absolutely brilliant in recent performances Ivan, well done)
On the subject of DVD production. A printed DVD (printed full colour disc) in a clear plastic wallet tend’s to cost around 80p or 90p to produce (including Vat) if you are printing 500. (This includes burning the film onto the disc)
Obviously, if you are going to have 20,000 made, that price would reduce a fair bit I would expect, maybe down to 50p a unit.
Without asking a company for a quote, you can’t be precise, but a ballpark figure of 20,000 finished discs may cost around £11k.
Of course, if you want to produce 100,000 discs, then the price will drop dramatically – I would expect to around 30p a unit, maybe even less.
All you need then is to get them out to local groups and start pounding the streets, but also take advantage of the local meetings that are happening and distribute their.
DVD’s are good, watch them – pass them on. A lot of info can be placed on them and view them at your leisure.
What Muttley79 just said, bang on!
gerry parker – would the two helpers onboard not count as passengers then? If not, super. 🙂
@Muttley79.
There used to be a program on TV which had an excellent format. The facilitator would take a main hypothesis and get participation from experts in the particular fields involved. A well informed and balanced discussion with the experts honestly stating the position of their particular organisations position.
Can’t remember what it was called though ( see this getting old!)
Looking for Homer Simpsons great Mr Plow tv cable ad but this is actually live footage of BBC/BetterTogether campers planning meeting http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_JmylSHuPvg&list=PLB45E871D354893D7
I like the idea of a Wings Bus mentioned above in the thread. It can take the message to the people very effectively and would complement YES events held in buildings. Mentioned above also is a company, Sidlaws in Dundee, that sound like they might be willing to help get such a venture going.
A bus on tour for 60 days (July and August) could stop off at say 6 venues a day and cover 360 locations in the period. A suitably equipped smaller vehicle could travel ahead to advertise its arrival. There are other ways of publishing the schedule too and what about using “Flashmob” techniques for gathering a crowd to it.
360 locations is basically a stop for every 15,000 people in Scotland. In Perth and Kinross that might be four “stops” in Perth and “stops” in Kinross, Auchterarder, Crieff, Aberfeldy, Blairgowrie and Invergowrie. In Dundee City there might be 10 “stops” spread around the city.
Maybe we could have Short TV ads announcing where/when the WoS roadshow is appearing. It all depends on costs, however, there’s still another payday before the crowd funding closes. 🙂
Tjenny said
“A presence at T on the Park would be fab. Would it be possible to contact some of the big names in music, who are indy supporters, The Proclaimers, Mogwai etc, to make guest appearances at the WoS venues, or at lease give us a shout out if the are on stage at e.g. TiTP?”
If there was enough collected we could have a big Pro indy tent, although I dread to think how much it would cost to have a big marquee for the weekend at TITP. A weekend of comedy, music and information. Like you say if we could get some big names in there to draw the crowds would be good too.
Aren’t National Collective holding a Yestival? not sure what they are planning or if they have funding for it?
Rather than just ask for venues, why not ask for bids from interested groups? You could set out a ‘brief’ stating clearly what you’re trying achieve and ask for pitches from people who can do the work on the ground to run the event as a partner. You might achieve a greater reach this way and help others expand their own actions.
The Brief could seek events which will reach women, young people, poorer areas where people are disengaged, areas where there’s been limited campaigning to date etc – use poll data and other feedback/knowledge to set the parameters. You could also seek events which will create particular benefits for Wings profile or media coverage.
There’s no need to work directly with the YES campaign – you’d probably find that as word got out you’d have loads of event offers from YES affiliated groups anyway.
That said, there’s probably also scope for some dedicated Wings events – but you need to be clear about what you hope to achieve and that this is the best use of time and funds.
Above all, YES seems to be spreading through the medium of conversation and people. How can Wings best facilitate and enable that ongoing process – or add something that’s not been done so far?
@gerry packer
I am wary of having experts, or at least too many of them. Millions will probably vote in the referendum. It will not be won or lost by a few experts of whatever type. If you have many debates and meetings with only politicians, or media pundits/types, it can make the referendum far too stale. Increase the width and depth of the contributions, both from voters, and people from outside politics, who are well known, or at least recognisable figures, in Scotland.
I have reservations about the Whitehall Theatre.
Yes, it’s big, but the acoustics are poor and sound is usually provided by Apex Acoustics, for shows anyway, (using head mikes? these wee things looped around performers heads at the hairline) which would be an additional cost and they may not be sympathetic.
Also unsure of their hand held mike availability for audience questions and the extreme running around required to provide this facility.
Having said that, the Trust that runs it got into financial difficulties a couple of years ago and I believe that it was bailed out by the Cooncil, who may even own a good chunk of it, so it may not be prohibitive financially.
I have seen a screen being used there, for the excellent Richard Herring’s Christ On A Bike Tour.
Just an idea but how about instead of Stuart coming all the way up from bath, we support Peter A Bell on a world tour of Scotland?
Of course we would need to ask him first but he is knowledgeable, articulate and puts his point across well.
One of my main fears about the whole debate is the whole area of machine politics, of tribal politics; whether it be SNP v SLAB unionists, nationalists v unionists, cybernats v Brit Nats, clichés from both sides, the MSM’s antics, and framing the whole independence debate around what they think are the crucial and technical issues (EU, currency etc).
This should be one of the most exciting, creative, even profound, periods and times in Scottish history. The politicians from both sides will battle and at least verbally fight with each other, while the MSM will restrict it to personalities and specific issues.
We do not want to look back on this period in say 10-20 years time, when most of the main actors (wanky political jargon! 😀 )will have left the stage anyway, and think “all we got for the most part were political bunfights and rammies.”
@Mutley.
Experts have their uses, but I do agree you can have too many of them. Would be interesting to have a couple on International Law taking part in a discussion on Maritime borders and Treaties( to name but 2 topics), and a constitutional expert + an economist.
mutley –
tell me, what happens when you have a well known celebrity that then gets bombarded with 20 questions from the audience from undecided or No voters for which they don’t have an answer, or provide a vague, non-specific answer that we’ve all heard or read a dozen times before either in a newspaper or on tv.
Would I want to go and listen to Eddi Reader answer questions on future banking regulations – no because she probably doesn’t know much more than me ?
Would I want to go and listen to Eddi Reader talk about culture, the music industry, community etc – yes, I would.
Every meeting I’ve been to, and it’s quite a few over the last few years has generally had the same questions asked over and over again – the economy, oil, BBC bias, renewables etc.
So by all means have a meeting described as, ‘music and culture in an independent Scotland’
but as soon as you bring politics into it and need answers, the best person to answer is a politician – that’s their job.
T in the Park……with Biffy, Paulo Nutini, Calvin Harris (sure he is a Yesser) maybe the Proclaimers all playing….I’d say T in the Park will be covered for pro indy music
; )
In the Moray Firth area the local YES groups are very busy holding public meetings and YES cafes, mostly–I hate to say it–in a boring way.
I don’t think Wings should ignore OR join existing YES groups. Find out where YES groups are thin on the ground, focus on areas that are pivotal like labour strongholds or Aberdeen! Liaise with YES groups, and then do what’s appropriate in each area and totally different from the YES campaign.
The travelling bus seem a creative idea, and if you are going for public meetings they should be big–in Eden court Inverness for example–rather than the smaller spectrum centre where YES HIGHLAND already meets and holds public meetings.
And you need to offer something very different. Straight information question and answers would be an excellent format (as suggested) but maybe you need short films (duggy dug, 10 myths debunked etc…) because they entertains a bit and only people who spend a lot of time on the internet have seen them. They are funny as well as being informative. The talk needs to be broken up a bit, maybe the films could be shown between topics.
But for me the most obvious lack this year is a big rally. It doesn’t look good to have had two and not a third one in the summer before the vote. It doesn’t need to be a march, it doesn’t need to be in the same place, but something is needed. Although all attempts (Grassroots on the Green and Yes in the Glen) seem to be failing.
The best thing to use the money for is for the printing and distribution of your little blue book. Everyone I know who is on the edge wants more information and they discount the White paper because its associate with the SNP and has been trashed in mainstream media. A quiet un-launched (so the media can’t slander it, grasroots-distributed book, with sources and documents, will do wonders! And it needs to be soon-
Ok that’s my opinion given, and we’re willing to help in the Moray Firth area….
How about hiring a big top or a marquee, then you could set up just about anywhere.
What about a plane towing a banner over Loch Lomond, Portobello and Ayr beaches on the hottest day of the year? It is ‘wings over Scotland’ after all 😉
Another idea – ripe for abuse but hear me out – could be a ‘convert a friend’ initiative. Persuade a friend to sign the yes declaration doing the rounds and win a prize.
Venues – there is a brand new performing arts venue in Helensburgh called the Tower Digital Arts Centre. They might welcome some revenue and be cheaper to hire than the Victoria Hall. Kendo would ken!
Would be nice to get Masonic lodges, labour clubs and bowling clubs. The cheap drink should persuade some along that wouldn’t normally bother.
@tartanfever
No, this would not be about getting answers though. Politicians are becoming the problem, not the solution in the debate.
The people who attend would not be there to speak and debate like politicians do, that would be the whole point. It would also be about voters having an opportunity and space to say how they feel about the referendum, their hopes and fears for the future of Scotland. It would essentially be about the Scotland they would want to see. Rather than have endless debates and meetings, with all the usual issues you have mentioned, why not have a conversation, a dialogue, a listening exercise? If you keep bringing up the usual issues, EU, currency, BBC/MSM bias, then it become turgid, tired, and soul destroying.
There are a few country/farming events in the summer too:
Jun 14 – The Angus Show in Brechin
Jun 19 – 22 Royal Highland Show, Ingleston
Jun 28 – Haddington Show
Jul 12 – Dalkeith Show
Jul 12 – Point Agricultural Show , Isle of Lewis
Jul 19 – Kirriemuir Show
Jul 19 – 20 – New Deer Show, Aberdeenshire
Jul 19 – The Sutherland Show, Dornoch
Jul 25 – 26 Border Union Show, Kelso
Jul 26 – Banchory Show
Jul 30 – Stranraer Show
Aug 01 – 02 Dumfries & Lockerbie Agricultural Show
Aug 01 – 02 Perth Show
Aug 02 – 04 Ayr Flower Show
Aug 03 – 04 Turriff Show
Aug 06 – Arran Farmers’ Society Annual Show
Aug 06 – Wigtown Show
Aug 07 – Stewartry Agricultural Show
Aug 07 – Black Isle Show
Aug 10 – Keith County Show
Aug 13 – Bute Agricultural Society Show
Aug 14 – Grantown Show
Aug 23 – Lochaber Agricultural Show
A lot of choice which would have to be well targetted to get best bang-for-buck in terms of where the NOs are likely to be.
chalks – Great, however, it would be even better if we had a WoS stall or tent there too that these musos could give a wee mention of to the crowd. Is it horrendously expensive to have a stall or tent at TiTP. Anyone know the going rates?
The Spiegeltent is a fantastic venue but may be fully booked
Experienced the one at the Edinburgh book festival and it was a real draw.
@ Jim T.
Events like this would be excellent for a Yes bus, or information van.
Highland games events, Caber(nats) over Scotland!
I wonder if there isn’t room to spend some time listening to communities about their ideas of a vision for Scotland and bring it together in a series of very large events. My idea would be that local Yes groups would be enabled to bring together groups of people in an initial brainstorming/consultative exercise in line with the ideas of ‘imagining’ a better Scotland. A second phase would be required where representatives of these local groups (appointed by the groups themselves) would get together to finalise the key issues that could be agreed upon. All participants would need to be kept in the loop through emails. The key idea is to develop ‘ownership’ of the process within communities.
Groups could be mixed, young people, women, men, LBGT
This process would build a platform for people to take ideas forward whether we have a Yes or No vote but information can be fed in to octal and national campaigns.
Needs cooperation between YES groups and Wings.
mutely,
yep agreed with that, there’s lots of aspects that haven’t entered the public domain – but when you say people want space to talk about their ‘hopes and fears for a future Scotland’, what do you think the majority of people would categorise that to mean ?
I’d bet my house that most would say, ‘the economy, defence, pensions, jobs, NHS’ etc, and that is the realm of politicians – not artists, writers, comedians, actors or any other celeb.
If the purpose of these meetings is to win votes and persuade undecideds or no’s to vote Yes, then you’re going to need a strong speaker with intimate knowledge of subjects. The only non-politico’s I’ve seen of that nature are Robin McAlpine and the guys from Business for Scotland.
I think the broadest subject matter that will engage people would be to talk about a written constitution. That’s the thing that separates politicians from the people and it’s the device that potentially gives the people of Scotland a real voice of their own. People become animated when they start to consider the power they could weald in a written constitution.
Under constitutional discussions you can talk about those wider aspects of country – like how we engage in the world, how we can reform land ownership, how we can prevent big business from taking over Holyrood by effectively outlawing lobbying, how we can protect our public assets- the NHS, Scottish Water etc.
The list is endless.
Potentially we could bring in Mark McNaught (constitutional expert that writes for Newsnet), Lesley Riddoch (she observed the Icelandic process in detail), Andy Wightman (land reformer), Aamer Anwar (civil rights and legal protection).
I think the problem at present is not necessarily the politicians as much as it is the format of the debate itself. You can’t blame politicians for repeating the same thing time and time again when they’re being asked the same question time and time again.
After reading the above comments, I think it’s a great idea battle buses touring the out of the way places visiting communities (visual impact) where the yes campaign might not be reaching. It would need good planning and dedicated volunteers. I.e. places like Patna, Dalmellington, Cumnock, Muirkirk, Douglas, Coalburn all former mining villages, the list is endless.
Wasn’t there a Labour MSP in Glasgow (lost the last election) who had what he called the Battle Bus for his campaign, I think he is now a Labour GCC. Think he would lend it to us?
The Blair Jenkins event in Aberdeen last October was held in the MacRobert Building at the University of Aberdeen.
I believe that held around 300.
I have passed on an enquiry and the link to the Yes Aberdeen Youth & Students contact.
Glasgow Anniesland Constituency:
Olivers – Drumchapel – Capacity 150-200
Goodyear Social CLub – Drumchapel – Capacity 200-300
Albion Social CLub – Yoker – Capacity 200-300
Heart of Scotstoun – Scotstoun capacity 150-200
All normally available during weekdays with 4 to 6 weeks notice. PA systems available. Costs vary but all very reasonable. For further details and organisational assistance (team of volunteers available)please do not hesitate to contact me.
@tartanfever
The problem with talking about a written constitution is that it already indicates that you are a Yes supporter. Soft Nos and undecided are not at the stage of recognising themselves as being a Yes voter obviously, so I cannot see the being won over by having a written constitution. That would come later.
I also do not agree that non politicians and voters cannot debate political issues. I see the referendum debate as getting increasingly bogged down in confrontational, aggressive, personality driven clashes. The voters and non politicians may not be as technical in a discussion as they would if it was left to politicians (although academics could help in that regard). A more general approach can be to discuss what kind of a society you want to live in, how would you best achieve that etc.
The Tunnels Aberdeen, mostly used for music gigs at night so during the day its free. Ask for Jim the owner. http://www.thetunnels.co.uk/home/
Perhaps, in conjunction with National Collective, a concert, with various stalls set up at the venue so that folk can get leaflets, badges and info. A carnival type atmosphere; big and bold and fun. Perth and Inverness might be nice options as locations, bringing in folk that are based around and about but not confined to Glas/Edin.
A series of focused meetings, organised through co-ordinating with relevant charities, aimed at getting out specific information about how indy will impact on them specifically (Age Concern and pensions/energy bills, Shelter and housing, Anti Poverty groups and social security, Citizens Advice etc.,) where they have a constituency that wants information but tailored to their situation rather than lost in the shuffle of the EU or Currency Union.
Also, some focused meetings (in conjunction with Business for Scotland) that are specifically about the EU, banking and currency, the oil industry, the renewables sector, University research. Not necessarily a Q&A as such but providing a forum where these things are being openly discussed by representatives in the respective fields who can explain where they are coming from and, in doing so, give folk a chance to better understand what they are about and how they can contribute in an Indy Scotland.
So, a couple of big concerts plus a series of tailored and focused meetings. It allows for a joint effort with other Yes groups without taking over and it focuses on specific concerns across the board in order to disperse a huge amount of information in manageable and non-repetetive chunks.
Kintyre definitely needs to be accessed. The screenmachine used to visit regularly, so the bus idea is brilliant, especially for times like Tarbert Seafood Festival and later in the year Tarbert Music Festival. Tarbert Village Hall is great and I will get details. My husband and I would love to be involved and we could find accommodation for a couple of visiting helpers.
What I find most frustrating is people I talk to say they cannot find the facts, conversely someone said today that there are too many facts. My own problem is that I get too passionate, and as described above on one comment, it can become too aggressive. We need clarity of facts. Even if Wings over Scotland couldn’t come to Kintyre because of area spread and sparsness of population, the thought of the little blue book or a DVD is very appealing.We will be glad to get involved in any capacity at all.
@You and My Comb.
Actually what I see happening now with Wings over Scotland is what I would want to see in an independent Scotland, masses of ordinary(and some extra-ordinary) people all over the country coming together to achieve a common agreed goal.
Just got another delivery of Yes Scotland papers, need to get folding.
Another social club CISWO Glenrothes (Coal Industry Social Welfare Org) where I’m sure something could be organised, Blair Jenkins and Allan Grogan talking there tomorrow.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/CISWO-Members-Visitors-Entertainment-Page/102069306542993?rf=229777683709713
I think I’m biased towards taking the message to people in their own communities. Will try and get along to this event tomorrow to see how it goes.
Have you considered the possibility of NOT describing the people who support the retention of the Union as “crazed activists”?
Ceasing the use of such incendiary language simply serves to make you appear shallow and dictatorial – we’re right, you therefore must be wrong.
Oh great Squadron leader message received, Yes Airdrie
have used Airdrie stadium for several public meetings
Im waiting on a call back from local contact,will
E mail You when I have something concrete.
Brilliant idea. For flexibility and not repeating yourself with promotional stuff, maybe think about a WoS Marquee. Good for agricultural shows someone listed, but also Calton Hill at next YES rally, and maybe get a foothold somewhere in Stirling for the weekend of Bannockburn events.
Commonwealth Games??
Instead of a marquee, maybe a Roadshow or Bus with onboard PA and canopy at the side for events. Not much time, but if anybody can do it…
Maybe hire a bus for 6 – 8 weeks and just pay for the livery.
I think people who just won’t go to political events have to be targeted and that’s why having a presence at all the events we can manage is the way to go here. Ideal for giving out the Wee Blue Book and answering the usual questions.
Something like:
http://www.bigbuspromotions.com/
(I don’t know any company, but this type of thing.
There are also mini airships you can hire for advertising. Screwfix have them, maybe 100ft in the air when they open a new outlet and you can see them for miles.
You are no doubt short of plenty excellent ideas, but also consider if you are touring in June, try and include some schools before they break up for the summer (ones that cooncils will let you into) – do them during the day, and the main venue at night?
Bo’ness Town Hall, very accessible, easy to use for public meetings, available all year round and cheap – maybe about £100 – to hire.
Happy to help and plenty local volunteers who could do the same.
Could it not be organized that these meeting take place
all over Scotland at the same time,week on week,for June
July August is the Holiday period in Scotland, August we
hit the streets ever Sat, again all at the same time,
( leaflets wee Blue book & street stalls ) & as has
been said already This is A Grassroots campaign,Yes
activists don’t need permission from any one body,
we,re all in to WIN THIS REFERENDUM so lets get the
feet on the ground.
The question about facts is a complex one. I don’t believe people really mean exactly what they seem to be saying. I’m not certain what it is they’re saying but I think it’s something like, ‘I want to vote for independence but some how I haven’t yet been reassured that everything is going to be OK. I’m certainly not doing any research myself but if someone I really trusted told me it was all going to be fine I’d probably vote Yes.’ There’s no shortage of facts so it can’t really be about that.
We should be targeting areas where there is generally low turn outs due to apathy. Getting these people along and delivering the facts will deliver the YES vote we desire.
We need to target the youngest voters.
all council owned property,s are available for
Electioneering for Six Weeks prior to the 18th Sept.
Summerhall arts venue,near the meadows,edinburgh.
Great place and have several old lecture theatres for hire at around £150 a night.
Yes had a stall at last year’s Gala day in Robertson Park, Renfrew – not sure if they had one at Barshaw Park on Paisley’s gala day – but it’s another way of getting to communities and getting past all the political pow-wowing. Just folks talking to folks.
Michael – Totally agree – it’s not lack of facts, they just want someone to spoon-feed them the info and confirm that everything being proposed can absolutely be set in stone, which it mostly can’t, until negotiations with WM. That in spite of the fact that a future in the UK is definitely NOT going to be OK.
Looking into Nairn and maybe Culloden now…
List of social enterprise venues.
http://www.senscot.net/venues.php
Also think you could have Q&A’s via Webex/Google+ on specific themes.
betty boop
I wouldn’t waste your valuable time on complaining to the BBC Scotland.
They have taken a decision to back the bettertogether campaign come what may.
It’s all or nothing for the same gaggle of presenters and management that spout lies in exchange for your licence fee.
Tick tock.tick…
Sorry guys. I see the bus thing has been mentioned…
Liking the idea of a WoS marquee at the Bannockburn Celebrations. I think a few of us have already booked tickets for the Sat.
Owing to the shenanigans of Stirling Council I believe the ticket uptake is a bit disappointing so far, so we might get a good deal on stall or a Marquee – with huge WoS logos of course, and the WoS banner flying.
Hi, Stu give Dunfermline a look in, our part of the world could use some sense put to it, especially after our new Labour MP.
As far as I am aware there is the Carnegie Hall, various smaller local community centres run by Fife Council
the carnegie conference centre is also a good shout
http://www.carnegieconferencecentre.co.uk/ they provide the whole shabang for a nominal fee
Just tried looking for link to book Bannockburn tickets but couldn’t find. (friend said they’d booked them, but turns out they hadn’t). I think someone previously posted a link to the ticket booking site – can anyone re-post it here, please?
Satire is at its best and most poignant in interesting times. How about visual clever myth busting funny shorts that are easy to access and share?
Made/supported by Wings in collaboration with individuals and indy groups National Collective/Bella/Celebs – throw in a few famous faces with a sense of humour…
Lots of great ideas folk.
Even if the Rev doesn’t come knocking at your door these deserve to see the light of day. Hope you can make them happen.
Booking a suitable hall is easy (£100). Printing 2,000 double sided A5 colour leaflets £140 (The first 1,000 is £120 after that its a lot cheaper) I am sure there are cheaper.
Delivering leaflets (free and good for you).
Getting an undecided crowd in! Thats the tough bit. Easiest way is a big ticket speaker otherwise you get a room full of yes voters.
Rev if you want to run an event in Inverclyde I am more than happy to encourage our yes volunteers to promote the event. we have facebook twitter and web http://www.yesinverclyde.net along with a large leafleting team. We have 3 dates already booked for the more conventional undecided nights. 24th March Notre Dame high school Greenock , Blair Jenkins, Jeanne Freeaman and John McAllion will be speaking and doing a Q and A for undecided voters. We have similar events on the 28th April (patrick harvie, colin fox and alex mack) and 9th June (Dennis Canavan, Jim Bollan). In May we are planning a Business for Scotland event.
There are many good venues including the Beacon Arts centre. Inverclyde radio are very good at covering such events and the guys from the sugar sheds may film it for you. So far Inverclyde council have not allowed us a stall at Gourock Highland Games or port Glasgow Comet festival and indeed will not involve us in any school events, if they ever get round to running any.
Why not a FLEET of battle buses? We can leave the meetings to the local Yes groups but take the buses all over – guided by local knowledge. Great parking spot outside Pacific Quay!
http://tickets.battleofbannockburn.com/en/buy-step-1.html
Wings Onezies sez my twa tearaways, or Saltires.
I’d be happy to assist in any way at venues to the North and West of Inverness.
The mobile info centre would be a God send in this part of the world where I doubt if even one billboard exists.
@ Peter Bell
While you are here do you think you could possibly include archiveis (whatever it’s called) links on your site. I read it regularly but hate going to the articles you so comprehensively dissect giving them clicks.
o/t can anyone tell me where I could source a (reasonably priced) 12 volt PA system with the type of speakers used on vehicles?
@Liz: that Labour for Indy video is DYNAMITE. Everyone NEEDS to see it.
Kirkcaldy should be the first choice for Fife. It’s large, central and, as said before, it’s full of benighted unionists in need of mission work.
St. Bryce Kirk and The Adam Smith Theatre are both smart venues within walking distance of the railway station and bus station. St. Bryce’s has the symbolic advantage of being the Kirk where Gordon Brown’s father was minister.
AyrTown Hall – Capacity approx 450
Not expensive to hire
Plenty of help available
Call 07980 497647 if you need more info
I’ll be leaving Taiwan to return to Scotland later this month and will be going ‘full-time’ through to September to assist Scotland’s drive to its independence in any way I can.
I’m from Mid-Argyll, Lochgilphead to be exact. It would be terrific to get a Wings-for-independence presence throughout Argyll (and Bute). (By the way, Hi memaw! Are you living in Tarbert?)
There is a strong middle-class and small ‘c’ conservative influence in Argyll (also a sizable Rangers support, and Masonic lodges abound) that undoubtedly gets a lot of its information from the (biased) MSM and the BBC who will need to be given the ‘real’ truth and reassurances about what independence will mean to them personally. The majority, though, are Scottish [sic] through and through, meaning as a people. This includes the many English and people of other nationalities that reside there. I’m convinced that it won’t take much persaution ie facts, figures and forecasts free of Better Together sneers, fears, smears and lies to bring any Don’t Knows over to ‘Yes’.
The problem in Argyll (and Bute) is the distances between communities. Getting large crowds to venues can be a problem, because of this so smaller venues with smaller crowds are the norm.
The travelling bus (or whatever was agreed upon) would be a great idea, especially in Argyll. There are lots of small towns and villages which could be visited inbetween the bigger towns of Oban, Campbeltown and Dunoon, where, perhaps, special events could be arranged.
There is a steadily-increasing-in-numbers Yes Mid-Argyll group which is getting itself round and about the Mid-Argyll area. A co-operation with Wings in the summer could easily be arranged and would be superb in raising the profile of Scottish independence as the good and positive thing that it is.
Oban and Dunoon have got strong Yes groups which would surely also welcome the presence of a Wings-for-independence vehicle.
As for the costs of halls, etc. if you would like to put together a schedule for Argyll & Bute, let me know and I can find out all the relevant details when I return.
Other suggestions:
Presences at music festivals; Highland Shows; any kind of ‘gathering’.
Ads. on commercial radio stations. Introducing and promoting events on radio stations (and Twitter, Facebook, etc.).
Arranging events for the 16 to 17 year-old voters. Anything from formal Q & A meetings (get Miss. Dixon to appear – she’s good!), to informal gatherings like flash mobs, or whatever.
Arranging events for the 18 to 25(?) year-old voters. As above, but this time alcohol (in moderation, of course!) can be legally consumed by participants so premises offering such may be required!
Social media – a must! And in as many forms as possible.
I could probably help out at any Glasgow events, with leaflets etc.
Peter A Bell – thanks for the Bannockburn link. However just tried to book two tickets for June 28, which I think is the last Sat of the event, and got message ‘no tickets left for this date. 🙁
Which is good for the event if it’s fully booked that day.
I agree with many of the earlier posters, we have lots of events already happening. Here in the Borders we have local events on every week, more than half of those do not feature politicians. We are trying every format of event we can think of. Targeting every group of people we can find.
I like the idea of a news channel (youtube) interviewing people in the way the MSM wont. I also think the bus idea has potential. With events, Wings has a massive following, but of Yes voters. Low info voters of the type we are trying to interact with, wont have heard of Wings. Why would they turn out to a wings event ?
A newspaper that was ‘out’ for yes would be useful. Cant we buy the Scotsman? Rev can move back to Scotland to be Editor and employ a crack team of journos. That way just maybe, we could start to dictate the news agenda by being out in front for a change.
Don’t know if this has been mentioned yet but I would highly recommend live streaming the events as this would be a great way to reach many more people than just the locals in each area. You could also encourage people who are watching the live streams to send in questions which you could answer intermittently throughout each event. This way the people who maybe aren’t as fanatical about politics as some of us are, might be persuaded to sit and watch a program answering questions that they have from the comfort of their home.
Just my two pennies.
http://new.livestream.com/plans
@Rev Stuart Campbell
If you’re thinking of buying a bus, Dennis have a model called Trident! 😆
My sister and I will be happy to help out this summer in the Glasgow area. Just send me an e-mail when required. I have transport (car) so if you need people/things moved around I can help with that too.
@TootsCapoot – I think that’s agreat idea and we could give away posters and DVD’s.
@Taranaich – I like the LFI ‘weather forecast’ because a lot of people have no real interest in politics so something short like that could be useful.
A wings YouTube channel engages the youth and along with celeb Smith & Jones style Q&A could be up and running with help from the arty YES people. £ value adverts on back of buses cheep advertising and as someone already said if that gets going quick will bring more hits to your site.
I don’t know how rural you want to get, but we seldom get anything here because of our geographical position at the extreme western edge of the Borders, miles from where it’s all at, administratively speaking.
The best hall is this one, availability is likely to be good, and I don’t think it’s expensive. It’s a new facility and very flexible, with moveable walls.
http://newlandscentre.org.uk/wordpress/
Alternatively, the new school in West Linton has a very good space, although I don’t know what the availability is likely to be for this sort of meeting. That’s brand new and very swish.
http://www.scotborders.gov.uk/news/article/617/new_west_linton_primary_school_opens_its_doors
I’d be happy to help organise something based here. I can also provide overnight accommodation if required.
I see some people suggesting Biggar, which is about 11 or 12 miles away. If nothing is going to happen here, I would certainly publicise a Biggar event in the village and surrounding hamlets.
Kirkcaldy
http://www.fifedirect.org.uk/atoz/index.cfm?fuseaction=facility.display&facid=D946F220-B24A-4627-853C7972553ECD0D
Happy to help and get PA sorted out.
Been used for Yes launch and Torrence paid for hall and pa hire. Labour didn’t.
>Scarlet – “Cant we buy the Scotsman?”
From Wikipedia:
“In December 2005, The Scotsman was acquired, in a £160 million deal..”
It will be worth FAR less now.
Wouldn’t it be nice if a consortium of wealthy Scottish businessmen, the Weirs, and Sean Connery got together !
A pro-Scottish Scotsman might actually make a profit 🙂
Lots of good points. I think though we have to work to our strengths, making youtube videos are not really the Rev’s strengths. Others are better at that, remember the Barrowman Burns video, well an hour after it appeared on youtube their was an alternative “just the gags” by Jack Foster that ridiculed the original.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uqeTauiVTtM
That takes talent, the Rev’s I think is in getting the message across to ordinary people by educating them with the facts and maybe even inspiring some.
There was an earlier post saying how hard it was to get certain voters along to the organised Yes meetings unless they were already Yes supporters or had a “big name”.
Now, Blair Jenkins, Patrick Harvie, Derek Bateman and Allan Grogan are big names. But only to us! 50% of people I suspect would never have heard of one of them, well maybe Jenkins but probably couldn’t tell you if they are a Yes or No.
I hope the point of the Wings Roadshow is to educate, people will come out and hear if it is done the right way. We would need local people in that area to “invite” those others along, these local people are us and maybe some help from local Yes groups. I believe I would have no problem filling a 150 seat venue just using family to invite their friends ect.
I definitely also think we should be targeting that 49% who didn’t bother to vote in 2011 after all I think they have more to gain on a Yes and more to lose on a no.
They can be persuaded, it is in their interests to be persuaded. Mainly it will be about encouraging them to vote in the first place. Went on a bit, but I think I know where my target audience is.
Yes East Lothian have already started a series of 18 public meetings in both small and large venues. Yes East Lothian’s Referendum Road Shows have already taken place in Gullane Village Hall and Port Seton Community Centre. To come are Ormiston Community Centre on 7th March, Elphinstone Community Centre on 12th March, Macmerry Village Hall on 21st March, Pencaitland Trevelyan Hall on 28th March, Longniddry Community Centre on 4th April, Aberlady Community Hall on 11th April, East Linton Community Hall on 18th April, Whitecraig Mercat Grill on 24th April, Dirleton Village Hall on 1st May and Athelstaneford Village Hall on 7th May. All run from from 7 to 9pm. In addition there are 6 Public Meetings arranged with speakers including Blair Jenkins, Dennis Canavan, Colin Fox, Jim Sillars, Louise Batchelor, Ivor McKee and others. These again will be held between 7 and 9pm at Haddington Town House on 14th March, Dunbar Bleachingfield Community Centre on 17th April, Musselburgh MECA Community Centre on 14th May, North Berwick St. Andrew Blackadder Church on 9th June, Prestonpans Community Centre on 4th July and Tranent Loch Centre on 21st August. As you can see East Lothian is up and running and more events are planned.
By the way that 49% figure of those not bothering to vote is based on the electoral roll, since about 10% are missing then more like 60% didn’t bother. And we know where the majority of them have homes.
Anon Sailor, handclapping, RMF Brown and a’body else,
It seems that we’ve got the beginnings of a Kirkcaldy cadre of Wings in place. If Wings ever decides to visit Central Fife I think they’ll have a few friends here…
Now, I feel a regeneration coming on. Please bear with me Rev.
Have you tried the Bannockburn LIve website for tickets??
http://www.bannockburnlive.com/tickets
How about you set up a fund to which local groups can apply to support meetings? As others have said, there are lots of meetings going on, so you are in danger of causing duplication and swamping of certain areas, but not every local group can afford to put one on. Thus, in my local area, Yes Falkirk have been able to hire a hall for a meeting, as have Yes Larbert & Stenhousemuir have, but Yes Bonnybridge, Yes Grangemouth, Yes Bo’ness and Yes Falkirk Braes haven’t, as far as I am aware.
It’s very easy to focus on the larger towns – that’s what street stalls, for example, largely do. But persuade a couple of dozen people in every village and small town and the referendum will be won. The No campaign don’t have the wherewithal – and certainly not the the grassroots organisation – to do this, so it’s good territory to claim.
Having a fund also means not actually having to organise anything. If a small local Yes group comes to you and says “we will organise it, we will leaflet the village so everyone knows it’s on, we will makes the teas, we just need £100 to book the community centre for a couple of hours”, you will be able to do a lot to support those already out there. It also prevents duplication, as they know what’s going on locally.
Idea of a screen machine or refurbished library bus is a good one. Touring poorer parts of country like this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fizseC98uN4&feature=youtube_gdata_player
Mark I think that is a very good idea for Yes groups in a local area to do. I’m looking for a little different from Wings, we are of course still Yes supporters but just as you have say National Collective, a group of artists, writer, musicians ect. Wings has it’s own identity.
You might ask why and for me it would be as a lifelong Labour supporter for example I did associate Yes with the SNP, sounds pathetic maybe and I am much the wiser.
However there are over 1 million Labour voters out there than can be persuaded to switch, we have to give them as much choice as possible as to why they might choose to.
Unless we get Independence, I cannot see me ever voting Labour again, though I could be persuaded by Greens, SSP or SNP. Will decide after the referendum but if I did vote for Labour, believe you me it would not be for any of those currently occupying the seats.
We should all work together with a common goal, but don’t have to be the same, the more diverse Yes is seen to be the more chance we have of increasing support. In my view!
You might consider contacting the Yes campaign and ask if there are gaps where they haven’t scheduled coverage and the best way to coordinate coverage. I see your idea that you want to do something somewhat different than what they do, but you need to be sure there is coordination rather than overlap.
Agree with Charles Docherty 4th March 11.32am Inverclyde would be a good venue. Beacon Centre in Greenock (used in BBC television debate.) Lots of votes to be won over in Inverclyde.
Here’s a link of a very suitable venue
http://www.platform-online.co.uk/index.html?pid=31
Please come to our area to put forward the positives of Scottish Independence, it has fantastic facilities in the East End of Glasgow. The venue is a great location and reasonably priced auditorium, with all the pa stuff you need. If you do come here can i have tickets. Here’s a link
Re: Inverclyde, there’s also the Holiday Inn Express, YES Inverclyde have used it.
Inverclyde contributors (clydebuilt, charles docherty).
If want to make a difference get involved. We have over 75,000 newspapers to deliver. Maybe Mondays on the 24th March 28th April and 9th June. Fundraiser in Morton club 28th March. please get involved. http://www.yesinverclyde.net
Squirrel Towers – Thanks for the new link. Now bought two tickets for Bannockburn on 28 June. Hooray.
ps – I have a wee squirrel who visits my garden and sometimes comes in the house, not too far in as the cat takes the huff.. He’s been doing this for a few years, so I’ve named him Tamish (’cause he’s half way tame). 🙂
I agree with some of the comments about duplication. There are ‘Yes’ groups and events in most headline areas (list areas, Westminster constituencies). ‘Wings’ events might be great to fill in all those little gaps, wee places that won’t have had a pro-indy platform actually in their village hall…
Wings events will be great, big or little places 🙂
What about getting a big marquee and erecting it on the waste ground across the road from Pathetic Quay?
I get the fact that we need to get the message to as many different types of voters in as many different ways as possible, but what Yes events may not be doing is using irreverent, cool, hip, catchy messages and style. One of the reasons I think this site is popular is because it is often fun and all the things that politicians aren’t. Hence, I’d like to see us somehow leverage the artists who support independence – unless national collective already have this taken care of. Can’t we get Frankie Boyle in the bus people keep talking about that’s gonna drive around the country. A clapped out little banger could drive around with it, which we could call the Krankie mobile.
Kind of related, I had my first leaflet from an anti independence group (not had anything for 2 years prior to this). It’s a Scottish Labour (sic) folded A4 card that simply states that SNP will give all your money to big businesses. I asked my wife which was better – that or the independence newspaper and leaflet providing lots of information and stories, and she said she thought most people couldn’t be bothered with the latter and probably wanted some little aphorism that didn’t take much reading i.e. the Scottish Labour (sic) one.
Dal Riata
Yes I am in Tarbert. We must meet up when you get back. You have described the situation in this part of Argyll very well. I have already commented about the school debate on another thread. We really do need to connect with the younger voters.Having said that we have to connect with all the don’t knows as well.
Let me know when you are home. I think I read that you are ok for somewhere to live, is that right?
Dear Rev
I do hope that you can come to our village. We have a population of about 1300, of whom a useful number — maybe 100 or so — take a keen interest in politics. Many of those people are actually aware that the referendum is happening, while the rest just denounce the capacity of Scotland because someone with a posh accent told them to.
There are very few Scottish people here, but curiously everybody in this village think they are going to be able to vote on the referendum. We have a number of suitable meeting rooms in the village, which we use frequently, but I should warn you that visitors unfamiliar with our climate find the temperature excessive, and complain of too much hot air.
We are a long way from anywhere that matters, but like to think of ourselves as the centre of the universe. We do hope that you can make it to Westminster.
Dal Riata
Yes I am in Tarbert. We must meet up when you get back. It would be great.You have described the situation in this part of Argyll very well. I have already commented about the school debate on another thread. We really do need to connect with the younger voters.Having said that we have to connect with all the don’t knows as well.
Let me know when you are home. I think I read that you are ok for somewhere to live, is that right?
I am being told that this is a duplicate post, don’t understand.
Clair McNab
Really had me fooled- until the last paragraph, well done.
LFI in Dunoon and Cowal looking at possibilities.
“Have you considered the possibility of NOT describing the people who support the retention of the Union as “crazed activists”?”
I didn’t, of course.
Mark’s idea of a fund for groups who want to put things on but don’t have the means is a great potential use of funds.
The Wee Blue Book could be a great tool, distributed widely enough. I’d say getting quotes on 100k would be useful.
Use the current Yes groups to organize events on the ground, they have the knowledge/ experience.
On the topic of coordination between groups, what would be a great and really useful event would be a late spring conference for all the local Yes groups along with the likes of RIC, LFI, Newsnet and Wings. This was mentioned to me a while back by Citizen Smart but I haven’t been able to take it on as a project due to time/ work.
It would need to be soon, and would take a serious commitment from a small team to pull off, but, it could be invaluable in reducing duplication, and increasing cooperation between neighbouring Yes groups, thereby reaching more undecided or swing voters before September.
Regarding music Festivals I have contacts for the organizers of most Scottish events as I work (or have) at most of them with my own stall. I was really hoping Yes might have pulled something out of the hat with that one but with the line-up T in the Park has this year that may well be covered 😉
Regarding the workload your giving yourself, would an investment in an intern not be an idea? You need to be able to stay sane for the next 6 months and things like the Wee Blue Book will need considerable time to get ready to print I’d imagine.
Regarding the bus, I think if we could, possibly 6 or so in various rural parts of the country could be absolutely fantastic.
Again a big logistical ask but there are people doing amazing things already who could be brought onside, I think NC are doing something along these lines.
Right, that lot probably require another fundraiser 😉
The Victoria Halls in Govanhill might be a good choice. Less than 10 minutes from the city centre, round the corner from the bus depot, in Nicola Sturgeon’s constituency (you never know-she might be persuaded). A mere stones throw from a top class but cheap curry and home to a fairly big migrant worker community of A8 & A2 nationals, many of whom will be eligible to vote but are worried about being deported if it’s a yes and so well worth engaging with.
Leaflets can also be translated fairly cheaply (roughly £25+VAT per thousand words). If you’re open to an event in Govanhill, I’d recommend leaflets in Slovak, Czech, Romanian, Polish and Urdu as well as English to reach the widest possible undecided local vote.
You’ll find the Victoria Halls (holds 180) below
http://www.victoriahallglasgow.co.uk/index-2.html
I’m happy to pitch in to help man a leaflet stall, if need be.
Argggghh!
(holds 180) should read holds up to 350. Easy mistake.
@Claire McNab
Ohh, you are awful, but I like you 🙂
Having studied the 2010 general election results by constituency we need over 55% of those that usually vote for a red rosette,I think we should be targeting community centres in the schemes rather than big central meeting places in the towns, ie instead of Ayr Town Hall get into Lochside Community Centre etc, it’s the poor that are going to decide this vote IMHO, we need powerful speakers educating and inspiring the engaged and disengaged poor.
@gerry parker 4.23, Gerry you need tae get up early in the
morning fur paper folding, I’m on my last 150,1500 ready for
pickup today Wed,another 2000 coming,You need tae pickup the
pace lol, ( ah will make allowances though, You do deliver as
well, mair power tae yer elbow Gerry good work.
@Anthony Armstrong:
Yes yes yes!
People in poor working-class districts don’t usually go to meetings in the middle of town. There are many reasons, but one is that for anyone on the dole the bus fare is a big investment, and the long waits for late night buses can be off-putting.
Bring the message to the where people actually are.
These are the folks who can win the referendum. They have low turnouts in elections, so their views are heavily discounted by opinion pollsters. If they register to vote and opt for yes, they can swing the result.
You should consider Prestwick Beach, following the petulant U-Kok behaviour last year. Wings Over Prestwick has certain ring to it. There are plenty party/non party Yessers in the area who would be available to help.
@Rev
I’ve no idea how you are going to be able to read and sort through all these fantastic suggestions, never mind try to choose between them.
I hope you can tie it back to what I believe are some of the Key aspects which has driven the phenomenal rise in the success of Wings.
* It should augment and not replace or replicate the mainstream YES campaign
* It should identify a clear unifing theme
* It should reinforce the idea of providing people with easy access to the raw information, for thier own research. Removing the reliance on the spin and contortions from the MSM and other sources
With these in mind I’d throw in the following ideas:
Do events associated directly with every Foodbank in Scotland.
Focus on holding the Media to account, rather than “reasons to vote YES”.
Anyway – happy to help with anything done around Kinross or T in the Park.
I would agree that smaller, intimate venues are probably the ones to go for. Take the debate to the people who will probably not show up at a big event in a major town centre venue.
That covers both inner and outer-city schemes, and rural villages. Happy to help sort out at least one of the latter.
If it’s not illegal to project video or the University of the West of Scotland report onto the wall of Pacific Quay, might it be possible to set something up?
Should get some major publicity especially if foreign press are invited 🙂
If you want to hit the wealthy suburbs of Glasgow, Eastwood Park Theatre at Giffnock under auspices of East Renfrewshire Council is £340 if you can prove you’re a charity or £640 otherwise for the evening including all the techy stuff. Holds 332. Nice venue which may attract people. Otherwise, same venue more basic Carmichael Hall, holds 250 and costs about £40 per hour plus PA charges.
Just a couple of wee notes regarding Gamble Halls:
£39:50 an hour main hall (seats 220)
£22:00 an hour for adjoining lesser hall (seats 60)
£17:60 additional for kitchen
It comes with a PA loop system, disabled facilities incl. small lift. Phone number: 01475 633248. Free dates include 7th June, 21st June, 5th July, 12th July & 26th July. So if anyone wants to do anything, there you go!
Taranaich – still catching up with comments, can you tell me where are these Gamble Halls you speak of. Hope they’re not run by PaddyPower, Ladbrokes (oh the irony!) etc.:-)
Highland and Moray. Secondary schools are good option. Relatively cheap and usually centrally administered so different options can be checked with one phone call and most have sound systems. Parking is usually adequate for public meetings. Highland lets are administered from Fort William and can supply phone no and contact name. Central Inverness one with good parking comes in at around £35 per hour for political meetings seated capacity 300 to 350. They tend to be central to their communities. Culloden was used by BBC for their debate though parking there was tight.
Oban has the Argyllshire Gathering Halls – I have been in touch and they are happy to let to WoS for £120 +VAT.
The hall is well known in the area, and free parking is about 5 minutes walk away.
I am happy to help out with anything, except bouncing as I am a wee feart wummin.
Their website is here http://www.argyllshiregathering.com/
@memaw (4 March, 10.54 pm)
Got a family home in Lochgilphead, memaw, so no problems with a place to stay.
Will post again before I head for Scotland.
Cheers for now!
I do wonder how all this is going to be collated – anyways, confirmed No voter in my neck of the woods now undecided (local Labour stalwart).
Put me down for helping with Inverness and I’ll I’ll ask some friends to help too.
Just my thoughts here, but it may be a good idea to go after the demographics least likely to vote Yes. The old and the rural. I.E. those most likely to listen to the mainstream media and have poor internet accessibility. You may not be able to convert them to Yes votes, but that’s not the point of wings is it? You will be able to set enough doubts in their minds though. When they see the evidence and see the BT myths busted before their very own eyes, they will undoubtedly be forced to re-evaluate their positions. They may still go for a no, but there is a good chance they may swing to a yes.
A third option would be to take the fight into the labour heartlands, but I think the official YES camp is doing just that.
I’ve just spent the fat end of an hour reading this thread.
Utterly astonishing.
It would be nice if BT chucked the towel in right now, but then again, we would miss out on a hectic, unique Summer with hundreds of events all over the place.
Grassroots?
BT don’t know what that word means, and will never EVER get anywhere near this kind of reaction, no matter what they come up with. Rob Andrew and Blair MacDougall? Yer tea’s oot lads…
If anyone’s still thinking about the bus, mobile cafe idea.
I just found this cracker in Ireland seats up to 30 people, fridge, coffee machine.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/A-vintage-double-decker-bus-converted-into-a-mobile-cafe-catering-business-/181337061945?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item2a3887fa39
A wee respray could be the ‘Yesbus’ number one
I am just waking up after being at Yes Helensburgh and Lomond meeting last night. I now know that the Victoria Halls in Helensburgh can easily hold 250 people (with a small amount of space for a bit more). Cost? Don’t be silly I was busy last night but Helensburgh and Lomond yes can tell you.
If any Yessers in Argyll and Bute are feeling a bit isolated and/or need a hand to get out with leaflets can you contact Yes Helensburgh. A few of us have time and are willing to travel to help out particularly as the lighter nights are coming in
enthusiastic to help out in Barrhead, Paisley areas
Dal Riata
Sorry, only just seen your most from 2 days ago. It will be great to hear from you. I will give you my email when you get in touch.
Tartanpigsy
I just LOVE the bus. I used to be in catering and would give my eye teeth to get involved.
@TJenny, hah, no: the Gamble Halls are named after the Reverend Henry Gamble, and functions as the closest approximation to a town hall Gourock has. No affiliation with actual gambling organisations past or present I’m aware of, unless they hired it for functions like coffee mornings. It’s on Shore Street.
Hi,
Oban has one or two suitable venues. You would be welcome here, lots of help and accommodation. Just ask.
The Dickson Memorial Hall in Laurencekirk’s a nice wee venue.
Weblink here; http://www.dicksonmemorialhall.com/
It seats up to 120 people, has it’s own PA etc., plus Laurencekirk’s on the main Aberdeen – Dundee rail line for anyone wanting to travel in from further afield.
I’d happily help out with leafleting anywhere in the Mearns area or any other (low-skilled) tasks as required.
Cheers – John
Hi Rev Stu
Im events person for Yes Stonehaven and the Mearns. We are desperate to host a big public event and now have a good team in place to organise it. the church hall venue holds 250 seated and we have the minister’s permission to hold an indy ref meeting. A friend sent me a link to your March article above”. How can we team up? In fact all we are missing are confirmed speakers and a PA system both of which are achievable. We are up for trialling a special event like this with you .
Thanks
Tom