Deliveries...
almost 2 years ago – Wed, Jan 18, 2023 at 02:32:38 AM

Hi there,

Daily I am getting over 50 e-mails asking where orders are. These are mainly from our EU customers.

All I can say is that all annuals (and more)  were sent via the Royal Mail in December during a time of strikes - I have been assured by my account manager that the backlog has been cleared - so can you please be patient and hopefully your goods will arrive.

Here is an article on the BBC site - looks like we are not alone:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-64291272

Thanks for your patience.

Regards, Chris

Happy New Year!
about 2 years ago – Mon, Jan 09, 2023 at 12:41:24 PM

Hi there,

I thought I would give a quick update on where things are.

So in December, three of us here in the family out of 5 came down with illness. It felt like FLU - we were on antibiotics and it is only now I am feeling 100% better. During this time, the fog of illness helped me to make a few mistakes - seems like a good few of you got extra annuals. Please keep these as a gesture, and give to retro friends that might appreciate them.

Looks like in some cases packages went to the wrong country. I sent all of the packages via Royal Mail. So mentions of Deutsche Post in some cases is a little worrying. If you are still waiting on something as it has gone to the wrong country - please send me an e-mail: [email protected]. Just to this E-mail - nowhere else.

On the morning of 3rd January Roger Kean, my very good friend and founder of Newsfield Publications and creator of CRASH and ZZAP!, died. Since then I have been trying to get my head straight. I went to see him on the 31st Dec to say goodbye. The funeral will be sometime soon, no date as of yet. But as you can imagine, this has been quite an upsetting time.

O/s Perks

Games : The Hair game has gone into production. Stefan has said he needs a couple more weeks for his adventure game as he got COVID before XMAS and was quite ill.

Mouse Mats and coasters - I have them here as of today and will send them out.

Mugs - Should have them in next couple of weeks, and then send out.

Signed frames - I am on this. A lot have been sent out. The remaining ones this week hopefully.

Binders - I have had to order more CRASH binders as the demand was high. I have sent out a lot of each so far, there are some more to send that I will do this week.

Additional books - will look to send these out tomorrow.

O/s items - I will get to them ASAP.

So in summary, there has been a huge amount to send out and items are coming into stock at different times. I am sending stuff out as I get it, to ensure you get it as quickly as possible. I appreciate for EU countries that this could cause some pain but I am declaring VAT on all items sent - in some cases for these items now I am also covering postage. 

I am getting a LOT of e-mails asking where stuff is - please be patient, I will send them on as soon as I get them. The aim before XMAS was to get the Annuals out - with A4 and A5 over 4,500 books went out.

And to add to these challenges - our postal system really did stink in December - out of 20 odd working days they went on strike for at least 6 of them. There is still a backlog they are working through as a result.

So - by the end of this month, I hope most if not all perks will have gone out. 

Cheers, Chris.

Roger Kean and MND
about 2 years ago – Sat, Dec 17, 2022 at 02:20:12 AM

Hi there,

In a year that has taken Oli away from us, let's take a moment to think about Roger.

He saw his mum for the first time in 2 years this morning - she is 99 years young. I have never met her personally, but we have chatted on Skype when I have visited Oli and Rog in the past. Sylvia buried her husband who died of MND when he was just in his 60s. She is now witnessing her son with the same illness.

This picture brought a few tears to my eyes.

I love Rog to bits, and it is horrible seeing him go through this. I went to see him just over a week ago, and the machines around him to keep him going is now quite staggering. When Rog was struggling to breathe, Vicky, the lovely carer, was calm whilst using a suction machine, then a steroid machine, then an Oxygen machine just to keep Roger with us, all the while telling him to relax. It was hugely upsetting to witness and I honestly cannot remember driving home as my emotions were all over the place.

We do have a Fusion Retro Books Just Giving Page for the MND Association - I appreciate times are difficult at the moment, but I guess all contributions help. All I can say is that MND is horrible and research for some kind of cure for this is just as important as cancer. The page is here: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/zzap642021

Have a wonderful XMAS and thanks for all your support this last year!

Thanks, Chris

Still packing.....
about 2 years ago – Wed, Dec 14, 2022 at 05:36:42 AM

Hi there,

Just a quick update to say all A5 Annuals I have backer details for are now sent (still 60 odd of you to fill in the survey still!) in the postal system.

I have sent out ALL Xmas CRASH tapes - looks like they are starting to arrive in the UK today.

I have started to send out the remaining OIi signed prints - they should all be in the postal system by end of tomorrow.

I will look to get the Malcolm Evans ones out as well - I have sent some!

I will send out those who purchased the A4 Annuals through Backerkit tomorrow.

All VHS tapes are in the postal system also.

I will keep going sending stuff out until the 22nd December - we have strikes here then, and then I am off until the New Year. I must stress - the postal system in the UK is creaking at the moment - so PLEASE be patient!

I hope you like the items you have received so far!! 

Cheers, Chris

Lots going on....
about 2 years ago – Fri, Dec 02, 2022 at 11:54:59 AM

Hi there,

So CRASH Live has come and gone - and the feedback has been brilliant. Nearly 600 CRASH and Spectrum fans enjoying a day of Sinclair fun.

So back to the packing, oh and 2 days of Royal Mail strike again here in the UK. Postage is back to normal again tomorrow.

Looks like my old eyes have packed a few Amtix instead of Amiga annuals. Do not worry, where I have made some mistakes I will sort. Also, Backerkit keeps track of everything - if you have ordered 6 books, and only have 2 so far, you will get the other 4 shortly.

The A4 Annuals came back today!! I will start packing these tomorrow.

In the mean time, I have received the VHS Tapes - The Newsfield Years. We played this at the event in the evening of the event and I am sure it brought a few tears. These will go out to backers tomorrow. If you would like one (there are 20 left), take a look here: https://fusionretromerchandise.com/products/the-newsfield-years

I have also received the CRASH Xmas tape - we have gone the extra mile with this one! There is even snow on the tape....these will go out tomorrow.

We have around 25 left so if you would like one - https://fusionretromerchandise.com/products/crash-xmas-tape

Cheers, Chris