A stunning museum in its own right, the venue provides excellent conference and catering resources for what we expect to be a stimulating AGM. The Centre is very close to the M40 and being so central we hope it will prove a popular choice. Our booking comes with 175 admission tickets for the museum, which might be an extra draw.

What happens at the AGM?
SBA Annual General Meetings are always enjoyable and often fascinating. As usual, at our 42nd:
Doors will open for us at 8.30. It is advisable to arrive and register well before the 10.30 formal start in order to ensure that items are entered for auction and our photo competition, stands are set up, you get time to greet friends and so on.
We will start formally at 10.30am with the usual auction of (mostly) useful steamboat related bits and pieces before breaking for lunch. Access to the conference room for vehicles is extremely good here and the venue is used to having substantial bits of machinery lying around! The afternoon will see the main AGM with its focus on matters of interest to steamboaters and the SBA itself. There will be something to engage everyone whether their interest is focused on the boats themselves or heritage, engineering or waterways matters. Some new officers will be elected and opportunity will be given for discussion of issues arising. The process of booking an informed speaker is in hand.
In the evening our (very slightly) formal dinner provides an enjoyable opportunity to meet with friends. This year the dinner is booked for 6.30pm – to enable departure at a reasonable hour. Gaydon has yet to finalise the menu but details will be included,plus options for those with special dietary needs, in the AGM pack.

What will it cost?
Coffee & tea (morning and afternoon) £ 6.00 (£ 6.40)
Buffet lunch £10.00 (£ 10.55)
Two Course evening dinner £18.50 (£ 19.35)
(The amount in parenthesies is the cost when paying online.) If you simply wish to come but not be fed and watered there is no charge.

What do I need to do?
Note the date in your diary!

• Decide what refreshments/meals you would like.
• Fill in the booking form enclosed with the December edition of ‘Funnel’  or download it here.   (The text of the invitation can be downloaded here.)   If you wish, you can register online via the SBA website and pay by Paypal – in which case you need look no further down this table of things to do!  Be aware that Paypal incurs charges payable by the SBA, thus there is a small increase in prices when booking online. If you apply online, you will not need to supply an A4 SAE for the AGM pack, all information will be emailed to you.
• Prepare a cheque to cover your booking fee and the cost of the refreshments/meals you select. We hope you’ll understand that we have to insist that meals be pre-ordered and paid for in advance.
• Prepare a stamped, self-addressed (A4 size) envelope and, immediately prior to the 9th March, we will send you an AGM  pack – to include full agenda, minutes of the 2012 AGM, your meal tickets etc.
• Post the whole shooting match – with that SAE – to the
• Chairman: Mark Rudall, 108 Prospect Road, FARNBOROUGH, GU14 8NS
• IF YOU CAN’T COME! All papers – agenda and so on – will be posted on the website for all members to access. If you are without internet access, simply send an SAE to Mark Rudall (as above) who will send you hard copies.

Email queries Mark Rudall or tel. (evenings) 01252 645486.

Hotel accommodation
We are aware that some might find it useful to stay in the area and our Hon Sec has conducted a little research re possible hotel accommodation.

• There is a wealth of accommodation available in the area, being so close to Stratford, including many B&Bs (average cost ca. £50 per night per person) and a range of hotels. We mention just two and your overnight bookings should be handled direct with them.
• Seven miles south of Gaydon the Premier Inn may represent the best allround value, with its associated Brewer’s Fayre restaurant. It offers some rooms very inexpensively, but just how inexpensively seems to relate to indeterminate factors which might include there being an ‘R’ in the month, or the enquirer having a beard. What is constant is that the earlier you book the cheaper it will certainly be. At the time of writing (mid Oct 2012) they were quoting £41 per double room.  Tel: 0871 527 8044 Web: www.premierinn.com
• If your pocket is a little deeper (and you particularly need a trouser press) The Warwick Hilton is 10 miles north of the AGM location where a room costs in the region of £95  Tel: 01926 499555 Web: www.hilton.com