Where are the chess sets?

Discussions regarding the 70,000 Free Chess Sets for Schools in England.
Matthew Turner
Posts: 3600
Joined: Fri May 16, 2008 11:54 am

Re: Where are the chess sets?

Post by Matthew Turner » Sat Oct 17, 2009 11:59 am

Carl,
Why is it an issue who paid for the sets?
Well, the first launches distributed sets near Holloid - this makes absolute sense because they can get good local publicity. These sets are being distributed near the ECF Office - I wonder why. Have the ECF actually paid for them?

User avatar
Carl Hibbard
Posts: 6028
Joined: Fri Dec 08, 2006 8:05 pm
Location: Evesham

Re: Where are the chess sets?

Post by Carl Hibbard » Mon Oct 19, 2009 9:05 am

From the SCCU report:

You will have seen the photo on the ECF website, posted coincidentally on the day before the meeting. To flesh out the website's barebones account, it was explained that approximately 1000 sets had just been delivered to the depot of the East Sussex LEA, from where they should find their way to 100 schools in a week or so. (An observer said he had been unable to find anyone in the East Sussex authority who knew anything about it; which only goes to show how recent this is.)

Some questions:
• Are Holloid talking to other local authorities? Yes. (None were specified).
• Are they working on a geographical basis? No.
• Is future production of sets contingent on Holloid's finding sponsorship? No.
• Have Holloid committed themselves to a schedule of production and delivery? No.

This won't be possible till there is practical experience of the logistics. But it is hoped that the operation will be completed in this academic year.

Andrew Martin, Manager of Coaching, said he had negotiated some free extra video material to go with the support package. He spoke of the many thousands of pounds of potential income.
Cheers
Carl Hibbard

Richard Harding
Posts: 2
Joined: Tue Aug 05, 2008 10:09 pm

Re: Where are the chess sets?

Post by Richard Harding » Fri Oct 23, 2009 11:52 am

Hi all
I just had to let people know my sets arrived yesterday.
My School is Fairlop Primary School in the London borough of Redbridge.
I spoke to Caroline morris (a most helpfull person)about the chess sets,she said if i wanted them before the LEA distribution, i could pay to have them send straight to the School.
The reason the distributions are not working is that Schools don't turn up to collect their sets.As arranged.
So Holloid feel they look pretty silly when they have a distribution with the press, and school don't turn up to collect their FREE CHESS SETS.

Because i may not have been able to attend the Essex distribution,i contacted Holloid (Caroline Morris) and paid the courier cost £10.
That's £1 per set not bad.
I know people will say that's not free, but where can you get a standard chess set for £1.That also includes delivery.

Also Holloid have taken some criticism over this project,i think we should say a big thank you to them,for this junior chess shot in the arm.
It may have been easier for them to have pulled the plug on this project,rather than take any flak,but they did not.
I think the main problem was timeline expectation of production and delivery of the sets,who was at fault i'm not sure.

Thank you Holloid we shall enjoy playing on our new chess sets.

Neill Cooper
Posts: 1298
Joined: Sun Feb 24, 2008 4:43 pm
Location: Cumbria
Contact:

Re: Where are the chess sets?

Post by Neill Cooper » Fri Oct 23, 2009 10:08 pm

Great to hear that you got your sets Richard.
I wonder how many have done that and we have not heard?

Matthew Turner
Posts: 3600
Joined: Fri May 16, 2008 11:54 am

Re: Where are the chess sets?

Post by Matthew Turner » Mon Nov 09, 2009 3:08 pm

Does anyone have any news on the distribution of sets in East Sussex?

User avatar
John Upham
Posts: 7162
Joined: Wed Apr 04, 2007 10:29 am
Location: Cove, Hampshire, England.
Contact:

Re: Where are the chess sets?

Post by John Upham » Mon Nov 09, 2009 3:20 pm

Matthew Turner wrote:Does anyone have any news on the distribution of sets in East Sussex?
A fresh delivery is scheduled for the day prior to the 2010 ECF AGM.
British Chess News : britishchessnews.com
Twitter: @BritishChess
Facebook: facebook.com/groups/britishchess :D

User avatar
Carl Hibbard
Posts: 6028
Joined: Fri Dec 08, 2006 8:05 pm
Location: Evesham

Re: Where are the chess sets?

Post by Carl Hibbard » Mon Nov 09, 2009 3:42 pm

Putting sarcasm aside do we know the current state of the project?

Or better still additional information from the Lorry delivery picture?
Cheers
Carl Hibbard

Kevin Thurlow
Posts: 5803
Joined: Wed Apr 30, 2008 12:28 pm

Re: Where are the chess sets?

Post by Kevin Thurlow » Mon Nov 23, 2009 7:56 am

Peter Wilson advises that ....

'Caroline Morris, Holloid's Chess Sets for Schools Project Manager, tells me that all of the sets delivered to East Sussex LEA have now reached the requesting schools in East Sussex. In addition 48 boxes of sets have been delivered to The Isle of Wight and most, but not yet all, of those 480 sets have reached the requesting schools in the Isle of Wight. Caroline continues to negotiate with other LEAs over further distributions of sets'
"Kevin was the arbiter and was very patient. " Nick Grey

User avatar
John Upham
Posts: 7162
Joined: Wed Apr 04, 2007 10:29 am
Location: Cove, Hampshire, England.
Contact:

Re: Where are the chess sets?

Post by John Upham » Mon Nov 23, 2009 9:07 am

Is Peter Wilson an ECF official?

What role does he currently hold?
British Chess News : britishchessnews.com
Twitter: @BritishChess
Facebook: facebook.com/groups/britishchess :D

Kevin Thurlow
Posts: 5803
Joined: Wed Apr 30, 2008 12:28 pm

Re: Where are the chess sets?

Post by Kevin Thurlow » Mon Nov 23, 2009 9:40 am

I'd like to thank John for winning me the bet.

Surely we should be happy that (a) sets have been delivered and (b) that we know about it?
"Kevin was the arbiter and was very patient. " Nick Grey

User avatar
Carl Hibbard
Posts: 6028
Joined: Fri Dec 08, 2006 8:05 pm
Location: Evesham

Re: Where are the chess sets?

Post by Carl Hibbard » Mon Nov 23, 2009 10:33 am

Kevin Thurlow wrote:Surely we should be happy that (a) sets have been delivered and (b) that we know about it?
The problem is:

(a) That you need to be delivering to perhaps 800 schools a month to meet the target?
(b) We don't - there is nothing official...
Cheers
Carl Hibbard

Matthew Turner
Posts: 3600
Joined: Fri May 16, 2008 11:54 am

Re: Where are the chess sets?

Post by Matthew Turner » Mon Nov 23, 2009 11:39 am

Kevin Thurlow wrote,

"Peter Wilson advises that ....

'Caroline Morris, Holloid's Chess Sets for Schools Project Manager, tells me that all of the sets delivered to East Sussex LEA have now reached the requesting schools in East Sussex. In addition 48 boxes of sets have been delivered to The Isle of Wight and most, but not yet all, of those 480 sets have reached the requesting schools in the Isle of Wight. Caroline continues to negotiate with other LEAs over further distributions of sets'"

I am afraid that I find this very difficult to believe. If you click on the ECF website, the press release is from May 2009 and on the Holloid website the last press release is July 2009. Surely they would want to promote this good news.

User avatar
John Upham
Posts: 7162
Joined: Wed Apr 04, 2007 10:29 am
Location: Cove, Hampshire, England.
Contact:

Re: Where are the chess sets?

Post by John Upham » Mon Nov 23, 2009 11:49 am

An update that I can personally vouch for this is that CEO, Chris Majer, has stepped down from CSfS, CoM and other duties until Christmas 2009 due to pressure of work. These responsibilities have been taken over by Director of Marketing, Stewart Reuben.

I have a meeting on Wednesday this week at Battle HQ to provide training on the CoM application to the Office staff and SR.

I would like to wish SR the best of luck in taking over these responsibilities.
British Chess News : britishchessnews.com
Twitter: @BritishChess
Facebook: facebook.com/groups/britishchess :D

User avatar
John Upham
Posts: 7162
Joined: Wed Apr 04, 2007 10:29 am
Location: Cove, Hampshire, England.
Contact:

Re: Where are the chess sets?

Post by John Upham » Mon Nov 23, 2009 5:13 pm

Ernie,

One of things that has shocked about all of this was following the second UA trial I asked if the school could have their sets offered two years previously and I was told
You do not have the full information about this project and you do not know where we are and therefore it is not down to you to make decision about CFS.
I quite agree! :lol:
British Chess News : britishchessnews.com
Twitter: @BritishChess
Facebook: facebook.com/groups/britishchess :D

User avatar
Carl Hibbard
Posts: 6028
Joined: Fri Dec 08, 2006 8:05 pm
Location: Evesham

Re: Where are the chess sets?

Post by Carl Hibbard » Mon Nov 23, 2009 5:16 pm

John Upham wrote:Ernie,

One of things that has shocked about all of this was following the second UA trial I asked if the school could have their sets offered two years previously and I was told
You do not have the full information about this project and you do not know where we are and therefore it is not down to you to make decision about CFS.
I quite agree! :lol:
Who was that abrupt?
Cheers
Carl Hibbard

Locked