The Enid Blyton Society

It only seems to be forummers who query the lack of a Society Day. I ubderstand from Tony that he doesn't get many (if any) letters asking about this. We had one query on Facebook, as I remember.

I draw the conclusion that it is down to a band of 30 (?) of us who post about a Society Day. Whilst it is good to listen to speakers and browse bookstalls, I am under the impression that the main source of enjoyment is meeting one another and going for a picnic!

If there isn't to be an EBSD in 2014, maybe it would be worth considering booking a room in a pub (as an example, it could be a farmer's barn), with food laid on - and possibly a soap box at one end. We could arrange our own speakers, some examples here:

1030 Room open - Browse the boxes of books brought to the venue by guests
1100 Welcome from the organiser (the only organising is to book the venue)
1115 Fiona - grammar and punctuation
1145 Stef - Writing fanfic
1200 Stephen Isabirye - the inspiration for my book
1230 Repair to the bar for food and drink, we need it after the last speaker, who was dragged off
the soap box, kicking and screaming.
1400 Tony - Musings from the Society Organiser, with anecdotes from the email inbox (No way, José!)
1430 Anita - Why my head is full of Blyton facts
1500 Tea & Biscuits* (and final book browse)
1520 Open Forum
1540 Deej - Politics and Enid Blyton
1600 Closing speech
1610 Off to the Picnic (if wet, stay in the pub)
* Refreshments courtesy of RosieViv's Lashings of Grub

Whilst I have made the day's contents mildly amusing, I am sure you can get the gist. How about it?

I like the idea very much and as for some of the speakers.... . Going by the success of the Old Thatch get-together I guess this idea has a lot going for it.

Ooo very nice idea. Of course we could do that anyway... I'd be more than happy to try my hand at organising something.



In fact I might even get started on my fanfiction talk now!

Sounds great - except I can't bear to stand up and talk in front of people like that

Nigel that sounds good!
In addition to the previous comments may I just add;

Just a thought,'logistics' may stop Stephen from attending- and for me personally that would never do after all he's done to/for us!
Therefore ...

Stephen,re ENID BLYTON DAY 2014 may we come to you?....

Do you have a big couch?
Are you able to cook for large numbers in your kitchen?
Can you prepare Famous Five Anecdotage type food in the way Anita would like it served to us? (absolutely scrummy with no calories...)
Are you happy to sign large quantities of your book for us?
Can you show us the exact place the Anecdotage was conceived,promulgated and dispersed for the masses?
Can we touch your typewriter/word processing pc?
Can you cook steak just the way Francis likes it?
Can you arrange for Julie to meet her favourite Christian Author to pay him her personal respects!?
Can you guarantee to have medics on standby.(see above)
Can you arrange shipment of dozen cases of real ale /single malt for the ladies.(and also if Nigel and the men fancy the odd drink.)
Will you give Eddie his personal pedicure when required?
Will you make your special 'Anecdotage Cheesecake' for Yak & Moose? (two pieces)
Will you re enact sections of your Anecdotage for us at Viv's discretion?
Can you sign all republishing rights to the days events over to Stef & Fiona for worldwide distribution on their blog?
Will you inform Tony on the best way to dismantle a geriatric garden shed?
Can you let Poppy teach you English writing skills to bolster your already enviable word command?
Could Perce teach you to imitate a strong Scots burr and then ask you to order a pizza?
Could you help Katharine on the logistics of buying rare Enid Blyton books and then being able to find them in her own house!
Would you run through your anger management course with Daisy-nothing seem to get her gander up!!
Could you teach Aurélien to run on British Summertime without sleep so we can get our quiz answers sooner?
Could you ring Lucky Star's works and tell them that you are a very important author and he must have time off to attend?
Can you spot the difference between Nick and Nicko?
Can you sing 'Its not unusual' in a deep Welsh baritone with Wayne if the days proceedings start to flag?
Can you help Ming with international anecdotage debating skills?
Will you top Lenoir's glass up by observing when the tip of his nose is going white?
Will you help Deej run for Congress?

Stephen,these are weighty responsibilities, but we wouldn't ask you if we thought you couldn't do it.Reading your book has made everyone of us realise that in your esteemed eyes the sky is indeed not the limit!!

You forgot one thing Pete, Will he pay for us all to attend?

Or we could go to Ming!

Failing Stephen being able to accommodate us, we could set him up via videolink! He would have to be up all night of course!

Oh Pete - you had me in stitches! The programme sounded great, but your additional ideas make the occasion un-missable!

Some excellent suggestions here, although sadly I doubt I'd be able to attend any EB day that wasn't held in the UK. Pete, I only wish the books I keep misplacing were rare ones, I believe the majority of my collection would be described as 'reading copies'.

Just had to pick myself up off the floor! Looks as though Nigel and Pete on their own would be more than capable of keeping everyone entertained for the day!

Great ideas, Pete. Of course, we could always set up a Skype connection for Stephen Isabirye. We could even get Ming up "on stage" via Skype!

Tony - good edit!

Sounds like there's an excellent supply of entertainment lined up for 2014!! Great ideas Nigel and Pete!

Fabulous idea Nigel. I suspect that these types of smaller, cosier gatherings may be the furure of the EBS Day as the mass formal gatherings seem to be on the way out. Who knows, I might even be able to get the day off.

I know it's 12 months away, but if people really do want to meet up on an annual basis, maybe it's not too soon to provisionally think of a date? I know some people need to plan their holiday/leave quite a long way ahead.

I'd love to attend another day such as last year with outside guest speakers, and browse the stalls again, but if that's not possible, an informal get together would be a nice idea. Maybe we could chose places with an Enid connection, although maybe somewhere in the Bourne End area is easier for most people to get to.

You could always gather in Ipswich one year and we could gaze through the railings at what used to be the High School where Enid did her teacher training. Then perhaps we could visit Seckford Hall and cycle the 12 miles or so to Felixstowe to follow in her footsteps (or bicycle wheels).

Brilliant, Pete!

However, I'm at loss to understand why I am connected to a personal pedicure. Please explain!

Lucky Star wrote:I suspect that these types of smaller, cosier gatherings may be the furure of the EBS Day

Freudian slip, John?