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Dear All Apologies for the general thank you e-mail but more than 25 people got back in touch about booking events. Funding bodies take heed - many cultural organisations are finding that our audiences don't value free events as much as they could! Some of the great suggestions from a whole range of organisations: Live with it! We incur no financial loss for the lower attendance figures and perhaps those coming along get more out of it as fewer people are there? Emphasise the popularity. Stipulate to all enquirers that the events are over-subscribed and that the organisers would appreciate a call if you can't make it - there's a long waiting list. Repeat this information on any confirmation letters/tickets sent out to attendees. Complete a returnable booking form by a certain date prior to the event, to make people take things more seriously. Send out confirmation letters clearly setting out cancellation procedures. If it's a small event make some courtesy calls 2 days before the event to check all booked children still intend to come. Take provisional bookings, letting people know on the day if the places are available. Charge a cancellation fee/refundable deposit when people get in touch to book. E.g. adults attending a tea dance were charged a refundable £2.50 booking fee. Out of 150 tickets booked only 6 people didn't turn up. Overbook the sessions, hoping not everyone turns up. Risky but several venues do this. Offer waiting list people first opportunity on the next sessions you are running. Take bookings on the day on a first-come first-served basis therefore - no advance booking. Write to the non-attendees letting them know what they missed and that others were looking for the places. Here's to over-attended events in 2006! Thanks again. Mandy. ------------ Mandy Tulloch Development Co-ordinator Natural History Centre University of Aberdeen Zoology Building Tillydrone Avenue Aberdeen AB24 2TZ T - 01224 493 288 E - [log in to unmask] W - www.abdn.ac.uk/nhc