I'm pleased to advise that we have now booked a room at the Poets House Hotel in Ely for a Funding the Future meeting on Saturday, October 3.

The maximum attendance is 50, and since up to 5 from our team will be there, that leaves 45 places available.

The purpose of the day

The day will begin at 12 noon, to allow time for travel. In this context, it's important to note that Ely is very well connected by train, and reasonably well by car. That said, it is only a little north of Cambridge, and car parking is readily available, although not at the hotel.

The aim of the day is not to deliver a series of lectures, but to offer an opportunity for discussion, chaired by John Christensen, with me introducing each theme. Each session will then be open to Q&A, discussion, and a focus on finding solutions to the problems our economy and society face.

This meeting is not about defining the issues, as the meeting we held in Cambridge earlier this year was. Instead, it will be about how we can begin to build solutions that can be effectively communicated.

In this context, John's presence is important. He was the campaigning powerhouse behind the creation of the Tax Justice Network, which, during his tenure, was one of the most effective small campaigning organisations in the world. He, and we, leveraged a small-scale organisation for large-scale impact, which is what we now need to do again.

The precise agenda for the event is still being finalised, and comments from those who wish to attend on what they might want to discuss would be welcome.

Practical arrangements

The cost of attending will be £45, which will include two rounds of tea and coffee, but no other refreshments. However, the hotel is well equipped to provide alternatives, including a good range of food. There are plenty of other facilities nearby.

If October 3 is a dry day, as it might be, we will have the opportunity to spread out into a garden area for discussion during breaks. We will make sure these are long enough for people to talk to each other. I see networking as a key part of this event.

If you would like to attend, please let me know by email. My email address is richard.murphy [at] taxresearch.org.uk. I will then send payment details.  We are not using an online booking service. The fees are quite high, and we are trying to make a small contribution from this event towards the cost of our other work. We will, however, guarantee a refund of all fees paid if cancellation is made more than 14 days before the event, and will extend that offer if we are able to resell any ticket or if we have to cancel for any reason.

The expectation is that the event will conclude by 5.15 pm, but there will be an opportunity to continue the discussion afterwards in an informal setting.

If you're interested, please do let me know.

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