As Local Host I wanted to welcome everyone and make sure that no one sat at the bar looking at there phone and not being part of GOC.

I was delighted that 42 members visited Coton Manor on the friday afternoon. Thanks to Neil for organising that garden visit. Several travelling to Long Buckby by train. Long Buckby was the the station the royal family used to get Princess Diana's family home.

15.15 the campus was beginning to buzz. I escorted 13 members to 78 Derngate for a tour lead by Dave Thomas a local member. Dave if one of the guide of this only Charles Rennie Mackintosh commision in England. Thank you Dave for the 2 tours you guided and all the staff that made the members welcome.

Being so small ( ideally no more than 12 per visit) logistically a nightmare planning how to included it over the weekend. 40-50 members visited over the weekend which was brilliant.

16.00 A tour of Campus 11 booked over 30 tagged along. A gentle stroll past some trim exercise features, 8  sculptures, interesting  garden features and the Energy Centre. Only 3 of us new about the outdoor illumination screen on the Energy Centre prior to the AOG so it was a lovely surprise for the members and a nice welcome to the 50th AOG of the GOC at the new waterside campus of the University of Northampton.

I returned to the campus in the evening and the waterside bar was buzzing. No one sitting alone at the bar looking at there laptop. Old and new members enjoying the social side that the GOC offers. It was clearly going to be a good weekend based in Northampton.

For those that bought admission tickets that include 2nd visit within a year hope to see you again. The Sunley Hotel is reasonably priced if you wish to revisit Northampton and there are plenty of other attractions AOG didn't include.