The week really started with Les Berridge and myself setting up the display of entries to the NZ Sign and Display Awards in the foyer of the very upmarket Christchurch Convention Centre with a big assist from the good people at Peek Display Corporation in Christchurch.  We had to duck back to the Noahs Christchurch Hotel for the last Canterbury Branch conference committee meeting and that enabled us to gain the assistance of a few volunteers to finish off the display which ended up as 70 panels, many of them double sided, featuring six entries per panel on average. Day two saw us heavily involved in the executive committee meeting for the entire day (full report with your AGM minutes included with this newsletter). Emerging sometime after 5.00pm just in time to see trade display exhibitors putting the finishing touches to the fifteen sites scattered around the first floor of the hotel. Next up was the registration evening sponsored by Signwriters Supplies and it was a case of renewing old friendships, making new acquaintances or just putting faces to names while starting to max-out the Visa card at the house bar before people started drifting off in groups for an evening meal. Thursday morning got off to a bright start with the President’s Breakfast at which Chris Fuller of De Neefe Signing Systems was presented, for the second year running, with the David St. J Hill Memorial Trophy for the Best Overall Performing Company in the University of Waikato, Management Resource Centre’s Business Comparison Survey. President Noel Morrison provided some housekeeping notes for the days (and nights) that were to follow before breaking for attempt number one at the conference photo in the stairwell between the ground and first floors of Noahs. It seems there were just too many of us to fit in the confines of the stairwell and the camera lens although we certainly had fun trying! Next up was the AGM and time to get serious. Without going into detail, it was a good meeting with some positive outcomes for the future, and what’s more this was all conducted within a very tight timeframe. Lunch was served up in amongst the trade displays which provided good opportunity to catch up with not only regular supporters of the NZSDA but one or two new ones also, then it was off to a very hastily convened Employers Association meeting and our keynote speaker, personal trainer and health guru, Lee Parore. Lee’s presentation centred on what’s good for the body is also good for the mind is also good for life is also good for love is also good for business is also good for etc., etc. And what a hoot this turned out to be.  You just had to see the faces on the Japanese tourists walking along the street opposite Noahs Hotel to appreciate just what Lee Parore had us doing. Of course there’s also the photos I took! It was all about getting the heart rate pumped up and some adrenaline coursing through the veins while the lungs got a decent work out too. Good fun! Afternoon tea was held amongst the trade displays before we headed off to another room to hear all about the Internet, courtesy of Chris Lee from Media Solutions, and some of the wondrous things that can be done with it. It was surprising to note that many in the room either had their own web sites or were connected to the Internet for e-mail. Shortly after 5pm people left the Internet seminar to prepare for the evening activities the first of which was attempt number two at the conference group photo, this time in the foyer of the hotel. After approximately half an hour the photo was taken to everybody’s relief and the main part of the evening could get under way, namely touring the central city in old trams while quaffing bubbly, sinking cool brown ones or juicing up on o.j. while getting stuck into canapés. After a couple of laps and some distinctly anti-Auckland commentary (what does Auckland stand for? Another Underground Cable Knackered Leaving All Northerners Downcast or something very similar), it was back to the trade display for cocktails. Cocktails turned into a very long evening with plenty of hot food and liquid refreshment being served until quite a late hour. Friday started with Lee Parore again, this time talking about things that can stress the body like posture, food, drinks, lack of exercise, etc., etc. Again everyone felt that they gained something positive from his two sessions and his number one rule - everyone must participate. Whether it was deep breathing exercises or Jazz-a-cise to Michael Jackson’s Blame It On The Boogie. Good one Lee. Morning tea was once again taken in amongst the trade displays and this was followed by Andrew Trevelyan of Harrison Grierson Consultants taking delegates through the model sign code and answering specific questions as to intent and the process that council’s adopt in changing by-laws and district plans. Those present were asked to remain alert to notified changes of both by-laws and district plans and to advise the secretary of any notices gazetted. Shortly after noon, two Typecut Tours buses began to load up for a trip out to the magnificent Wigram Airforce Base Museum and lunch.  Before getting on the bus, delegates were asked to write their name on one of the Typecut logos stuck to the side of the buses for a lucky prize draw later in the day. A hearty lunch was followed by two hours or more of museum viewing, this even took in the hangars where old planes were being restored, an area not normally open to the public. After this it was back on the road again, this time heading for Larcomb’s Vineyard South of Christchurch. Some chose to sit quietly in the corner drinking copious amounts of water to combat the left over dry horrors of the night before while others readily embraced the concept of tasting more wines. Bright sunshine, a very comfortable bar and garden area and a purpose built petanque pitch made for a pleasant afternoon. On boarding the bus at 5pm everyone was asked to peel off their signed sticker from the side of the bus to reveal what they had won on the reverse side of the removable vinyl. No one went away empty handed and all were appreciative of their prizes. Back at the hotel, some were making plans for the free night while Peter Clarkson, Noel Morrison and crew oversaw the optional trip to Addington Raceway for the Friday night trots complete with dinner. Saturday dawn-ed a little overcast and after break-fast delegates had a choice of two options. One was Jeff’s Tip Time with Jeff Harvey while the other was a trip out to Sign Advertising to see how neon signs come together from scratch. Reports from people who had attended either of the activities were highly complimentary of the presenters and what they had learnt from attending and new President Chris Field ended up winning a cordless drill for the best tip of the conference posted on Jeff’s Tip Time board. Chris’ tip relates to coating foam board with acrylic lacquer to blend backgrounds. This also keeps your showcards flat and seals the surface to allow vinyls to adhere. Morning tea was held for the last time amongst the trade displays.  Generally speaking the exhibitors were particularly happy with the amount of contact with delegates the Christchurch Conference afforded them and the ability to mix out of hours and away from the hotel was appreciated too. As delegates headed to the last two presentations of conference the trade displays started disappearing faster than they went up. Martin Witty presented the radical business seminar and feedback from Chris Field has already indicated that his adoption of a suggestion made by Martin is working for him, ask him! A late entry into the conference programme was Brian McCoy from VentureTech, a government funded group who have money to give away for technology developments in any industry.  Their purpose in presenting to the sign industry was to see if there were any takers to their offer of free cash.  Time will tell. By the time midday came around people were thinking of either the golf and pool tournaments or the free afternoon before the New Zealand Sign and Display Awards night at the Christchurch Convention Centre. While delegates and their partners left to follow their choice of activity for the weekend, Les and I spent time at the Convention Centre with the people from Flying Pictures and the catering staff, endeavouring to ensure that everything would flow smoothly on the night. Satisfied that we had done everything possible and having sat through two rehearsals we headed back to the hotel to change and get ready for the big night ahead. Back at the Convention Centre people started arriving at the allotted time and by the time 6.45pm rolled around most had seen the display of entries, had a few drinks and were ready for the evenings entertainment's to start. After entrees were cleared those in attendance were taken on a short journey on Sign Trek through the galaxy courtesy of Captain Kirk and the crew of the Starship Enterprise in search of the best signs in the Universe. Needless to say they landed in Christchurch at the New Zealand Signs and Display Awards. Jeremy Coney was once again our most capable Master of Ceremonies, latching on to those he recognised from last year and succeeding to raise the eyebrows of one or two first time attendees not used to his particular brand of welcoming them to the party. During the next four hours some sixty one awards winners made their way up onto the stage to receive recognition of their achievements from the thirteen sponsors. At the end of the evening, while the photographer was chasing up the winners for photograph sessions with their work in the foyer, the eighteen piece Christchurch City Big Band provided some top sounds for those who wished to dance. By one-o-clock people were starting to drift away. Many headed for the night life at the casino or the bar and brasserie scene just down from the hotel. Sunday started slowly for many with the fun breakfast sponsored by Mulford Plastics.  After a good feed some of the lighter moments of conference came in for a mention. The Far-Cup was won by Mark Calcutt for his banner for McDonald’s advertising the Disney film ‘101 Dalmations’ from among the ten or twelve entries that people owned up to in spelling mistakes. The Pool tournament ended up a North versus South showdown with Label Converters Supply’s David Raos facing off against Graeme Bellamy from Bellamy Signs with Graeme ending up the victor. The golf tournament was won by Cannon Smith from Auckland’s Cannon Signage Concepts. After a well deserved round of applause for the Canterbury organising committee, delegates started making their fare-wells with undertakings to meet again at conference next year.  Thanks indeed must go to all the hard working crew at the Canterbury Branch, to the conference sponsors, Signwriters Supplies, Computaleta Services, Typecut Markings and Mulford Plastics, to the exhibitors at the trade display and to the sponsors for the New Zealand Sign and Display Awards. All in all an awesome effort people.

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