Friday 1 November 2013

'Twas the night before Christmas .....

OK, not quite the night before Christmas, but it feels like it! 

It is the eve of what is probably the biggest event I have ever organised (apart from a eight General Election campaigns) and Jon and I have spent most of the day at the River Centre in Tonbridge, pulling together all of the strands to ensure tomorrow's Open Primary runs as smoothly as possible. It's been choreographed to the last detail; we've (hopefully) left nothing to chance!

It's been a mammoth undertaking - and now we can see just how it will look. The hundreds of chairs, the blue backdrop with our YOU DECIDE logo projected onto the walls, the count room with all the detritus of the democratic process laid out like a town hall on election night, the reception desks with voter registration packs. Suddenly, it's all very real - and we can see, smell and feel the outcome of months of planning and hard work. This time tomorrow it will all be over. 

Even today I could feel the bandwagon moving forward; noon was the deadline for Local Government Nominations for Tunbridge Wells (which has local elections next year). Time never stands still.

Anyway,, here are a selection of photographs taken today at the various rehearsals and briefings. See you tomorrow!

Jacques Arnold and Iain Dale run a sound-check
Ready for the crowds

Iain Dale interviewed about the Open Primary by BBC South



The stage setting



After over 30 years campaigning, I still get 'butterflies' when I see a ballot box


Jon Botten poised for action at the Late Registration Desk



Me looking grumpy because the YOU DECIDE posters aren't hanging flat!


Welcome packs for Members, Residents and Observers


Inside the Count Room



In approximately 18 hours the identity of the person who will occupy the
un-named RESERVED chair will be known to the word



No comments:

Post a Comment