Are you looking forward to a Wilf's veggie chilli?

[Jayne]

Passing this on:

Dear All,

We are letting our trusted and faithful costumers Know that Onosh will not be able to attended the JK this year and possibly the British Championships. You also need to be aware that Red Barron (Tom Burgers) our fellow caterers will not be at the JK also.

Why ? I hear you saying.

Because BOF has put someone in charge of the catering at the major events and they have decided that all businesses have to bid for a pitch through them and not contact each event for their price. Which is possible good in one sense but not for a small business which have to compete with large caterers that look for events to sell cheaply produced food with no thought gone into what the customer wants or needs because they don't understand the event.

Well this year you experience the delights of the burger trailer that attended Croeso in 2012. They are a company that cater large farmers shows and sell .... ?

Therefore all whom enjoy a good pasta dish, jackets, veggie chilly or a burger (or veggie) from likeminded people. We are very sorry.

The Onosh slogan is For orienteers by orienteers because we always asked the costumer what they wanted and tried to improve each event.

Please could you forward this email to any orienteer in your address list. I feel everyone needs to know.

Many Thanks

Jonathan Rhys (part of Onosh team)

[aiming off]

From the Major Events Partnership Agreement

"British Orienteering shall arrange for Orienteering and other equipment suppliers and Food traders. Check on local trading licenses. Provide trader/suppliers contract template and agree terms of trading.
Maintain list of traders and suppliers."

Or in other words totally destroy the goodwill built up at grass roots level with our regular suppliers. And they call it good governance!!!!

[aiming off]

Yes, and I mean "they" because sadly it doesn't feel like "us" any more.

[madmike]

not the right decision for me..............................

[Wendles]

Eating at Wilf's, O Nosh or enjoying a veggie taco from Podium Catering has always been a part of the social side of orienteering for us, particularly at the big events. We like that the food is made to a high standard and with the needs of orienteers in mind. If this bonkers decision excludes such businesses from attending our high status events then we will be packing our own food in future.

[MIE]

And yet another reason not to sign the partnership agreement !!

[Electrocuted]

This is ridiculous. Onosh has delicious food and it's pretty healthy too when you're trying to feed a young child who I will not be buying a burger for. Packed lunches for us at the JK I think.

[Tatty]

Who made this decision? It has not been in force before. what were the reasons for making it. I feel we will lose a lot of goodwill and decent food. Something needs to be done. One of those concerned has booked and paid for somewhere to stay at the JK and so has lost a lot of money. most unprofessional of BOF. Even more so as it seems to have been done on the quiet without consulting the clubs or traders concerned.

[Wayward-O]

I can't decide who is more out of touch with their grass roots, BOF or the current government.

[AndyC]

When I went to the BOF Roadshow a few years ago Mike Hamilton commented on the unusual nature of Orienteering in how much of the work putting on the sport is done at grass roots level. NGB's want to control their sport and be as involved as possible, the only events BOF can control are the JK and BOC and one of the things they can do (and as full time professionals should in theory do well) is central contracts.
Does that not explain this thread?

[SJC]

the only events BOF can control are the JK and BOC and one of the things they can do (and as full time professionals should in theory do well) is central contracts.

This is BOF looking to maximise its revenue from these events rather than doing what would be considered as acting in the best interest of the membership. (Although they might argue that having enough money to run the federation is more important than supporting small commercial caterers).

[MIE]

the only events BOF can control are the JK and BOC and one of the things they can do (and as full time professionals should in theory do well) is central contracts.

This is BOF looking to maximise its revenue from these events rather than doing what would be considered as acting in the best interest of the membership. (Although they might argue that having enough money to run the federation is more important than supporting small commercial caterers).

But if the net outcome is that no one visits the food traders at the events then they
(the food traders) will not want to pay BOF for the business. The final result
will be no food traders at JK and/or BOC and BOF will (once again) have
shot themselves in the foot.

[PhilJ]

As someone involved in croeso 2012 we were only to happy to have the food traders at the festival and were concerned that we did not enough which was why we had an extra trader, as mentioned. Interestingly enough this new trader was surprised that they did not have to pay for a pitch as that is the norm at outdoor events, 'O' obviously being an exception. At the end of the week in lieu of a pitch fee they voluntarily made a good donation to the welsh junior squad. So I see this as BO bringing in some standard commercial contracts to the sport, but in my opinion I do not agree with it mimicking what others have already said. It looks like a money making exercise for BO rather than providing what "we" have always had.

We have only discussed food traders here but I would expect this contract to apply to compasspoint and ultrasport, which will hit the average O'er harder in the pocket, if rick and Ian have to pay for a pitch then they will want to recoup that outlay and the only way to do that is to increase prices on the kit they sell or not turn up. Can you imagine no O trader at a major event...it may well be the case if BO put the contract price to high. There are plenty of food traders around that would come to major events, but the choice of O traders are few.

[andy]

I actually think that in there somewhere is a very good idea, but very very badly executed. Having things like this managed centrally will increase continuity/professionalism and make orienteering look better to non-orienteers. However good idea it might be/have been, BOF need to recognise the amazing effort the caterers put in. A lot of them are orienteers and are very passionate about what they do, so why didn't they work with those caterers to come to a solution that was best for everyone?

Interestingly enough this new trader was surprised that they did not have to pay for a pitch as that is the norm at outdoor events, 'O' obviously being an exception.

I think S6D charges for pitches, or at least has done in the past.

[Tatty]

Many events do have to charge for caterers as the FC insist upon this as do some landowners. Certainly both Ultrasport and Red Barron are used to this. What bugs me especially is the way it has been done. Nobody seems to know why this has been put in place. Will it only apply to BOC events and the JK? Got the impression that the Lakes 5 day was applying the same criteria.