EUCO 2008 London

Greetings from the Globetrotter!

The EUCO 2008 crew moved onsite at 11am yesterday and have been busy preparing for your arrival into London. Yesterday we unpacked a van full of equipment and supplies, set up our Event Office in the Boardroom at the Globetrotter, and put together over 900 delegate pouches (these are the pouches you receive when you check in and contain your badge, the personalised information for your tour and sightseeing choices; your Oyster Card; drinks vouchers for Friday night and more…).

Today, the crew along with early arrival volunteers will be assembling the delegate “goody” bags. All the cool stuff you get on checking in. I’d tell you what’s inside… but it’s a secret!

After some pizza and a session in the -cheap- Globetrotter Bar (I recommend the Apple Sours and Lemonade!) we all settled down for the night in the Globetrotter’s comfortable beds.

The website is keeping nice and busy… unfortunately it’s now too late to request any changes to sightseeing, accommodation or anything else - this info has now already been submitted to our suppliers and badges and documentation has been printed and collated. It’s great to see that already 15 people have printed their E-Ticket today (and it’s only 07:30)! Remember - it really speeds things up and makes it easier for everyone if you arrive prepared- with your E-Ticket and PhotoID.

The EUCO Host Organising Committee (or “Crew” as our shirts say on the back) met for the final time, before EUCO starts, today in Maidenhead.

We worked through every aspect of EUCO 2008 and confirmed that all arrangements are running to plan. Much of the preparatory work is complete. We also ran through the plans for the arrival of the crew onsite at the EUCO 2008 HQ - the Globetrotter Inn. Our team will be in place at Globetrotter Inn from 11am on Monday 28th April to establish our office and store the equipment and supplies needed to operate EUCO. We will be preparing delegate check-in packs on Monday (enabling a swift and easy checkin for delegates that have their E-Ticket printed out) and Tuesday will see the production line to assemble the delegate “goody” bags. If you are arriving in London before 30th April - contact us to find out how you can join in and help with the delegate bags.

The meeting finished earlier than expected - as we moved through all the action point items and we are on, or ahead, of schedule in all areas.

Today has been a busy day on the website and for the EUCO team… now that registration has closed a lot of people have suddenly woken up and we’ve had a bunch of enquiries asking for information, special treatment and all sorts of requests. You only need to ask a question once on the website - all enquries go into a queue and all members of the team can see all of them and answer them as soon as is practical.

Remember - there’s lots of useful info on the EUCO 2008 website, especially in the FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) pages and also here on our blog.

Hi All,

Well it only seemed like yesterday when I was with Lisa and the team in Bursa Turkey for the REM Meeting in January 2007 and now we have 14 Days 9 Hours to go till the start of EUCO 2008 LONDON.

I’m Martin Coates, EUCO Conference Crew Member and I will be based at The Globetrotter Inn and I have been a Rotaractor for nearly two years…I was there at the Council Meeting in 2006 when the Bid was suggested for EUCO 2008 LONDON and have seen EUCO 2008 LONDON go from strength to strength.

This is the biggest Rotaract Event I have been involved in and I cannot wait for the challenge of EUCO 2008 LONDON

My role will be helping out wherever I can during the week so please do come and say hello..However my main role will be Transport Manager making sure you all get to your hostels after the Gala Ball at The Novotel.

And why is my name Aston Martin Martin…all will be revealed at EUCO 2008 LONDON

See you all there.

Best Wishes

Martin.

Hi everyone, my name is Lisa Burnett and I’m the EUCO 2008 Co-ordinator, or “she who must be obeyed” as my crew like to call me!!

I guess everyone can thank/blame me for bringing you all to London as it was my idea to put a bid in to host EUCO 2008.  I carried out all the initial research to ensure that the UK was able to host so many Rotaractors from all over Europe and not break the bank!

After the initial research and agreement from RGBI to put a bid in I worked hard to prepare our presentation for REM Bursa in January 2006…now that really does feel like a long time ago!

We were so pleased when our bid was accepted by ERIC/Rotaract Europe and we’ve not looked back since.

Over the last 14 months I have been busy liaising with the hostels, sorting out transport, finding the venue for the Gala Ball, working with the London Eye, sorting out the conference venue, seeking sponsorship and generally just managing the whole EUCO process!

It has been hard work but great fun and I, and the crew, have learnt so much.  So thank you to ERIC/Rotaract Europe for giving us this opportunity and thank you to each of you for coming.

Finally, I’d like to say a massive thank you to my crew – I couldn’t have got this far without you!

I look forward to welcoming you all to London in 14 days and 23 hours time!!

Hello everyone,

My name is Keith Pickles, EUCO conference crew member helping with Publicity and where ever I can. I will be the main crew member based at Holland House over the event and am looking forward to meeting everyone!

I have seen EUCO 2008 London go from an idea at the RGBI (Rotaract in Great Britain and Ireland) council meeting in August 2006 through to Bid and beyond. A what a journey it has been! The highlight for me (so far) was when we hit 40 countries for the 40th Anniversary of Rotaract!

I am responsible for the Theatreland tour and hope those of you going on it enjoy

I have been in Rotaract for over 3 years now and am in line to be the next RGBI Chairman, I look forward to the chnace to network with so many Rotaractors. I work for a UK based Building Society, the largest in the world and am keen to compare working practices with fellow financial institution workers

If you see me say hello and I hope you all enjoy your time in London, as Tigger the Tiger (from Winnie the Pooh) says, t.t.f.n. (ta ta for now) tanks, Keef