The thirty ninth annual conference of the Otterburn Society was to be like no other.
The Coronavirus pandemic that had reached Europe at the beginning of 2020 had a significant impact on the way people were able to integrate with each other.
At around the time of the annual conference, legislation was in place in the United Kingdom that restricted the number of people that were able to meet in one place to just four.
It was also not possible to avoid this legislation by travailing outside its jurisdiction as international travel was also severely restricted
Not to be discouraged, Chairman of the Otterburn Society, Randall Flack announced over the summer of 2020 that the Otterburn XXXIX conference would still be held, and that for the first time in the history of the Otterburn Society, the annual conference would be held remotely by Zoom.
Despite the obvious limitations such a medium imposes, the Chairman and the joint Treasures of the Otterburn Society worked hard to ensure that the thirty-ninth annual conference will be another to remember.
In order to make the experience as realistic as possible, the Chairman prepared and distributed Otterburn Conference Participation Kits (OCPKs) for use during the conference. These were in 3 parts. Members are invited to open parts 1 and 2 at noon GMT on 28 November 2020, immediately before the start of the conference.
There has been much speculation as to the content of the participation packs. Members are asked to participate in a poll to predict the most likely contents.
The contents of Part 3 of the conference participation pack were developed by the telexistence technologies group of the Otterburn Society. The Chairman’s Remote Satellite Lectern had been developed to enable members to enjoy some of the sights, sounds and sensations of an Otterburn Conference in real time.
Members were encouraged to unpack and configure their part 3 equipment as soon as possible. The detailed operating instructions contained within the part 3 Satellite Lectern pack described what to do. These instructions were so well written that all members managed to set up their satellite lecterns with no difficulties what so ever.
The satellite lecterns had been configured so that the Chairman could operate each lectern from the comfort of the Otterburn Society command and control centre, at o’Flack’s Irish Bar, Wylam, wherever in the world the members and their satellite lecterns were located.
Features of the remote lectern that are being provided to members are described below.
On the morning of 28 November 2020, members of the Otterburn Society settled down to enjoy the 6 hour conference by Zoom.
Chairman flack called the meeting to order by showing a video raising the notional standard over the ramparts of Otterburn Tower so signifying that members were present for their annual conference.
Presentations were very well received, the whole proceedings running from 11 am until early evening.
The OCPK supplied by the chairman included everything each member needed for enjoyment of the proceedings including: Champagne, a specially produced Otterburn pale ale, Cigars, Irish stew, , toggies, and the Chairman’s particular favorite, avocado crisps.
Before inviting presentations the Chairman invited members to participate in a quiz, first prize being a bottle of fine Irish Whisky.
Test your knowledge of all things agricultural engineering here.
Follows is a rare glimpse into an Otterburn conference proceedings, showing a member concluding his presentation.
Part 2 of the OCPK included a customary firework display.
These fireworks were detonated by each member close to his residence.
The following videos show the individual firework displays held in across the nation in the days following the Otterburn Conference:
Hampshire,
Northumberland:
Scottish borders:
The lake district:
Scottish lowlands
Central England
Gloucestershire:
Despite the pandemic, Otterburn XXXIX was a resounding success.
