A bit of a misleading title that really, its not politics I'm making a bid for, rather its the organisation responsible for the running of the fairground industry in the U.K. The Showmen's Guild of Great Britain and Northern Ireland to give it its full title, (or the Guild as it is more commonly known), is the union responsible for the running and good order of any fairground related business in the U.K.
Well technically there are a number of other smaller independant organisations, but the majority of professional showmen belong to the guild. The Guild is organised into 10 regional assemblys representing different parts of the U.K., all of us are members of a regional assembly, I belong to the Northern Section which on paper covers North Yorkshire upto the borders of Scotland. Above this is Central Office which is staffed by a full time secratary and office staff. They oversee the running of the entire organisation and provide a contact point for government departments etc.
The individual sections are responsible for the running of their own areas. They provide a support service whenever a member has a dispute with a local authority, and they are also responsible for administering the rules and regulations of the Guild. Each member has a thick book of what he/she is allowed to do during the course of running their business. If whatever they do affects another member and is against Guild rules, the affected member can lodge a complaint with the section. This is then heard by the section committee, (a group elected by the general members of that section to serve 12 months administering the section) who can levy quite substantial fines on the wrondoer. Just like in a court of law, this decision is subject to the right of appeal at a higher 'court' ie an appeals committee made up of members elected from all 10 sections, and finally to a tribuneral, which consists of 2 past presidents of the Guild and a barrister.
What I have done, along with Arthur is allow my name to be put forward for the annual ballot of members for inclusion upon this committee. The general meeting is coming up soon and we will just have to see if I can garner enough votes to make the cut.
Add to Onlywire
Well technically there are a number of other smaller independant organisations, but the majority of professional showmen belong to the guild. The Guild is organised into 10 regional assemblys representing different parts of the U.K., all of us are members of a regional assembly, I belong to the Northern Section which on paper covers North Yorkshire upto the borders of Scotland. Above this is Central Office which is staffed by a full time secratary and office staff. They oversee the running of the entire organisation and provide a contact point for government departments etc.
The individual sections are responsible for the running of their own areas. They provide a support service whenever a member has a dispute with a local authority, and they are also responsible for administering the rules and regulations of the Guild. Each member has a thick book of what he/she is allowed to do during the course of running their business. If whatever they do affects another member and is against Guild rules, the affected member can lodge a complaint with the section. This is then heard by the section committee, (a group elected by the general members of that section to serve 12 months administering the section) who can levy quite substantial fines on the wrondoer. Just like in a court of law, this decision is subject to the right of appeal at a higher 'court' ie an appeals committee made up of members elected from all 10 sections, and finally to a tribuneral, which consists of 2 past presidents of the Guild and a barrister.
What I have done, along with Arthur is allow my name to be put forward for the annual ballot of members for inclusion upon this committee. The general meeting is coming up soon and we will just have to see if I can garner enough votes to make the cut.