June 1980
This is positively the last Northern Guffblower from Dave Langford, 22 Northumberland, Reading, Berks, RG2 7PW, UK. I am now the ex-administrator of GUFF, and the new UK administrator is none other than:
Rob Jackson, 8 Lavender Road, West Ewell, Surrey, KT19 9EB, UK.
Just to remind you, the Australian administrator is John Foyster of 21 Shakespeare Grove, St Kilda, Vic 3182, Australia (a change of address since the last TNG).
As well as that legendary trophy The Buck, I am passing to Rob such things as the extant GUFF funds in this country, amounting to £302.03p. (Many thanks to those who donated or bought fanzines in aid of GUFF since Seacon, especially the munificent Joyce Scrivner and Arnold Akien. Auction material at Novacon and Alba-con also brought in a bit: many more thanks to both committees.) This is said not to be enough. John Foyster, who holds about $500 (Australian) reckons we are only halfway to the goal; Robin Johnson assures us that a ticket from here to there costs immensely more than one from there to here, being about £1000 return. We therefore need money... my own humble suggestion is that as well as everything else, the voting fee be raised from the former 80p/$1.50(A) to £l/whatever. Also I have some copies of Gonad The Barbarian left: no reasonable offer refused for this farrago of utter vileness. Buy two and send one to Mary Whitehouse.
Now: GUFF is running from Here to Australia in 1981 as hinted above. Some UK fan will be whisked off to the Adelaide convention in June '81. The tentative timetable, then, is as follows: on July 1 nominations are officially opened, on August 31 they are closed and ballots produced, and from then to January 31 1981 the voting takes place. The winner should know his/her fate in early February, giving adequate time to prepare for the trip. This timetable may be slightly revised by Jackson-Foyster consultations, but it looks about right to me... The nominees should provide Rob Jackson with the usual kit as for TAFF, being (a) five nominators (or letters from them, anyway), three from the UK and two from Australia; (b) a platform of around 100 words, to be printed on the ballot form; (c) a promise to attend the Adelaide convention -- if elected -- barring acts of god or gods; and (d) 'bond' in the form of a donation of at least £2.50 (but remember the cash shortage and try a bit harder than that, eh?) to the fund.
Candidates are also encouraged to do GUFF and their chances a bit of good by being active in con auctions etc, by making their fanzines (if any) available in exchange for GUFF donations, and suchlike pieces of traditional moneygrubbing.
At present there appear to be two firm candidates, Malcolm Edwards and Joseph Nicholas. It would be nice to have one or two more. Give it a try, fans: as with TAFF, losing one year can be an excellent qualification for winning next time around.
Meanwhile, grotty old outmoded administrator Langford signs off, yielding the stage at last to dynamic, go-ahead, vibrant Rob Jackson -- who'll show you feeble lot what real administrating is like. I'm sure GUFF is in good hands... which reminds me that perhaps the acronym isn't wholly suitable now we're running the fund the other way. Possibly for alternate trips it should be known as the Going Under Fan Fund.
(Dave Langford, 10-6-80)