There's no easy way of saying this so please forgive me for being blunt. As things stand, not enough people have signed-up for Continuum to make it a viable financial proposition for running the convention. We are in the position of assessing our options and one of those is cancellation completely if we do not secure enough numbers.
To date, we've had about 100 of you register. This is a good 30% down on previous conventions and, as the University of Leicester charges us on a minimum commitment of attendees, we are in the position of seeing a large gap between what we'll have in the bank and what we need to pay the con's bills.
I have today arranged a deal that will, I hope, allow the con to go ahead as planned. However it relies on numbers and, therefore, you. You make the con happen, make it what it is, and always make it a success. This is an appeal to that spirit. If you haven't yet signed-up, for whatever reason, we need you to register and pay by May 6th. The level of registration we get by this date will help us negotiate a suitable 'Go Ahead' deal with the university. Its essential that we know we can meet the minimum number the university has agreed to us having hence the urgency of this message and the need for registration.
I know that many of you often wait until the month before the convention before registering, and with very good reason for doing so. In previous years that's been fine because we've achieved our minimum number well ahead of schedule. This year, that isn't the case. By May 7th we have to decided if it will be possible to run the convention at all, and it all depends on committed sign-ups.
I also realise that many of you have been hit by the economic downturn and may therefore be unable to commit or are waiting until you're in a position to pay before doing so. We understand this: we're in that position too. If you want to come, intend to come but are having trouble finding the finances (and I know Continuum's not the cheapest con) then please contact me directly. We can talk!
You, like me, and the rest of the committee, look forward to our biannual celebration of gaming, friendship and socialising. We know times are tough. Perhaps we need that biannual celebration a bit more, now, more than ever.
Any questions, don't hesitate to ask.
But please - May 6th... a crucial date for Continuum.
Loz
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