Arthur Findlay Centre in Stafford

http://www.snu.org.uk/news/aflcc.htm

The Arthur Findlay Learning and Conference Centre in Stafford

The main purpose of our movement as described in our first object is to promote and disseminate spiritualism. The acquisition of the newly named Arthur Findlay Centre in Stafford provides an exciting opportunity for the Spiritualists' National Union to establish a permanent base in the Midlands and beyond for the further promotion and dissemination of Spiritualism. Members have asked for some time whether high quality courses similar to those run at the Arthur Findlay College could be run elsewhere in the country. Our new centre plans to deliver a range of courses, at the same high standards as at the College, at an affordable price, helping us to deliver and progress our key objects.

I attended the CSNU speaking Review Course recently at Stafford what a wonderful experience, so much encouragement by excellent Tutors - looking forward now to March 8th and March 30th when I shall be back again. So needed a center nearer Wales and now we have it. Thank You.

It's nice to see it being used Margaret and much handier to get to for many than AFC (and should be a lot cheaper too). The Spirit of Youth are or were due to have a workshop there around now.
I reckon SNU will offload Stansted Hall for an airport hotel or similar once they have sufficient of these regional training & conference centres set up. It's a money pit and always has been.

I hope not Katy, Stansted is the spiritual home for so many people I know but who knows what will be needed. It must be a nightmare to keep up with all the building work and regs - Memories I suppose cannot stop progression.

I hear the one in Edinburgh is fantastic as well, lets hope they go from strength to strength because it is the people who will benefit and thats what is important xx

JV Trust (Eric Hatton at al) has kept that building standing over the years.
It'd be a pile of rubble had it not been for them.
That said, the prices the greedy monkeys are charging these days (£445-00 for a part week and take your chance on getting en suite !) they don't deserve to prosper.
It would be sad to see it go but I reckon it's a done deal.
We'll know eventually.

My husband and I went to Stansted in 2010 and it cost us £1000 for both, the room was en suite and not nice at all, especially the furniture: Maybe it would be good to sell and start again - would hate it but maybe necessary

You could have a week in a nice place in Spain flights included and change out of £1,000.
I've been before and not paid much but that was some time ago but when they quoted me that price for what was 5 nights effectiovely plus one dinner and a breakfast extra then I told them where it would fit.

Lynwood Fellowship for me if I go anywhere for a spirit-themed break this year. Nice looking hotel, all found at about half the price of AFC. Looks to be some good mediums and events too.

Hi Katy, well the man in charge Mr Hadley is, or was, a property developer, so I had heard, therefore I suspect you are quite right about that. I think when they establish the full cost of re equipping the place to the 5 star standard (with even higher prices) a sale will be on the agenda. The regional centres do not provide accomodation so they can then cease trying to be hoteliers. Sadly, of course, the camaradie of a live in experience will be lost.

I think Lynwood has the right idea Jim block booking a nice hotel for a week. SNUs at the Blackpool Hilton again for conference this year and I'll try to be there. SNUi-s like me can go as observers but can't vote and its usually a cracking few days. The excitement,the people,the naked resentment. What's not to like?
Stansted has charged itself out of viability for me.

I think you are right about using a hotel like that Katy. Thats what is being done over here with the Tony Stockwell week. Of course Tony is using local mediums as assistant tutors. Priced well out of our reach though think its $1,432pp including tuition fee, then you have air fares. Still its a sell out but I have done a workshop with one of the Oz tutors. Actually without board its still $990,.

Probably, depending upon who is your tutor, it will be one of the best 5 days in oz however, 5 days does not make a medium but the participants will think their investment has bought them the name "medium".

Only sold out through Tony's web site and by drawing people from all over Australia. We could never sell something at that price just in SA.

Crikey that's pricey.
It's from about $40 a night to stay in Lily Dale and most group activities are either free or very cheap.
Really good mediums there too and plenty to choose amongst.

Here was the full pricing for the Tony Stockwell event this year Katy
Twin share Residential package: $1,432pp including tuition fee
Single Residential package: $1,600 pp including tuition fee
Non Residential package: $994pp including tuition fee and dinner for four nights
Current exchage rates $1 = about 65p makes the AFC look a bargain except for the international air fares. However there is a fair bit of expense involved one way or another and at the traditional $1= 50p it is more reasonable just way out of my range.

My goodness I can't believe these prices - right out of my league and for most people I know I think - what a shame: Over 25 years of teaching the most I have received is £5. per person for a 2 hour workshop - and that usually covered my petrol expenses - I thought the idea was to get Spiritualism to the people and that means ALL the people not just the ones who can afford it... I know expenses have to be met and Mediums who make Teaching their "job of work" want paying but where does it all end? When travelling away we would be put up by someone in their home - never in a Hotel - perhaps the purpose is being lost somewhere or maybe I am just old fashioned or have got it all wrong? xxxx

Folk will vote with their purses and pockets and beyond a certain price they simply won't pay.
Most we charge is twelve pounds for specials, a tenner for members.
Girl came the other week with Kirlian photo kit. Just booked space. Twenty five pounds a pop. She sat on her hands all day so I'm told.
There's just not the money about round our region.
Good luck to Tony if he can get it. He's good but not eight hundred quid 'good'.
A one year fully accredited part time teacher training course [The 'CTLLS' for adult ed.] only costs the learner £700 in England with discounts for low earners and that can lead to paid work.

I charge £70 for 1-2-1s at home mainly because it's a full evening by the time they've been and gone and Mrs K does the full spring clean plus fresh flowers and extra Bonios to keep the dogs happy and quite frankly to save all the upheaval I'd far rather see folk at church for a fiver [plus five to the church] , everyone gets that option and if home sittings turns up they're pensioners or on their uppers I only ask a donation.
Three quid for mini sittings once a month. It's enough and we've never wanted for what we need.
Then again these professional stage mediums do it for a living there's no pension and they must have massive expenses.
I did a bit back in the day and was never best suited to it. Saw what it did to lovely Doris Stokes. Not for me ta very much.

Its a long time since I visited Stanstead, prices, distance and a lack of enthusiasm on my part being the main reason (just to clarify - a lack of enthusiasm in the courses and tutors - not the 'subject' ).

The Arthur Findley Centre in Stafford looks inviting and as another member here posted - being in Wales, it makes travel and cost a little nearer to my liking

Your right Peter... People most certainly will and 'do' vote with their purses, everyone is tightening their belts these days (and with good reason ).

As for the Kirlian photo Lady sitting in her hands all day - more fool her... There's a lot of mileage and truth in the 'stack em high and sell em cheap' method

KatyKing wrote:I charge £70 for 1-2-1s at home mainly because it's a full evening by the time they've been and gone and Mrs K does the full spring clean plus fresh flowers and extra Bonios to keep the dogs happy and quite frankly to save all the upheaval I'd far rather see folk at church for a fiver [plus five to the church] , everyone gets that option and if home sittings turns up they're pensioners or on their uppers I only ask a donation.
Three quid for mini sittings once a month. It's enough and we've never wanted for what we need.
Then again these professional stage mediums do it for a living there's no pension and they must have massive expenses.
I did a bit back in the day and was never best suited to it. Saw what it did to lovely Doris Stokes. Not for me ta very much.

Without opening the old chestnut about money and payment (that must have been gone over a trillion times - forum to forum to forum ).

I always recall a letter in the Times some years ago - it was directed to Ford UK - the question raised in the letter was "why do you charge more in the UK for your vehicles than you do in Europe?". The response was (not verbatim) "We only charge what our customers are willing to pay"..... Left a long lasting impression on me did that

I agree with you both, and yes i travelled demonstrating for about 2 years and it was hard hard work but like you Katy it wasn't for me:

What I'd really fancy is something along the lines of what happened for some lucky souls like Florrie Cook back in the early days. Rich sort pays one a good wage and generous exes so all sitttings can be free.
That only ever seemed to happen for the younger, prettiest and most vivacious mediums so even if it was to come back into fashion I'd be non starter on all three counts.

Yes the era of Mary Rosina Showers, Anna Eva Fay, Frorence Cook, Annie Fairlamb Mellon, Catherine Wood. A real outburst of dark seances, it is no wonder so many recent writers have made an issue about seances and Victorian morals.

As to the money issue I never have a real problem with it. We are a bit like your centre Katy and also where Margaret is. Charge for the workshops but much lower than elsewhere groups are cheap. Stupid thing is too many people her place a value on what they get based upon price. If we do a Sunday anywhere here noone gets even expenses and we all put a donation in.

Struggle with charging for private readings but I also struggle with doing them because too many want fortune telling not loved one's in spirit. So I only do them when they want that and chareg on the time basis given what I earn on an hourly basis...but even that gets variable lol depending on the persons circumstances.

KatyKing wrote:What I'd really fancy is something along the lines of what happened for some lucky souls like Florrie Cook back in the early days. Rich sort pays one a good wage and generous exes so all sitttings can be free.
That only ever seemed to happen for the younger, prettiest and most vivacious mediums so even if it was to come back into fashion I'd be non starter on all three counts.

Life is not fair, Peter.

Jim

Tell me about it Jim!
Mind you if I was into reincarnation I'd not come back as a bonny lass. No sir.
Cat for me. Those cute little furry balls of fun and malice really know how to live.
Did you know that in the language of cats the word for human and that for can opener are one and the same?

KatyKing wrote:Tell me about it Jim!
Mind you if I was into reincarnation I'd not come back as a bonny lass. No sir.
Cat for me. Those cute little furry balls of fun and malice really know how to live.
Did you know that in the language of cats the word for human and that for can opener are one and the same?

It's true! Four of those critters live inside my house, and several others camp outside.

Jim