Signy Island - Base H
75th Anniversary Reunion March 2022

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 THE SIGNY 75TH ANNIVERSARY REUNION NEEDS YOUR SUPPORT !!
(SOONER RATHER THAN LATER)

Organising a reunion involves placing a deposit (which in my case was non-refundable) and risking other financial penalties if one cancels the event with various periods of notice.  Ordinarily this would not be too much of a problem as I would have arranged 'cancellation insurance cover', but this is impossible to obtain in these COVID times and so up to £4,000 of family savings are at risk if I have to cancel the event at a late date due to lack of interest.

I'm therefore urging people to complete a booking form & send payment as soon as possible if they intend to come to Birmingham on the weekend of 19th March 2022 for this very special anniversary.

The amount I stand to lose increases steeply if I have to cancel later than mid-September, so if there are fewer than 30 confirmed & paid attendees by midnight on Tuesday 31st August 2021 I will regretfully have no option but to cut my (& my wife's) losses and cancel the booking I have made for this event.

 If I do end up having to cancel, all those who pay monies in the next 2 months will have this refunded in full.

If there are enough early bookings made to ensure the event is able to go ahead next March, bookings will continue, and can be amended, up until the 1st January 2022.

SIGNY (BASE H) 75TH ANNIVERSARY REUNION WEEKEND
BIRMINGHAM  17th - 20th MARCH 2022
FINAL DETAILS AND BOOKING FORM

Venue: Edgbaston Park Hotel and Conference Centre, 53 Edgbaston Park Road, Birmingham B15 2RS

With the success of the vaccine roll-out and the likelihood of an autumn booster, the prospects for getting together safely in March 2022 seem very good, but because of the impossibility of getting cancellation insurance early bookings are especially important this year.

The Edgbaston Park Hotel and Conference Centre is part of the University of Birmingham Group and opened on 1st September 2018.   Birmingham University is one of the world's top 100 educational institutions and has always been a pioneer.  Founded in 1900, it was the UK's first civic university, welcoming students regardless of their social or religious background.  In the 1960's it was home to several sections of the British Antarctic Survey, including Geology under Dr Ray Adie, Botany under Dr Stanley Greene plus the Geophysics unit.  Virtual tours can be had at https://www.edgbastonparkhotel.com/virtual-tours         Hotel reception telephone   0121 414 8888

Accommodation:    All accommodation is to be booked by members themselves.    Do not forget to quote 75THAR to get a 15% discount on the best available Flexible B&B rate if you choose Edgbaston Park Hotel.
The Reunion will run from Thursday evening through to Sunday morning, although it is appreciated some may not be able to arrive until the Friday evening or Saturday.   However, you will be spoilt for choice for things to see and do in the city and university so why not make a long weekend of it!

Proposed Programme:

It is hoped that people will bring Signy artifacts etc  for display in the meeting room during the weekend.
Thursday 17th:   Meet & greet in the bar area from 6pm onwards.   The 17th March 2022 is exactly 75 years from the day when  G de Q  Robin, J.H. Anderson, P.E. Biggs & W.H.Roberts 'officially' arrived at Signy as its first base members in Trepassey.   During the evening of it maybe possible to have a Zoom link up with 21st Century Signy as preparation for a hopefully longer connection on the Saturday evening prior to the dinner.   Preliminary enquiries with BAS have said this should be possible and, hopefully, technical expertise & communication satellites will enable the link to be established.  The bar should be open to around midnight.

Friday 18th:   7.45 - 9.00 am Breakfast in the 1900 Steakhouse Bar & Grill.
9.00am onwards  Guests are then free to visit some of Birmingham's many places of cultural or historic interest or take a 4 mile 'Heritage' walk to 'The Black Eagle' in Handsworth - a great pub for a lunch stop.  The walk is fairly flat following the historic Old & New 'Main Line' canals from Smethwick Galton Bridge station which is reached by train from the University station across the campus from the hotel.
The pub is close to Soho House, the home of pioneer industrialist Matthew Boulton, where the famous 18th C Lunar Society met to discuss & demonstrate scientific and engineering discoveries over a meal.   This could be visited in the afternoon, or folk could head back to Edgbaston or on to other City Centre attractions.      Full details of these attractions will be provided to attendees.
Evening:    There will be an opportunity for a limited number to take taxis to 'The Barton Arms' which is on CAMRA's 'Heritage Pubs of the Midlands' list, having 'one of the most beautiful pub interiors in the country'.   Hopefully there will be the possibility of a guided 'Tour of the Tiles' before a Thai meal washed down with Oakham Ales.  The full 'Taste & Tour' package cost £19.95 in early 2020.
Alternatively guests can eat, drink & chat at the Edgbaston Park Hotel or nearby student eateries in Selly Oak.

Saturday 19th:   7.45 am - 9.00 am:  Breakfast in the 1900 Steakhouse Bar & Grill.
9.00 am - 9.30 am Registration and collection of badges / goodies bag (if not already completed).
9.30 am - 4.15pm: Talks & slide presentations by volunteers with breaks for Coffee, tea & biscuits (11.00 am), Lunch, sandwiches & chips (1.00 pm) and Coffee, tea & biscuits (4.15 pm) included.
4.30 - 5.30pm:   A 'Signy Reunion 1st': hopefully a Live Link-up via Zoom with the Fids coming to the end of the 21/22 summer season at the modern Base H and a chance to ask questions.
5.30 pm:      Move out to allow tables to be set for the meal.   Pose for Reunion & other group photos / Bar etc.
7.30 pm:  Reunion Dinner (smart casual) in the Fry Room (which can seat up to180) continued at the Bar until 12pm.

Sunday 20th:     After breakfast guests are free to mingle or maybe visit interesting sites on campus:- Winterbourne House & Garden, Barber Institute of Fine Arts, Lapworth Museum of Geology & maybe Medical School Museum.

Please copy / complete this form & return to John Edwards at the address below or send via email to jaejed@hotmail.com by Tuesday 31 August 2021 if you want to ensure the event goes ahead as planned

Any queries please text 07837 198355.

Name (Please Print): ______________________________________________Title__________________

E-mail _______________________________________

Address_______________________________________________________________

Post Code_________________   Telephone /Mobile __________________

Service with BAS/FIDS:-

Signy Winters / Summers / Ship / HQ etc _________________________________________________

Post(s)__________________________________________         Years____________

Full name(s) of any guest(s) _______________________________________________________

I / we anticipate attending    Thursday evening     Friday     Saturday   Sunday morning  (Please mark as appropriate)

Number of people anticipating coming on the Friday walk __________

Number of people who would like to visit & dine at The Barton Arms on Friday night if places are still available._____

Please indicate your choices of starter, main & dessert:-

Cost / person (Saturday Reunion programme, Lunch, 3-course Dinner, Magazine & 'goodies') - £90.00
Cost per person as above but including cheese, biscuits and port - £99.95

Some individuals may just want to come for the Saturday Evening Dinner to meet and chat to people.  In this case the cost per person would be £40 or £50 depending on whether cheese, biscuits & port were required.

Most Important !    Any special dietary requirements:

________________________________________________________

Payment:     I am paying a total of  £______________             by:          Cheque           BACS          Please indicate

If you are paying  by cheque, please make this out to  J.A.Edwards (Signy75) and send it with this form to:

 John Edwards, 157 Welford Road, Shirley, SOLIHULL, West Midlands  B90 3HT

If you are paying by BACS transfer please make this to John Arthur Edwards (Nationwide Flex Direct) Account  2892 1917  Sort code  07-04-36     Make sure you quote your name as your pay-in reference please.   If paying by BACS please effect the transfer before sending your application.

All applications will be acknowledged by email or phone.

If you have not heard from me within 2 weeks of sending your application please contact me.  Emails & postal items do sometimes go astray.

John Edwards