Daniel’s Blog

It upsets me greatly that I have to provide you with this news. Pete and I have had to cancel the BarCampOxford because of bad luck, we were so close to getting organisation completely done. Here is the message that Pete is passing on to every one:

Hiya.
It is with a heavy heart that I must announce the cancellation of Barcamp Oxford on September 20-21. Here’s why:

i) the primary sponsor, who we were in the final stages of negotiation with (and who were ready to pay for 90% of everything), have ceased trading and brought the administrators in. Having talked with the administrators, there is no money. For anything. Evidently the company in question were VC-funded and blew too much money without keeping track.
ii) the secondary sponsor, who were initially willing to be a primary sponsor until they had marketing cutbacks, have had further marketing cutbacks and are now unable to assist with the current economic climate.

These are the two main reasons. A third reason was restrictions of internet access at the venue itself, not a deal breaker by any stretch, but the absence of wireless and an understandably well-controlled IT policy at the college itself was too big a mountain to climb with the other factors.

So, Barcamp Oxford in its current form is off, and I am hereby passing the baton to anyone who wants to take it and run with it. I am shortly to start discussions of a similar camp-style event in Abingdon (down the road, OX14), and if anything comes of that, I will communicate to you accordingly.

For anyone who is planning a camp-style event in Oxford, you have my best wishes - I am more than happy to share experiences if you want some tips. I can say that the venue, Manor Road, were by far the nicest, most co-operative people I’ve dealt with at Oxford venues, and the sponsors, until they went quiet, were very progressive thinking and very open to ideas.

With that, I wish you a good week.

best;

Pete
(Organiser)

If you’re still interested in attending a BarCamp or Unconference then these events are running from September until the end of the year (2008):

• Bristol Knowledge Unconference
• BathCamp
• BarCampLondon5
• SocialMediaCampLondon
• Be2Camp (London)