This year, I have reserved some space at the venue for one or more groups to hold a pre-meeting on 8-9 April. This is likely of interest to you if have peers that you rarely get together with and:

1. You are part of an organisation with offices around the world (e.g. Oxfam , Greenpeace, FoI, Amnesty, WWF, World Vision)
2. You are part of a coalition or network with members around the world (e.g. GCAP, faith based groups, development / envio / human rights organisations)
3. A sub-group of those attending have something in common they can work on together(e.g. operate in Asia, similar model like GetUp, Avaaz and MoveOn, Spanish or French speakers)
   

If you think people from you organisation, coalition, network or another grouping would be interested in holding a 1-2 day pre-meeting, let me know:

1. That you are interested
2. How many people you'd expect to bring
3. If you want me to find you an event organiser-facilitator to hire to organise and run the event (I will first got to freelancers who have attended past e-campaigning forum events)

Also - if you are a 'freelancer' and wish to pull together a pre-meeting with others in your network who would attend the e-Campaigning Forum - let me know.

There is currently accommodation for 20 people reserved and I could likely expand this depending on demand.

If you are a freelancer you are probably more in a position to help so after being asked by several people how they can help (in return for favourable terms), here are some ideas:

1. Video/Audio/Written interviews with event participants to publish online. Gillo and Pete are already committed to the video interviews. People to do Audio/Written interviews would be good too.
2. Adding/editing notes to the Wiki Topics during the event would be a big help. In the past some have done this voluntarily but I'm looking for a higher quality contribution here.
3. Coordinating articles for an eCampaigning publication. In 2007, OII volunteered to publish this but we had to pull it together and it never happened. Ideally it can happen before ECF08.
4. Finding sponsorship: The fees could be reduced for someparticipants and/or funding provided for others who couldn't normally attend. If you can pull this off with agreeable sponsors (no BAT, etc) then you'll definitely have a completely free place.
5. Finding qualified participants: I can probably get 75 people to the event fairly easily, but getting the additional 25 might be a struggle. Once the initial wave of people register, I would consider that if you can get 'new' and qualified people/organisations to attend then we can devise a scheme to help fund your place by getting others to join.
6. Logistics: a pain but essential. This includes:
• Chasing invoices
• Confirming rooms
• Ensuring everyone is registered for Internet access at the event
• Event packs
• Registration on the 10th
• Evening social organising
• Online facilitation etc.
(probably 1-2 people are enough to help with all these things)
7. Other suggestions? I'm open to ideas - just ask.

Note: for anyone helping during the event itself, I would ensure is only 1/3 of the time maximum so that you can also participate in the event as everyone else.

I am proud to finally announce that the next eCampaigning Forum will be 10-11 April in Oxford, UK - so put it in your calendar now.

This year it will be held at St Anne's College by popular demand and can accommodate up to 100 people. I'll launch the registration process at the end of next week. You may also be interested in the cost estimate.