The British Fantasy Society Forum

[Guy]

When I first stood for Chair of the BFS I promised myself it wouldn’t be for long. I never really specified how long but was conscious that a society benefits from a constant influx of fresh ideas and that, once I’d run out, it was time for someone else to bring some to the table. It hasn’t quite worked out like that, but then life rarely does.
All of the committee balance their duties with their work and private lives and sometimes that can be a tricky balance to achieve. Since coming onboard I have had a more than usually busy life... Work has been constant (which is good!) but often all-consuming and, if anything that trend has increased over the last eighteen months. Only too aware that a Chair run ragged and unable to cope with his duties was the last thing the BFS needed I announced to the committee my intention to stand down. I wouldn’t leave anyone in the lurch, I think far too much of this society for that, but I was approaching a very real crash if I continued to try and juggle so many balls in the air.

Out of that conversation a solution presented itself, Stephen Theaker has been an absolute dynamo on behalf of the BFS, frequently performing above and beyond his role as Dark Horizons editor in order to keep things moving. I knew he had the skills to make an excellent Chair and told him so. I confess I had imagined that he would stand this coming September (and I would propose him for the role heartily). However, the committee agreed that there was no time like the present. If I was struggling -- and I was -- then did it not make more sense for him to saddle-up for the role now, feel his way with it as a “temporary” Chair so that, come September he had already hit the ground running and -- should he be voted in --  the transition would be seamless.

That is what has happened. I can’t thank him enough for offering, he always has the best interests of the society to heart and I only hope he is sworn into the position officially come the next AGM, clearly he will have my vote.

I will continue to act as Chair of FantasyCon for this year and will then vanish from official roles for awhile. However, it’s been a pleasure to be involved and the society will always be incredibly important to me. Onward!

[Stephen Theaker]

Hi everyone

I’m very grateful to Guy for asking me to fill in as chair till September, and to the committee for voting their approval. I was hoping to one day take a turn, after I had a few more years and experience in other positions under my belt – and once I knew the members better. The opportunity’s come up a bit sooner than planned, but I’ll do my best to keep things ticking over till September.

I don’t have any grand schemes, and I’m not going to turn things upside down. I just want to get the ship safely to port. My first priority will be to look carefully at the accounts and develop a budget for the rest of the year, and then get our mailings back on schedule.

The constitution of the BFS says that the chair is appointed at the AGM, but not what happens when the chair resigns mid-term, and that’s caused me a few worries, which is why I asked the committee to take a formal vote before I would agree to fill in. I suppose you could see it as Guy saying, “Stephen speaks for me till September!”

Either way, the chair has to step down at the AGM, and I don’t plan to actively campaign to keep the job, so the way is open for anyone who fancies taking over. I’m sure there are more qualified members than me out there. Start making your plans and assembling your teams now!

I want to thank Guy for all his hard work over the last year-and-a-half. He's been extremely supportive and encouraging to all the committee members, and been an absolute pleasure to work with. I've asked him to remain on the BFS committee as a lay member responsible for FantasyCon, and he's accepted.

[Peter Coleborn]

Wow, some big changes. First, thanks to Guy for becoming Chair when he did. He found that it's a lot of work (especially when linked to organising Fantasycon) and thus, unfortunately, he stands down. So thanks to Stephen for stepping in and holding the ship together. To make his job easier (and Guy's with Fantasycon), it requires all our support.

[allybird]

A big thanks to Guy for all he has done for the society (and to all who promote and work so hard for the BFS and Fantasycon). Good luck Stephen!

[AdrianF]

Many thanks to Guy for all his hard work, and congratulations to Stephen.  Stephen has worked tirelessly for the BFS and I think he'll be a perfect Chair.

[ChrisT]

Bloody workshy layabouts, lapping it up at the poolside in Spain... 

I'm sure Stephen'll do a grand-job, and hopefully now with more time, we'll see another Deadbeat book from a certain Mr Adams? 

[Natt]

Thank you, Guy; and congratulations, Stephen!

[iamacanadian]

The King is dead!

Long live the King!

[Stephen Theaker]

Thanks, everyone. If nothing else I think this should put to bed the idea that the BFS is cliquey, closed to outsiders, etc. I joined the BFS not knowing a single member personally, but a year later Marie O'Regan had appointed me editor of Dark Horizons, and less than two years after that I'm the caretaker chair.

The BFS just needs people who will plug away at their jobs; the problem of course is that many us of us come to the society because we're already involved in something in addition to our day jobs - writing, editing zines, producing podcasts, small press publishing, etc - and it's often hard to fit the BFS in - which is why my own TQF's publication schedule has been so erratic lately...