posted 09-28-2013 04:40 AM               

The dinner has sold out already and with two weeks to go the lecture is likely to be a sell out too.

posted 10-12-2013 09:00 PM               

All I can say is that if anyone has never been to the Pontefract 'shows' they do NOT know what they are missing!

Pontefract (in my opinion) is the best astronaut event on the planet! For £70 I and my two grandchilden (who were free because they are under 10) had a photo with Capt. Bean and three autographs signed! My grandchildren may not appreciate this at the moment but will one day realise how lucky they were to have met an Apollo astronaut who stood on the moon!

posted 10-13-2013 05:49 AM               

Other welcome highlights were the late arrival of the expectant grandfather (we all hope the newest family addition has been safely delivered); the knowledge that 'our Rick' has gone into the removal business - tables a speciality; the fact that moonwalkers are exempt from silencing mobile phones; that Robbie showed true Scottish decorum by sitting with his knees together in the front row; and finally, that the British have still not mastered the difference between a line and a queue.

posted 10-13-2013 11:00 AM            

He signed my 'Life Magazine' for me - which I am really really pleased about. It's turned a historical curio into something I will treasure.

I thought the autograph signing was much better this time too - I felt sorry for people at the back having to wait their turn, but it was much more civilised and orderly.

posted 10-13-2013 01:27 PM               

On this occasion I was at the Wakefield Girls High School to meet Apollo/Skylab astronaut and renowned artist Captain Alan Bean.

Upon his arrival Captain Bean was met by the head teacher and a genuine and spontaneous cheer from the ranks of pupils massed in the entrance hall. After the usual formalities in the staff room Alan proceeded to the assembly hall where he presented an illustrated talk on his life and experiences. He focused very much on family, the importance of team work and that "we humans live in the Garden of Eden."

Just at that moment... as if to emphasize the point two butterflies found their way in to the hall and fluttered around Alan, the stage and then the audience; a profound and salient moment not lost on Alan or the audience.

As I was to later discover the audience found the themes of the talk inspirational; a cliché all too often bandied around these days but particularly refreshing given the age of an audience perhaps jaded by "popular culture" and sceptical of "old fashioned" values.

Dinner at the The Wentbridge House Hotel later that same evening was a sell-out. 130 guests mingled in the bar or posed with Alan for professional photos before making their way to the dining room. Captain Bean was introduced by Science enthusiast and comedienne Helen Keen and following a standing ovation gave a short talk before inviting guests to enjoy the meal. A raffle, a signing and an auction rounded off an excellent evening.

Saturday brought Captain Bean to Carleton Community High School for the early evening public lecture. The professional photographers were on hand once more and judging by the size of the queue and the mountain of photos I laid out on tables for collection there can't have been many who did NOT have their picture taken with Captain Bean.

To everybody's delight the illustrated lecture overran by around 25 minutes and the topics covered naturally were pretty much the same as those presented to the school children the previous day. But having witnessed both there was an added poignancy to the public talk. Alan Bean can be a funny guy... and he was the same at Carleton but he also touched on his relationship with Pete Conrad and how it changed him as a person and a team member in such a way that spontaneous applause broke out at one point.

Like the dinner, the lecture theatre was a sell-out. Naturally, everybody wanted an autograph and Captain Bean was more than happy to oblige. The numbers were such that the audience needed to queue in an orderly fashion one row at a time; "marshalls" were deployed to insure that remained the case for the duration of the evening while Andrew McDermott (aka OWL) facilitated the signing in his usual calm and charming fashion, advising on pen choice and steering items to Captain Bean to sign.

We reassured everybody they would get their signature and that Captains Bean's methodical signature meant the last would be just as good as the first. And so it proved

Yes, it meant those at the back of the theatre had to wait but they did so while seated and I... as one of the "marshalls" found the audience — without exception good natured, understanding and patient. Everybody I spoke with was delighted with the lecture and hungry for more in the future. The signing took around 90 minutes; less than for previous events despite more people in attendance.

I remember in particular a doctor I spoke with while he waited his turn at the very back of the theatre. He told me his daughter and several of her friends had been at the school lecture the previous day in Wakefield. In his words, when they came home that evening "they were buzzing and talking about Captain Bean's lecture". They HAD been inspired by the event which in turn inspired him to buy one of the remaining tickets. He was delighted that he had.

Every time I go to one of Ken Willoughby's events I think it better than the last. This was no exception only on this occasion there was plenty of evidence to suggest many others had come to the same conclusion.

Ken is working on the next, hopefully for the spring though plans are at a VERY early stage. I do not know who Ken has in mind but I will be sure to post here just as soon as I do.

Meeting astronauts is great fun but the event is all the more enjoyable for the company I share these experiences with. It was great to meet so many friends and cS members over the two days; too many to mention by name in all honesty. But I seemed to gravitate to Andy Green and Paul Barrier (aka CRASH), which suggests they were less sick of the site of me than others and I must thank Ken Willoughby in particular for affording me the opportunity to cover the event... despite his poor taste in football teams!

Roll on 2014.

posted 10-14-2013 04:44 AM               

Naturally, the baby girl was named after the event; "Intrepid, Beano". Has a certain ring don't you think?

posted 10-14-2013 02:14 PM               

My compliments for a very smooth operation!

It was great to hear Alan Bean talk about his experience and I really liked the way he used a number of his paintings in his narrative. The real deal is a bit above my budget but to have him talk and explain about his artwork is almost as good!

posted 10-15-2013 03:40 AM               

Ken has also asked me to point out that he has a small quantity (about half a dozen or so) of identical signed prints remaining.

I don't know what Ken is asking for them but safe to say... a fraction of the price that the eBay joker is asking and I suspect, less than Alan Bean's base fee at any forthcoming autograph event.

posted 10-23-2013 07:11 PM               

I was just too giddy on the day, plucked up the courage to ask him to sign my arm thinking he'd just say no. But to my utter delight was happy to oblige. I told him I was getting it tattooed (which I did) and now I have a constant memory of that day, especially when people ask about it and I tell them all about him (hahahaa) anyways, I cant wait for the next time.

posted 10-23-2013 08:39 PM               

quote:

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Originally posted by Laura Price:
I told him I was getting it tattooed (which I did)....

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posted 10-24-2013 01:55 PM               

I was standing there watching as Al was signing your arm and he definitely seemed to be taking a great deal of pleasure out of his job. I don't think he had heard a request like yours before.