Andre Rieu South Australia Friendship Group
On behalf of the South Australian André Rieu Friendship Group, Rob and I
wish the extended Rieu family and all AR fans world wide, a very happy 2010.
This is a message specifically to Kerstin and the office staff of Rieu
Productions.
It is with disappointment that I have to again report that Margaret
Sims, a member of our Friendship Group, has received no information or
confirmation from the office of Rieu Productions regarding the receipt
of the tapestry, she sent through FedEx at the beginning of November.
Mrs Sims paid over $A700 to have this beautiful tapestry handmade and
was thrilled when she was given the opportunity to hand it over
personally to André, an arrangement made through Kerstin, at the After
Show party in Adelaide on October 26. Once André opened this gift, it
was passed over to Kerstin for safe keeping and to see to it's return to
their hotel that evening.
Unfortunately, the tapestry never made it to the hotel and was found in
a back room of the Entertainment Centre by cleaners a few days later and
subsequently returned to Margaret.
Margaret was both angry and disappointed by this, as one can imagine and
has spent some time, with the help from the staff of the Entertainment
Centre, to finally get in touch with Maastricht and eventually Kerstin
rang Mrs Sims and arrangements were made to send the tapestry to the
Maastricht office by FedEx. This was done by Margaret at a further cost
to her of $A110 and all she asked in return was recognition by someone,
preferably André, although she didn't really expect that, even Kerstin,
anyone from Maastricht. This has NOT happened.
Mrs Sims was given a contact phone number for Maastricht, which she has
been ringing on a twice daily basis and only gets a recorded message. In
frustration, she once again contacted the Entertainment Centre, who
confirmed the phone no. they had was the same she has been ringing. Once
again, as each recorded message runs, extra cost for these calls are
going onto her telephone bill.
Today, as a last resort, she contacted FedEx, to see if they could
provide her with any information, in particular, whether it had in fact
reached it's destination. After first ringing and speaking to a person
with very little English, she managed to get enough information through
to him as to what her quest was and wanted someone in authority to ring
her back.
I'm glad to say that at least one place of business is prompt and
helpful, as she was phoned back within the hour and the person to whom
she spoke, traced the parcel for her. At least Margaret now has the
peace of mind knowing that her tapestry was received at the Maastricht
office on DECEMBER 12 2009 and it was signed for by M GILLISSEN.
What Margaret Sims doesn't have is the satisfaction of knowing that it
was passed on to either André or any of his family. As was the case in
Adelaide, has it been put in some corner with a pile of other fan mail
and forgotten?
In Melbourne last year, a consortium of fans had an opal brooch made for
André and it was presented to him after one of the concerts in that
city. André acknowledged the receipt of this brooch on Twitter.
Yet a 79 year old widow, in Adelaide, has gone to all this trouble, at
considerable expense to no-one but herself and she has been treated in
such a shabby and totally unprofessional and in my opinion, disgraceful way.
Come on AR Productions/Management. All that is asked of you is that you
have the decency to acknowledge this woman. Either send me an email on
Lyndallf@team-bundy.com and/or write to Mrs Sims, a letter of thanks.
Not only has she gone to the time and expense to have the tapestry done,
she also paid the $1500 for last year's After Show party and has done so
again this year.
Surely we, the fans, deserve better treatment than this. We know that
normally letters and parcels sent to Maastricht are never answered or
acknowledged, but this is a different and much more unique situation.
Lyndall Freeman
President
Sth Australian André Rieu Friendship Group
Hello Lyndall,
I am very dissapointed to hear that Margaret has not heard from anyone in the Anre Rieu camp.....this lovely lady has gone overboard to make sure that the tapestry got to Maastricht and to Andre...I feel so sorry for her and can understand that she is angry........so am I angry Margaret and I am hoping that you wil hear soon.....please keep us updated Lyndall.
A gift like this deserves some acknowledgement preferably by Andre himself seeing that it was mislaid in the first place.........I realise that he gets lots of gifts from fans but this one was, I thought,very special
Joy
Hi Lyndall,
Glad to hear that 2010 is a lot better for you than last year. I think that we should make a pact that if either of us start to feel the slightest bit unwell this year we should race for the nearest Andre DVD.
Anyway enough of all that and down to a much more pleasant train of discussion. Either in the last week of Jan or the first week of Feb we will hold the very first Geelong Andre Rieu Friendship Group. I can hardly wait to get started!!!
Geelong is about an hour outside of Melbourne in Victoria so anyone who is interested in joining our fledgling group will be welcomed with open arms.
Come one come all so if you are down our way just think you can talk about Andre to your hearts content.
Anyone who is interested can contact me on day61break@hotmail.com the more the merrier lets show Andre that Geelong loves ANDRE, JSO (AND FRANCO) as much as anywhere else!! VIVA LA ANDRE!!!!!!!
cheRIEU
JILL GEELONG VICTORIA AUSTRALIA