Forum Under New Management

[Bill Edwards]

Dear All

 

With immediate effect I am stepping down as Owner/Administrator of All The Fun Of The Fair.

 

The reasons are many and varied, but come down to the fact that work, family and other interests are competing for my time. I am unable to give sufficient time to the forum which has removed all the enjoyment that I used get from running it.

 

I have discussed where we go from here with the Admins, Moderators and the Forum Panel. Obviously one option was to close the forum once all the current donations have expired. The Admin/Moderators/Forum Panel (which I shall refer to as “The Team”) have decided that they will, as a collective, keep the forum open and running, but changes to the Forum will be inevitable.

 

For the time being, I will still be shown as an Administrator. I will be assisting whilst “The Team” take control of the forum, however I will not be involved in any day to day Admin work or Moderating. I will have no further input to the Forum Panel. Once “The Team” are fully operational and confident, I will drop My Administrator and Moderator status and become an ordinary “Member”. I will be a member, with the same member access and rights as every other member. I will have no further say on rules, policy, membership etc.

 

Those that have supported the forum financially, I wish to sincerely thank you from the bottom of my heart and assure you that you will NOT lose out financially by these changes. I have no further input on forum policy, but I have made it very plain that however “The Team” run the forum NO MEMBER WHO HAS CONTRIBUTED WILL BE FINANCIALLY DISADVANTAGED. You will continue to receive the benefits you’ve paid for till the end of your current subscription.

 

I thank every member who has supported the forum over the years - whether financially or with content - those that have supported me both personally when the forum has been a thorn in my side and those that have, mostly silently and unthanked, assisted with Admin, Moderating, Policy & Ideas.

 

A great BIG THANK YOU ALL!

 

All the best

 

Bill

 

NB: With immediate effect I am not in a position to help with technical inquiries, access problems, changes of email address, donations etc. Please post all such inquiries in the Forum Help / Announcements forum

[Steve Barton]

Thank you Bill for everything you have done and good luck in the future and I hope you enjoy your retirement from Forum duties. 😉

[Paul McHaddan]

Bill Edwards thank you for 20 years of "ATFOTF" Good luck in your new adventure's 😉

[Andy H]

Echo what Steve & Paul have said, thank you Bill for 20 years of ATFOTF, look back and remember what a great resource you built for like minded enthusiasts and enjoy the next chapter in life.

[Gary Witcomb]

Thanks Bill, without this site i proberley would have taken up fishing, it has enhanced my hobby and i have meet some  good friends along the way 

[Rod Jesson]

Thank you Bill for providing  a first rate site for us 'enthusiasts ' for all of those informative twenty years that have provided us all with a fantastic service- all the best with your retirement . 

[Jonathan Williamson]

Sorry to hear youre stepping down from owning and running the forum. I know youve put alot of time, effort and money into it. Ive spent many hours reading though content over the years, so thankyou for everything youve done.

[Chris Russell]

Thank you Bill for this marvellous informative tool for my hobby. Dare I say that today enthusiasts are spoilt for choice with the array of information available to them both on-line and the written word. I have personally benefitted greatly with your website and was happy, when I could, to contribute in a small way to it's contents. I wish you a happy 'retirement' from the pressures of running this site and hope you can now sit back and enjoy this hobby of all of ours. I wish 'The Team' all the best and look forward to many more years of fun information.

[Katherine Birkett]

Thanks for everything you've done for this place, Bill - much appreciated. If you ever end up at the Boston May Fair, perhaps we'll meet? 

[Alan Colyer]

Well done bill for all you have done for me and probably every other member on this site by  creating such a great website good luck in the future 

[harry m]

Thanks Bill for creating the site and forum all those years ago, then keeping it going, even when you had to use your own money at times to ensure it's survival.

 

I hope you make good use of your extra time away from the helm.

All the Best

[Simon Deery]

Very sad news Bill and I am really shocked to read this. You have provided many, many hours of enjoyment with this site since I first discovered it twenty years ago. I don't think any small amount of words here can justify my thanks to you and the team.

Please don't let this be the beginning of the end of this great site. Some of us do not have the Facebook obsession and enjoy what this great forum has to offer. I welcome the new team of management sincerely, but don't try to fix anything that isn't broken.

Thank you Bill for the priceless time and effort you have put into this place. Enjoy your hobbies and much deserved rest.

[Mike Cowey]

Thanks Bill. I have always enjoyed the Forum with its informative content and interesting features unlike many of the FB pages. All the best for the future.

[Eddie Kelly]

Bill - Being in and about the forum from its very very early days I know how long you have managed, maintained, personally financed & retained the standards & objectives established when the site was created. Well done Bill thank you for your outstanding contribution to our hobby and especially for your personal support on occasions when I needed it. Good luck in the future hopefully you will continue to be an effective & respected member of the ATFOTF community .

Edited May 1, 2018 by Eddie Kelly

[Shaun Mintern]

Way back in 1999 I used to have a quick glance of 'All The Fun Of The fair' website just before my lessons at Guildford College commenced.  Taking in all the pics.  Back then there was very little on the internet about Fun Fairs.  i'm sure you made the first ever website devoted to this.  The constant updates on the site made it a treat to visit.  As time went on forums on various platforms came and go.  Constantly growing with more discussions and pics.  Still, this was way before facebook.  The forum was gaining more and more members every day with huge amounts of traffic. 

 

You invited me to help with the forum in many capacities from Admin, moderator and panel member which I much appreciated.  

 

The many thousands of hours you put in to make the site enjoyable for all was a truly admired.   Lots of good days and those annoying challenging days with forum software and disputes with forum members.   

 

The forum will live on.  

 

Many thanks. 

[DingRawD]

Been a pleasure Bill. It was a bit of a shock to see that you are leaving, and it is a shame as you've helped this forum and community grow.

 

Best luck for you in the future, pal.

[J.Buchwald]

Shame your leaving Bill.this is a fantastic site.wish you all the best for the future.Adie

[Huw Foxhall]

Thank you Bill for everything you done without you there might not be a great funfair website.Hope this website be here for many years.Thank you and have a great retirement good luck in the future.Best Regards Huw.

[Craig Strachan]

Thanks to Bill, as he finally lays down the burden of running the forum, and to the team who have agreed to take it up.

[Jonathan Oakman]

Thank you bill sorry I've made some mistakes in the past good luck though 

[John Fahy]

I am sincerely sorry to see you step down Bill, you have contributed imeasurable good will between enthusiasts and showmen and brought an insight into a previously very private world which has been opened up to all of us to understand and collectivly share, for the benifit of every member on this forum.

This is also my opportunity to thank you for making my own thread one of the most popular on the forum visited now nearly 50,000 times and counting thank you BILL.

I liken this to a dream come true for you and you should be very proud of the legacy you are passing to every one on this forum to enjoy. Long into the future.

All the best for the future Bill.

 

Regards John Fahy

[Scott Turner]

Many Thanks Bill.

 

I first found ATFOFT when I was supposed to doing work in my IT lessons way back in 99?. I am sure I Got sent out of class for looking at it! 

 

I didn't know much about fairs then but with the forum my interest grew and I lean't a lot. Without the forum we wouldn't have all the info we have now.

 

I hope it continues to run under the new team, good luck Bill.

 

 

[Jay Foulkes]

Many thanks for all your hard work over the years Bill. As a relative latecomer, I can't even begin to imagine all the effort that's got this site to this point. All the best, and hope you get more time to do the things you want to do!

[Paul Needham]

what a shock reading this, all the best to you bill, hope the site lives on,

[Dizzy Gosnell]

Bill, As a States livin', fair lovin' ex pat Limey who logs onto this site most days from 6500 miles away. I have to say a massive thank you and all the very best. Your work these past decades has been nothing short of Herculean, running alongside that little thing we call 'life'

 

You have shown the patience of a Saint and the wisdom of a Judge (a smart one) dealing with huge amounts of queries, bleats, rants and technical issues just to keep the people, fairs and fun fair hardware up front and centre on a truly global stage.

 

You have earned your life back Bill, thank you so very much.

 

Diz

Edited May 1, 2018 by Dizzy Gosnell