The Black Country Eighteen Plus Group is one of over 50 groups throughout England, linked into the National Federation of 18 Plus Groups. We are a multi-activities group with the emphasis on meeting new people, and making new friends in a social atmosphere. We are self-financing, independent, democratic, and free from political and religious influences.
(Well, that's what it says on the back of the programme, anyway!!)
The group is open to anyone aged between 18 and 35 on date of joining; the only other requirements being a body, a mind, and a willingness to get involved. (And, given some of the people who've attended regularly in the past, even that's not necessary ....)
OK, that's the boring introduction over with ..... Let's PAAARRRTTTYYY!
So what do you do?
We provide the opportunity to participate in many varied events, and also offer members the chance to become involved in organising events, and developing different skills such as leadership, teamwork, and committee work.
Fine ... so what do you really do?
We meet at least once a week, and have quizzes, play strange games (often involving chocolate or jelly!), visit the cinema, go bowling, shoot each other at Laser Quest, play badminton, visit other 18 Plus groups in the area and beat them at quizzes and competitions, eat the best in international cuisine ... (well all right then, chippys in Dudley and Indian restaurants in Lye ...), and generally have the most fun you can have without taking your clothes off! [And even that depends on how much people have had to drink at Christmas parties, mentioning no names but she knows I've still got the tape ... :p]
Sounds good so far .... but how much does this all cost me?
Well ... there is no charge at all for the first week that you visit us. This gives you a chance to check us out (not the other way round!), and to let you see what we are really like - there is no substitute for seeing for yourself. For the next three weeks, subs apply I'm afraid (see below). After four visits, you will be expected to join the Federation (and let's face it, if you come for a fourth time, you must be interested ... !!). There is a currently a membership charge of £36.00 (inc. VAT) per year (£29.00 to join the federation and £7.00 that goes directly to Black Country Group and is used to subsidise group events), which allows you to visit any other 18 Plus group in the country. It also gives you cheaper admission to 18 Plus group events - dances etc - and is the *only* way to take part in the many area/national holidays and fun times - including two annual holidays at Hunstanton and Brean Sands.
There is also a small but necessary charge (subs) made at the weekly group meeting - this is to pay for the hire of the room, to allow us to have somewhere to hold the meetings!! This currently stands at £1.00.
OK, I'm interested. When and where do you meet?
Here!
We meet in the upstairs room (or sometimes the downstairs room!) of the Waggon & Horses Pub, 17a Church Street, Oldbury, B69 3AD if you are able to pinpoint the exact location through the postcode. We know a few people like that, don't we Paul T ... :p Anyway it's about as central in Oldbury Town Centre as you can get, without being in what used to be Oldbury Bus Station, or the Savacentre. It's a Brains SA pub and therefore serves a delightful selection of real ales, and if you ask the Welsh bar staff nicely enough they might even make you a sandwich long after food's stopped being served (cheers guys - it's a long, cold, dark way from Coventry!).
Travel information : Is actually quite simple. Oldbury stands at the junction of several main roads - the A4034 between the Hagley Road Corridor and West Bromwich/The North, the A457 to Birmingham or Dudley, and a number of important local routes to take you easily to delightful parts of the Black Country such as Langley Green and Great Bridge. The pub is opposite the lego building that passes for Sandwell Council House. If you're coming by bus, well the 404, 128, 129, 87, and lots of other buses either start/end in, or pass through Oldbury. Sandwell & Dudley station is a very short amble towards West Bromwich, and although I haven't used any, there are a coupleof local taxi firms that are happy to drive you home should you feel too uneasy about going any other way.
We meet from about 9.00pm, and have usually finished by about 10.45pm, just in time to catch the last bus home!!!
I live quite a way from the Oldbury area, and I can't drive.
What should I do?
I notice from the programme you have events on Saturdays.
What are the arrangements then?
Don't worry!!! We make a promise that we will never leave anyone stranded and not able to get home (however much they may deserve it .... !!). However, for Wednesday meetings, it is advisable to make your own arrangements, as there is no guarantee that anyone will be able to take you.
For Saturday events : Arrangements for meeting beforehand are generally made on the Wednesday before. As to getting you home afterwards, we try our damned hardest to drop you off right at your front door, even if it means going miles out of our way. If this is really not possible (and this has never happened to me!), we promise to make other arrangements (sleeping over at another member's house, for example).
I like what you do, but Oldbury is difficult for me to get to ....
No problem! There are a number of other groups in the Midlands area that you may find it easier to reach. You can find a list of them at http://www.18plus.org.uk/ma/.
Great, I'm keen. Who should I contact about more information and joining?
If you require general information about the 18 Plus group itself, then it would be best to look on the National Federation of 18 Plus Groups' Web Page, and see if that tells you what you want.
If you have liked what you've read, and wish to join us, or need some more information, or even just to ask us a question, then send an E-mail to us, and we will try to answer you promptly!! Alternatively, call the group's own mobile phone number :- + 44 (0) 7766 127697.
Alternatively, feel free to just pop along one Wednesday night. We're always looking for new members, so go on, surprise us!!
And, of course, it will be your group as much as ours. So if you have any suggestions for events and activities, then please do not hesitate to tell the committee. (Just don't mention pub crawls ... !!)
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The information contained on this and subsequent pages is correct to my knowledge as of 03 January 2005. All information contained within is, of course, subject to alteration at the discretion of the Committee, God, Mother Nature, or life in general, and may as a result be cancelled, postponed, or otherwise altered, at short notice, and replaced by something even more exciting that will blow your mind!
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