Posted By paul cormack Attendance at Branch events in the North of Scotland have plateau'd in the past few years. The Executive would like to hear your suggestions to help foster renewed interest. Currently we hold monthly events on Wednesday evenings, and are considering afternoon or breakfast events in 2006. We introduced Saturday sessions for evolving topics this year with very encouraging interest. Suggestions? Email responses welcome. Paul Cormack, North of Scotand BEDA

Posted By Terry Reading A general observation. From my area in the North West. Sessions are better attended during work hours than out - especially if you lay on a buffet or something. Sad I know, but people seem more willing to turn up if it gets them out the office and they don't have to give up their precious free time. A less synical view would be that life/work balance is hard enough without giving up precious family time! Terry

Posted By Max Bancroft Hi Paul and others - we carried out a consultation of the membership recently in Edinburgh Branch to see if holding a couple of meetings a year in the early evening would be an attractive alternative. We got a couple of strong negatives and absolutely no positives. So we are sticking with our after lunch meetings. Of course, we do have our Forth & Tay District based at Perth and they hold their meetings in the evening so members who want an evening meeting do have an alternative. Given the geographical area NoS Branch covers and the distance between Aberdeen and Inverness where your Highland District meets then you may not have such an easy option. It may be as CPD looms larger members will make a bigger effort to attend.