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ALASDAIR RENDALL – OGAE UK ELECTION MANFESTO
As a fan of Eurovision from the age of 8, and a long-standing and enthusiastic member of OGAE UK,
it would be an honour and a privilege to be the club’s president.
I have been a member of OGAE for nearly a decade, and am a regular attender of fan events both in
the UK and across Europe, in addition of course to regular attendance at national finals and the
Eurovision Song Contest itself.
I have been deeply involved in OGAE UK for many years, including running the quiz at the Eurobash,
and managing Vision magazine’s quiz and panel of experts.
2017 will see the 60th UK Eurovision entrant selected, and, as the club's president, I would seek to
mark this milestone in an appropriate way. My organisational skills in organising major events have
been developed through my work over the past three years running Eurofest, which has developed
into the UK’s biggest Eurovision club night. This has given me a great contacts book for Eurovision
artists past and present, and experience in attracting big name guests. For example we were the first
UK event to feature a live performance from Eurovision winner Conchita Wurst. I am skilled in
negotiating with artists and their management, and arranging promotional and publicity work.
I promise to give OGAE backing to fan meet-ups and events across the country. There’s no reason
why a social gathering of fans in, say, Bristol or Edinburgh, shouldn’t be given OGAE support in terms
of publicity, practical, technical or financial assistance.
In my “day job” I have worked as a journalist for over ten years, covering both broadcast and online
media. I therefore am fully skilled in media relations, drafting articles and press releases and I am
confident in doing broadcast and written interviews. I also have a wide range of contacts in the
media which I would seek to use to boost OGAE UK’s profile, and to improve relations between the
fans and the broadcaster.
OGAE UK has seen a huge growth in membership in recent years, and I would be keen to make sure
that all members are kept involved and updated. I will ensure a modernisation of the OGAE UK
website, and make greater use of social media. For example, OGAE UK’s twitter account is currently
under-utilised, and I would make this a key way of communicating with members, whilst of course
not neglecting traditional forms of communication.
Outside of work – and Eurovision – I am Chair of my local housing association’s residents’ scrutiny
panel, elected by panel members. This role involves chairing meetings and advocating residents’
views to the Directors and Board members.
Hopefully my passion for Eurovision and my skills demonstrate that I would be an enthusiastic and
capable President. For me, OGAE UK has been a great way to meet new friends and share our
excitement (and occasionally frustration) for Eurovision, and I want to help continue this for new
and existing members in the months and years to come.