We recently asked members who attend our talks for their views on how Heaton History Group is doing. In particular, we asked for suggestions for talks and visits, comments on the venue, your ideas to make the AGM night more appealing, offers to help with research and comments on the website. To encourage everyone to take part, we even offered a prize* for one lucky respondent. Here is a brief summary of the feedback we received.
Talks
We asked you which had been your favourites of the talks we put on last year. Almost every talk was someone’s favourite but the top three speakers were Les Turnbull, Yvonne Young and, favourite of all, Mike Greatbatch. We’ll endeavour to have them all back!
One member said:
‘Really enjoy the variety of speakers and topics. I appreciate all the work that others put into organising events so I can turn up and be informed and entertained. I look forward to Heaton history group evenings’
But you also gave us loads of suggestions for new topics and speakers. We have a crack team on the case, as we speak.
Venue
Most of the comments about our historic venue: The Corner House were very positive. you especially liked its convenience – and the bar!
On the down side, the room temperature being hard to regulate; the sometimes iffy sightlines and the fact that the popularity of our talks means space is often at a premium.
We’ll talk to our hosts to see what can be improved but it seems like we’re the victims of our own success and there appears to be no real appetite for change or a viable local alternative at the moment.
Visits and walks
You also said you’d enjoyed the visits and walks we’d put on this year and would like more. Again we have some good suggestions for the coming months.
AGM
Although everyone who had been said they’d enjoyed our members’ evening and AGM, which this year included a quiz and two shorter talks, we are aware that the numbers attending are smaller than for our other events. We think that’s a pity so we plan to try one of the suggestions that was made by a member: a free buffet as well as the quiz and mini-talks. The next one’s on Wednesday 23 November. Put the date in your diary now!
Website
There was only positive feedback on our website. This was typical:
‘Hard to improve upon – modern feel, easy to navigate, likely to attract younger readership – keep up the good work – super regularly updated content’
That’s lovely to hear but we especially need your help to keep the content fresh and interesting.
Luckily three members volunteered to join our research team. We’ll be in touch with them individually so keep a look out for more great insights into Heaton’s history. (There’s always room for more volunteers though!)
To sum up
We haven’t included every comment here but please be assured that we have read every one and will bear them all in mind as we plan for the future.
But we were, of course, delighted that the feedback was overwhelmingly positive. Here are two examples.
‘Very welcoming and entertaining. Appreciate too the efforts and organisation involved in provision of great programme’
‘I have nothing but praise for this exceptionally well-run history society’
The committee would like to thank everyone who completed the questionnaire. It’s a pleasure to work for such enthusiastic, committed and, above all, lovely membership. We’ll all endeavour to ensure that Heaton History Group goes from strength to strength.
PS *Ricky Jensen was the lucky winner of the aforementioned prize.
