Further to our advert in October, we have still not found a group that is currently available to organise the 2019 ‘100’. We are aware that a couple of groups are considering the prospect of organising our flagship event, but that they are leaning towards 2020.

As a previous ‘100 organiser and now an NEC member with the responsibility of co-ordinating the ‘100’, I’d really like to reassure groups that there is a lot of support available to ensure that all plans to organise the event are undertaken smoothly. There is an archive of documentation to access that has been collated over recent years to guide new organisers, and this year in particular, I have commenced a standardising process which will hopefully take away any myths and fears.

For example, one of the biggest jobs on an organising ‘100’ committee is catering. To design a menu for over 600 people (marshals also need to be fed!), identify what food needs to be at the 15-17 checkpoints and then work out the quantities required is a hugely daunting process. Now, I do not take any credit for what has been created; I speak to people with vastly superior skills to me, but an interactive spreadsheet has been created for a future caterer. It already has a tried and tested menu on the spreadsheet for each checkpoint. The spreadsheet advises the user as to what needs to be bought and what the quantities will be. The interactive spreadsheet allows for price increases and so the total cost of the catering is worked out at the click of a button! But, the purpose of the catering spreadsheet is not to tell a caterer what to do. If a caterer wishes to design their own menu, then fine. What the spreadsheet is designed to do is save time and effort for those who don’t have that time. It is to make the organiser’s life easier not harder.

This is just one example of what is available.

I have role profiles of the key committee jobs for people to read so that people can see what would be expected of them.
I have standardised risk assessments, paperwork for entries secretaries, and lots more for most roles.
We have an Event Management System that is used to electronically monitor entrants as they pass through the checkpoints. It is very close to being rolled out to all groups for use. It has been used on the Red Rose 100 and trialled on Where Ravens Dare. It will be used on the Taith Torfaen and Rhondda Rollercoaster. All being well, in the summer of 2016 all groups can use this software for free.
Work is taking place to create a forum for future ‘100 websites. At the moment, organising groups create their own forums (fora?!) but in the future, this will be available and ready to use because of work that is being completed now.
The same can be said for future on-line shops. 90% of Valleys 100 merchandise went via the on-line shop. This was created by the South Wales group and was complicated, so in the future it is my aim to have this done centrally thus taking the pressure off the organising groups.

In addition, every organising committee has a NEC representative who has experience of being involved in the organisation of 100’s assigned to them. The purpose of this is to provide answers to questions that will arise, and to ensure that support can be provided from experienced people who could be co-opted onto the organising committee. Organising the flagship event should not mean that people are left to worry alone. It is our organisation’s flagship event, and we all pull together to ensure its success.

So, why tell you all of this?
Because I am coming to the conclusion that people think that organising the 100 takes a long time. It can do, but my previous experience as an organiser is that the event can be organised in as little as two years and comfortably in three. My group took four years and it was too long. Most of our key work was done in the last 18 months. With the assistance now available, three years is a realistic proposal to organise our flagship event.

So, I would urge all groups to think again when it comes to whether they are interested and willing to organise the 2019 ‘100’. If anybody wishes to discuss the prospect further, then please ring me and I will do my very best to answer any enquiries. It is my heartfelt desire to make the process of organising the ‘100’ as easy and comfortable as possible.

David Morgan
LDWA 100 Co-ordinator