When Lou volunteered at The Big Chill

Lou volunteered at last weekend’s Big Chill Festival in Herefordshire with the purpose of seeing a major outdoor public event from the inside.

 Lou said “I wanted to volunteer at the Big Chill for various reasons, the main being to get out of my comfort zone in producing typically smaller, indoor events.

On arrival to the festival I received a brief from the organising team and I was delighted to be nominated as a CAT Team Leader for the five days.. (Camping Assistant Team).

Shift activities include a range of tasks from supporting customers on arrival to the festival with moving equipment and setting up tents to providing information on arena times. Unbelievable how much collateral petite under 18 girls need for a weekend!

The overnight shift was brilliant with constant situations to resolve as the festival goers returned from the arena to their tented homes.. J some were just funny and some, more serious.

Being on radio comms taught me a few pointers on anticipating and reacting to situations on such as huge site and remembering to report minor issues rather than typically sorting it yourself as most event managers would instinctively do. Awesome acts I did see were the Chemical Brothers, Nenah Cherry (Buffalo..What..!) and Calvin Harris.

Being on “the other side” has many pros and only a few cons. I didn’t love my two man tent which although was a convenient pop up style, developing a system to get dressed without touching the roof of the tent  which was usually damp was like rhythmic gymnastics at stupid o’clock each night, bore off. The drop box toilets..lets move on.  

I love the whole experience and even patrolling fields usually led to something to sort out. The range of types of people who volunteered led to a great mix and team vibe.  

In closing, I am converted. CAT Team Leader OUT.”

 

holland alexander. Events Management, Marketing and PR. Leicester and London Studios

Cherie looks back on her time at Holland Alexander

My experience at Holland Alexander has been a journey for me, in a short space of time I feel I have been able to grow as a person. I have realised how much I have limited myself in the past due to lack of confidence. The Holland Alexander team has helped to establish my as a more competent and self assured person. They have taught me that no one is perfect and it is better to attempt the unimaginable then to bury your head in the sand. Every day I have been amazed by the level of expertise and professionalism the team possess. The sheer closeness of the team has lead to high level of productivity which is evident in the work they produce. On arrival the team welcomed me with open arms and were supportive through out the placement process. As some may understand meeting and working with people for the first time in a new environment can be daunting. However, my initial anxiety was short lived as I found myself to quickly integrate within the team. Looking back I have been fortunate to experience and get involved culturally stimulating events that have enabled me to rekindle my love for the arts. The placement has additionally given me insight into the corporate and local private sectors. The information obtained during the placement with Holland Alexander is invaluable both personally and educationally. I look forward to working with them in the future.

Cherie

Holland Alexander. Events, Marketing & PR Agency. London & Leicester