November 1978
an occasional newsletter from Dave Langford, 22 Northumberland Avenue, Reading, Berks. RG2 7PW, UK, concerning the myriad and mystic proceedings of GUFF. Available free to anyone who's interested ---especially those interested in contributing---though postage costs are appreciated. Nov. '78.
Recap: GUFF equals Get Up&Over Fan Fund equals a fannish charity along the noble lines of TAFF and DUFF, aimed to bring a worthy Australian to the British Seacon in '79. Candidates: John Alderson, John Foyster, Eric Lindsay. Ballots available from myself and the Aussie Administrator: Leigh Edmonds, PO Box 103, Brunswick, Victoria 3056, AUSTRALIA.
Money: The GUFF account at this end now contains approximately £100, having been swelled by the various efforts of Judy Blish, Graham England again, Rune Forsgren, Mike Glicksohn, Ann Looker, Andy Richards and Joyce Scrivner. Also a micro-auction at Silicon which raised £1.07 1/2 p in mere hours, a sum which was increased to £1.08p by the generosity of Martin Hoare, who had just found the requisite amount on the floor. Thank you, Martin. The GUFF minimum contributions are still 80p or $1.50...let's hope a few more of you will be able to vote or slip us a few coppers (Special Offer: absolutely no lower limit on contributions from non-voters! Nor any upper limit!).
Publications: At present there are two GUFF fundraising items for sale. One is Bob Shaw's talk from Skycon as seen in Drilkjis: litho-printed with illustrations by Jim Barker, signed by both Bob and Jim, and with a few other strange items included, it costs a basic 50p or $1. Since I have a few copies only (thirty is the total run, some earmarked for the States and Australia) it's first come first served. (Though special efforts will be made for anyone sending more than the basic cost!) Another publication is Gonad the Barbarian, the amazing multi-authored Silicon one-shot of high fantasy and low jokes, with cover by Jim Barker in his "Fifteen pints of lager" period and learned annotations by myself. Not to be missed. Again 50p or $1, but on this one you can haggle...
A Party: Pamela Boal is holding a Fanzine Bring&Buy party at her home (4 Westfield Way, Charlton Heights, Wantage, Oxon, OX12 7EW) on Saturday Dec. 16th (evening). The only obligation is to bring a bottle and a fanzine, and buy a minimum of 3 zines from the wide and excellent choice available, at the minimum price of 5 pence... Profits divided between GUFF and Pamela's own AIDS (Association for Independent Disabled Self-Sufficiency). If you know and love Pamela, or would like to, or just want to try some Fatal Langford Home-Brew, you are invited. Let me or Pamela know (my phone number is 0734-863453) if you can come... Overnight floorspace for ~30.
How to Find Pamela's Home: [map omitted]
As in #l, I had intended no second side to this newsletter. But things keep on happening...
Australia: Leigh Edmonds reveals that his side of GUFF is fast approaching $200, while the target amount has (as the result of a little research into airfares) dropped to something like $870 (Australian). In the event of much too much money -- say, $1230 -- being collected, there is a suggestion that the GUFF winner return via the US since it is "so close". Being down there obviously gives you a strange view of geography...
America: Would-be donors and voters in this exotic land can make things easier for themselves by sending their GUFF contributions to Joyce Scrivner (Apt AG3.3, Hatfield Village, Hatfield, PA 19440, USA). Joyce has kindly volunteered to forward things to me as necessary.
A GUFF Service: Mary Long recently sent me a newspaper story describing a sort of 'anonymous message' service, whereby you can arrange for a few well-chosen words to be delivered to someone you think deserves them, but whom you do not care to confront in person. Surely UK fandom could make use of such a service -- so it's hereby inaugurated. Merely send me 50p and the text of your salutary message (up to 200 words). The message will be duly sent, exquisitely typed using a golfball machine on official GUFF Go-Between paper, to the chosen recipient. Strict anonymity is guaranteed! For an extra 10p you get a carbon copy for yourself; longer messages are accomodated at 50p per additional 200 words. All fees -- less postage -- will of course go to GUFF. Send your messages early for Christmas...
Erratum: "Accommodate". Yes, I thought I could spell it if I tried.
#
SEACON '79: A Word for our Sponsors
There are two things I've been asked to communicate to the ever-eager readership, about Seacon. The first is that the booking forms did indeed go out -- around the beginning of October, I think -- which is a very boring piece of news unless like me you found that yours was lost by the GPO. This has happened to a small minority of the forms, and if you're a member of any sort and have not had your booking form you should write at once to Seacon (14 Henrietta St, London WC2E 8QJ).
Another thing concerns the hordes of foreign fans who may need a bed or floor to sleep on, before or after the actual con. If you are of a hospitable inclination and would like to do the decent thing by visiting fans, everyone would be benefited if you sent details of How Many fans you would be prepared to accommodate (got it right that time) and On Which Dates -- to Graham England, 1 Fleetway, Didcot, Oxon. 0X11 8BZ. (COA)
There is just room to mention Rob Jackson's new address: 8 Lavender Road, West Ewell, Surrey, KT19 9EB. (Activated 30th October.)