Page 1 of 1

RE - AFRA

Posted: Sat Aug 15, 2015 9:48 pm
by nelz
ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE AFRA PYRO TEAM.

Image

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

AFRA has supported the Victory Show since its creation.
We are unpaid volunteers, working ten hour days over the show weekend to create the battle effects, taking time off from work to attend the show, and getting little free time to see anything but our camp and the battlefield. This year, the hours would have been longer, creating the air raid scenario on the Saturday evening, yet it was something we were happy to do.
This week, we were informed that it was too much for us to ask for six spare passes for family members, something we have always had, that we were taking money from the gate by doing so, even though the family members would not be attending if we weren’t there. The fact that they actually provide camp security and other support to the team was dismissed out of hand.
The cost of the pyro was also questioned, even though our costs have gone up and we were providing a huge extra for them on the Saturday night. The extra cost was less than £500 over last year, and included £250 worth of pyro for the air raid, plus extra fuel for more fuel/air effects. We were also going to supply the British Airborne Platoon with pyro for their display in the woods, free of charge, as we always have.
AFRA and the pyro crew have never made any money from The Victory Show pyro, either personally or as an association, and in many years it has actually cost us to do it. We have supported the show, at cost only, since it first began, ten years ago. In 2009, we paid for most of the pyro and expenses ourselves, to cover their huge losses from the rains of 2008, when the show was cancelled.
AFRA has always been about the hobby, about supporting events and doing the thing that we enjoy. We like to think that we have been influential in the hobby and help bring about change in attitudes and standards throughout the years.
We have always tried to support small and upcoming events and hopefully we always will have an opportunity to do so.
We feel that our integrity and honesty has been questioned, and we have been made to feel that we want something for nothing from the show, even though it is the show who get all our hard work for free.
It is felt that the working relationship we once enjoyed with The Victory Show is now untenable and the AFRA pyro crew will, with immediate effect, no longer be providing battle effects for The Victory Show.
We will continue to support those shows who support us, the shows who understand that we are there to help.
We wish Steve Pepper and The Victory Show all the very best for the future.
If anybody has any queries, please contact us through the AFRA website, not by personal message or email.
Thank you.

http://afra.org.uk/

Re: RE - AFRA

Posted: Sat Aug 15, 2015 11:25 pm
by funker50
Farmers will be farmers....that is to say, tight and mostly uncompromising...the shows loss.

Re: RE - AFRA

Posted: Sun Aug 16, 2015 3:11 pm
by Halle
Well , that all sounds a bit short sighted from the Shows owners , a few extra passes don't add up to anything , and the battle , for the public at least , is the highlight of the show I'd suggest - it's going to be a major blow , coming so close close to September . I always thought the Victory pyros were excellent , having been in amongst them occasionally. Well , you did the right thing AFRA , you can't have people taking the p**s .

Re: RE - AFRA

Posted: Mon Aug 17, 2015 9:26 pm
by ssparatrooper
What a shame!

the pyro at the victory show was one of the best parts about it as it was as real as it could get and made a nice change to see it, i am sure it will be their loss as from your post it would seem you have screwed the nut for them as it was a reenacter friendly show

short term cuts in costs will not outweigh long term gains in attendance!

failing that why don't you use your pyro to blow up all of those posh twats in that poncy dance tent?

Re: RE - AFRA

Posted: Thu Aug 20, 2015 4:09 pm
by Pug42
Where's the "Like" button when you need it? :D

Re: RE - AFRA

Posted: Sat Aug 29, 2015 3:33 pm
by SplinterA
Wasn't the Saturday night air raid supposed to be a secret?