Embassy AGM and gathering - Newcastle

Venue: Commercial Union House, 4th Floor, 39-47 Pilgrim Street, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 6QE See map

We're inviting all Embassy members who can to come and help us shape the Embassy's future. This will not be a traditional AGM - we'll get the administrative stuff out of the way as quickly as possible - but a weekend of both cycling and plotting, with a chance for a bit of a bike-based pub crawl thrown in. Whether you've been at the heart of the Embassy since its inception, or if you've just signed up and have been looking to get more involved, now is your chance. Please join us and help us set our course for the future.

The weekend will be hosted by New Cycling, who have organised couple of infrastructure safaris as well as undoubtedly a bike-based pub crawl in the Toon. The weekend coincides with Newcastle's Green Festival, a free celebration of all things green (including, we're promised, organic beer)

If you're planning on coming, let us know via the Lanyrd page for the event

Accommodation

A few people may be able to stay with members of New Cycling, please contact us for details. There is also reasonable city centre accommodation available at the Newcastle Travelodge and the Holiday Inn Express. You can find B&Bs and other options here or you can try AirBnB for more informal accommodation.

Schedule

Saturday 1st June

• 11:00 am - 1:00 pm - first infrastructure safari. Meet at Newcastle Central Station entrance (look for the stylish Dutch bikes and/or flock of Bromptons) - map of route
• 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm - lunch and informal discussion
• 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm - looking back: what we've done, what's worked, what hasn't; looking forward and what we should do next.
• 4:00 pm - 4:30 pm - break
• 4:30 pm - 5:00 pm - formal business (accounts, election of board)
• 5:30 pm - end - informal ride/pub crawl

Sunday 2nd June

• 10:00 am - 12:00 pm - second discussion session and breakout sessions for those interested in forming working parties (e.g. 3D modelling, book, website).
• 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm - continuing breakout sessions. David Arditti will also give a presentation on his recent visit to Copenhagen
• 1:00 pm  - 4:00 pm - lunch combined with final infrastructure safari. Starting from the venue

Forum discussion

In order to gather the widest possible views before the AGM, especially for those who can't make it on the day, we've started a number of forum topics relating to the matters we'll discuss, which can be found as follows (you will need to have logged into the site to see these pages). There's already a bit of debate going on, so please have a look and chip in

• For the AGM: what (in your opinion) has the Embassy achieved (if anything)
• For the AGM: what hasn't worked?
• For the AGM: how can we engage people better?
• For the AGM: what should we do now?