The London Appreciation Society [Founded in 1932 by Dr H.L. Bryant Peers] BM London Appreciation Society, London WC1N 3XX Website: www.las.org.uk x x x x * y y y y The Society is a secular, non-political and non profit-making organization for adults interested in the past, present and future of London x x x x * y y y y President: The Rt. Hon. The Viscount Norwich, CVO Vice Presidents Colonel George Cauchi CBE Roger Cline Valerie Colin-Russ The Ven. Peter Delaney Gerald R. Charles Dickens Committee Chairman: Christopher Claxton Stevens Deputy Chairman: John Mann Secretary: John Mann Registrar: Clive Page Treasurer: John Tritton Assistant Treasurer: Mary Moore Shelagh Blackham MBE Don Buchanan Marion Carr Arthur Fordham Patricia Howard Anne Oxenham MBE Officers Membership Secretary: Christine Bevan Committee Secretary: Roger Cline Honorary Life Members John Barrett Roger Cline Valerie Colin-Russ Daphne Hart 1 Programme Organisers Shelagh Blackham Marion Carr Arthur Fordham Julia Foyle [IT support] James Nadarajah Anne Oxenham Tour Leaders John Ackroyd Julie Crouch Rhoda Lewis Jacqueline Anda John Dodwell John Mann Rosemary Bolingbroke Geoff Donald Mary Moore Ronald Chave Paul Dye Pamela Mundy Christopher Claxton Stevens Keith and Mary Evans Chris Redfern Roger Cline Pat Howard [Co-ordinator] Hilary Taylor Valerie Colin Russ Mike Lever John Tritton Contacts If you have a query, please contact the relevant Officer by email or letter (enclosing a stamped, addressed envelope if you need a reply). Printing services or non-receipt of Blue Book Colin Watson, 22 Leonard Avenue, Morden, SM4 6DW Email: [email protected] Non-receipt of booking confirmation Clive Page, 1 Durler Gardens, Luton LU1 3TA Email: [email protected] To cancel an asterisked event Les Spicer, 18 Grosvenor Gardens, Upminster, RM14 1DJ Telephone: 01708 229 029 *Brief messages only between 9 am and 6 pm on weekdays.* To join the Phoneswap scheme for non-asterisked events Brian Woollatt, 1 Aberdare Close, West Wickham, BR4 9LP Email: [email protected] General Enquiries and Information Don Buchanan John Tritton Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] Membership enquiries or change of postal or email address Christine Bevan, 52 Greenwich Park Street, Greenwich, London SE10 9LT Email: [email protected] Suggestions for future events: also AGM matters The Secretary at BM London Appreciation Society, London, WC1N 3XX Email: [email protected] Matters for Committee Agenda The Committee Secretary at BM London Appreciation Society, London, WC1N 3XX Email: [email protected] 2 Essential Information about LAS Membership Subscriptions: The annual subscription of £10 must be paid by the preceding 31 December at the same time as you book for events in January, February and March. Please do not try to renew your membership at any other time. Email addresses: Please notify changes of email addresses to the Membership Secretary. Annual Programme: Cancelled Events Full details of the Society’s Programme are published twice a year in the Blue Book. LAS will do all it can to adhere to the advertised programme but neither the Society nor its officers can be held responsible for alterations or cancellations. Events will not be cancelled because of transport strikes. If for this or any other reason the hosts cancel an event the Society will try to re-arrange it later. If an event is cancelled members will be automatically credited with the full amount against the cost of their next bookings. Booking Arrangements. The regular way of requesting bookings for events is now to do so on-line: simply start at our web-site, www.las.org.uk , and follow the obvious links. If you book on-line you must also agree to pay by direct-debit. If you have set one up already this will still be active; those new to on-line booking will be prompted to set up a direct-debit in favour of the LAS when they book events. Nearly three-quarters of those booking in the last two sessions did so using the on-line booking form and there were very few problems. Those unable to book on-line will be able to get paper booking forms as before. Put your own name and address on the slip enclosed with the Blue Book and send it to Deirdre Craen of 24 Dora Road, London SW19 7HH . She will post you two booking forms and the subscription renewal form. There will be a £2 handling charge added to the cost of events booked on postal forms. Both on-line and printed forms will note that the annual subscription of £10 per member is due by the end of December and should be paid by those booking events as part of the booking procedure. Booking requests may be made individually or by any two members whether they have the same address or not. If they both request the same event either both will be successful or neither, and they may pay separately or together. If members who book jointly online both have valid direct debits registered the bill will be divided between them appropriately. You may request places for guests when the Blue Book says the capacity allows for guests, but applications for guests will not be successful if an event is fully booked by members . Shortly after the booking deadline the Registrar will merge booking requests made on- line with those made on paper and run the usual booking allocation program. The intention is that booking confirmations for on-line requests will be returned by email within a few days; those which have to be posted may take a day or two longer. Whenever tickets are need for an event such as a concert the Tour Leader will hand them out on the day at the designated meeting place. 3 Asterisked Events Some events are asterisked, either because the venue requires full payment in advance or because numbers are limited. If you have booked one of these events and then find you cannot attend you must telephone Les Spicer [see page 2] as soon as you realize you will not be able to attend. He will then try to find a replacement from the waiting list. The replacement member should: [1] send Les Spicer a cheque payable to LAS for the full cost of the event, and [2] on arrival at the event tell the Tour Leader the name of the absent member whom he/she is replacing Refunds when you cancel an asterisked event The Registrar may authorize a refund if you withdraw from an asterisked event at least two weeks before the event, or if a replacement is found. If you wish to claim a refund please give full details on your next booking form. Phoneswap If you are unable to attend a non-asterisked event for which you have booked, you may be able to find someone to take your place if you have joined our Phoneswap scheme. To join this scheme you must send your name, telephone number and email address to Brian Woollatt [see page 2] together with a sae if you are not on email. He will then send you a list of other Phoneswap members’ telephones and/or emails. LAS will not refund your fee, but the member who replaces you may do so. Dietary Requirements When you book an event which includes a meal for which we have to pre-book we will send you details of any choices available. Insurance against Injury or Loss LAS tries to ensure that all the venues we visit and the guides we use are fully insured, and LAS also has its own Public Liability Insurance. But the Society and its officers cannot be held responsible for death or injury to members or loss or damage to property at any time or however caused. Data Protection Act The membership list is held on computer for use within the Society only. If you join a subgroup such as a committee or the Phoneswap scheme your details may be circulated to other members of that group unless you have notified the Membership Secretary in advance that you are not willing for this to happen. 4 Attending Events • The Blue Book is prepared some months before events take place so it is in your interest to check the details, of travel arrangements especially, before you set out. For National Rail: telephone 03457 484950, email www.nationalrail.co.uk ; for Transport for London: telephone 03432 221234, email www.tfl.gov.uk. • Unless the Blue Book mentions car parking explicitly, assume there is none. • Please give your name to the Tour Leader when you arrive at the meeting place. • Always meet, please, at the designated meeting place and not at the venue if this is different. If some members go directly to the venue this may cause problems for the Tour Leader who is expecting to assemble the complete group at the meeting place before proceeding to the venue. • Please have your Booking Confirmation Form with you. It may be needed. • Please try not to arrive more than 30 minutes before the advertised time. • Some of the places we visit still have a formal dress code. Others have high expectations of their members and staff. Please dress appropriately for each occasion. 5 Diary Dates – Reminder Book on-line (or use the white form) for events in January to March 2018 Events covered 1 to 46 To be included in the initial allocation of event the Registrar must receive your booking and subscription renewal applications by midnight on Saturday 2nd December 2017 The last date for renewing your subscription if you have not applied for 2018 events is Sunday 31 st December 2017 Book on-line (or use the green form) for events in April to July 2018 Events covered 49 to 113 To be included in the initial allocation of events the Registrar must receive your application by midnight on Saturday 17 th February 2018 Registrar: Clive Page, 1 Durler Gardens, Luton LU1 3TA Email: [email protected] Website: www.las.org.uk 6 Events for the first seven months of 2018 Monday 8 January 1.