>that is the picture in my mind of a professional
speaker--travelling over 200 miles with a briefcase.....
I also picture the professional speaker with a wad of cash in the briefcase
for having spoken...<

Well, Valerie, I speak a lot in the UK, both as a breastfeeding supporter,
and also, recently, as a research student.  Within the UK I have not
travelled over 200 miles, but I also spoke at two workshops in Tanzania, at
the WABA Global Forum II -- a journey of many hundreds of miles!

In many cases I get a fee on the order of $150 -- and travel
expenses.  This may sound good if you have never thought about it -- esp
when the engagement is a one hour lecture, but those who do speak may agree
that, once you factor in the time getting the powerpoint *perfect*, or
printing overheads if you use them, importing pictures, re-re-re-reading
sources and references, paying for books and papers (even if you have easy
access there are photocopy charges, library fees, etc) and so on, the
follow-up calls and emails from those in the audience, plus the number of
pre-made meals you buy to feed the family instead of having time to make
pizza dough from scratch, etc etc, I would not classify any of this as
coming out with 'wads of cash'.  Sadly.

I was incredulous to learn that, when I had had an abstract accepted for an
academic conference (and students and supervisors are under pressure to do
this), I had to PAY THE CONFERENCE FEE as well as my travel expenses for the
pleasure of speaking!

In the case of the WABA conference, I paid my travel,
accommodation and conference fees.  I thought about trying to find a funding
source, but between the thought of the time it might take and the further
time it would take to make sure that I could ethically accept the money, it
did not work out as worth it for me.  When I go to a conference in the UK, I
ask the organisers where the funding is from.  If, for example, a pump
company paid for the lunch or something, I have to weigh up if I can do the
conference, speak to the trustees of my organisation, etc. to decide where
the balance of ethics and pragmatics lies.  This takes time and money in
phone calls.

I would be one of the first people to encourage Valerie to speak -- because
I think what she has to say is very important and we need to hear it, and
because over the past few years she has uncovered so much information in
this area, that she can speak authoritatively.  However, in terms of
renumeration, I think we are simply in the wrong sort of business.  Unless
it is different in other countries?

Magda Sachs
Breastfeeding Supporter, BfN, UK

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