From left: Ken, Ollie, Chris, Jonty, Grant, Scott and Pete
Saturday 28th March 2009 saw the Spa2Summiteers head to Birmingham's N.E.C. for the Ordnance Survey Outdoor Show. The objective was to spread awareness of our challenge, investigate potential supporters and gain insight from other fundraisers. Plus we're all enthusiastic for the outdoors so we had our own personal interests too.
Any businesses we felt might be useful were consulted and left with a press release and/or Macmillan leaflet. While we didn't expect any to leap immediately on our wonderful sponsorship opportunity, all said they'd visit our website and see what they could do.
Initially it was quite daunting to go up to an exhibitor's stand and talk to them about our product when they'd paid good money to be there selling us theirs but everyone (almost everyone - ask Pete) was very polite and enthusiastic.
We had also received our Berghaus base layers that Cotswold Outdoor had had embroidered with our logos so we all wore them to the event which helped spread the word even more.
A special mention must go to the exhibitors of Mapland Britain - a massive Ordnance Survey print of England and Wales that my brother would have spent weeks poring over if he'd seen it! Suzanne Hills and Chris Cromey very kindly allowed us to have photos taken on the map over the route we're taking in June. I believe Ken will be adding some photos later. A link to Mapland Britain's website will soon be added to the Spa2Summit website, take a look!
All members of the Spa2Summit team worked very hard drumming up support for our cause, I was particularly impressed with the effort that went in around the Bowmore Whisky stand. The lads seemed really keen to get them on board!
Of all the things I wanted to take home from the show, this map was top of the list. Of course I would have to put it in the fully-kitted Defender 90 with BOAB roof tent...
ReplyDelete