Author Topic: [LEL17] Volunteers: Who is in?  (Read 33151 times)

Fidgetbuzz

  • L sp MOON. 1st R sp MARS . At X SO sp STARS
Re: Volunteers: Who is in?
« Reply #50 on: 21 January, 2017, 09:31:28 pm »
Longer the better . the controllers are known .. there is a face book volunteers group .. not sure but go there .. and see what happens if you say i can do a bit at St Ives .. vice versa ,, get your name on the list for St Ives and see if the controller makes contact . St ives .. 1st control .. even if 1200 are passing thru over 8 hours that is 150 an hour or more than 2 a minute .. it is just manic .. but if you do turn up .. I am expecting to be there ( possibly with Mrs FB and  grandchildren FB )
I was an accountant until I discovered Audax !!

hellymedic

  • Just do it!
Re: Volunteers: Who is in?
« Reply #51 on: 21 January, 2017, 09:40:12 pm »
Sounds like it will be manic on the northbound leg and interminable on the southbound leg, when it will be open for business for almost all the second half of the duration.
Stamina needed!

dod

Re: Volunteers: Who is in?
« Reply #52 on: 21 January, 2017, 10:38:42 pm »
Sounds like it will be manic on the northbound leg and interminable on the southbound leg, when it will be open for business for almost all the second half of the duration.
Stamina needed!

That's pretty much my recollection of volunteering at St Ives last time :)

I'm guessing that since the vital work of catering, washing up and loo cleaning will be outsourced to paid professionals this time, then the volunteers will get to spend more time being the friendly faces who know what's required to help the riders, with some knowledge of what they might need depending on the state they are in.

At least that's what I'm hoping, as I have signed up as a rider :)

Fidgetbuzz

  • L sp MOON. 1st R sp MARS . At X SO sp STARS
Re: Volunteers: Who is in?
« Reply #53 on: 22 January, 2017, 10:27:49 am »
Got it in one .. the price has gone up , to buy work for the areas that are less attractive to work in for volunteers .. releasing them to have more rider contact .. better for the riders .. people they are interacting with might  understand Audax.. and making best use of vols skills ..At all southbound controls   they might  know how to provide just that little bit of special care that will help the tail end riders out of their .. " I am beaten" mind set  into  " Well I suppose I could try to get to the next control  in time and see how I felt then "

get one rider to do that .. and you will feel that your volunteering has been really worth it
I was an accountant until I discovered Audax !!

hulver

  • I am a mole and I live in a hole.
Re: Volunteers: Who is in?
« Reply #54 on: 22 January, 2017, 04:12:46 pm »
I've sent my volunteer form in, not heard anything yet, but I think things are a bit busy at the moment.  ;D

I'm looking forward to it.

Re: Volunteers: Who is in?
« Reply #55 on: 22 January, 2017, 05:00:43 pm »
The application has been sent now we wait and see.  :D
It's all about the breakfast

ElyDave

  • Royal and Ancient Polar Bear Society member 263583
Re: Volunteers: Who is in?
« Reply #56 on: 23 January, 2017, 09:18:44 pm »
I didn't know there was a form, I got e-mail. Do I need to do the form as well?
“Procrastination is the thief of time, collar him.” –Charles Dickens

hulver

  • I am a mole and I live in a hole.
Re: Volunteers: Who is in?
« Reply #57 on: 24 January, 2017, 09:55:49 am »
I didn't know there was a form, I got e-mail. Do I need to do the form as well?
I meant the form on the web site, filling that in sent me an automated email with the form details in it.

ElyDave

  • Royal and Ancient Polar Bear Society member 263583
Re: Volunteers: Who is in?
« Reply #58 on: 24 January, 2017, 10:06:36 am »
I've not filled in a form on the website either
“Procrastination is the thief of time, collar him.” –Charles Dickens

Re: Volunteers: Who is in?
« Reply #59 on: 24 January, 2017, 09:21:51 pm »
I'm sure I did fill a form in - long time ago. Can't remember all the details, but it gave options as to which controls I was willing to go to, when I was available, language skills, bike fettling abilities, etc. I think it also asked if I was an axe murderer.

Sent from my Xtouch using Tapatalk

Too many angry people - breathe & relax.

ElyDave

  • Royal and Ancient Polar Bear Society member 263583
Re: Volunteers: Who is in?
« Reply #60 on: 24 January, 2017, 09:58:34 pm »
I'm sure I did fill a form in - long time ago. Can't remember all the details, but it gave options as to which controls I was willing to go to, when I was available, language skills, bike fettling abilities, etc. I think it also asked if I was an axe murderer.

Sent from my Xtouch using Tapatalk

If that's a requirement they might not want me.

I am partial to Chianti though, and not averse to fava beans
“Procrastination is the thief of time, collar him.” –Charles Dickens

Phil W

Re: Volunteers: Who is in?
« Reply #61 on: 25 January, 2017, 12:13:36 am »

Re: Volunteers: Who is in?
« Reply #62 on: 25 January, 2017, 05:34:38 am »
If that's a requirement they might not want me.

No, they certainly want you! I think there have been some problems with the volunteer's webpage. Sylvie and I filled the same form, Sylvie received an email with all the details, I didn't. Everything was sorted out quickly by sending an email to the controller.

Volunteers: Who is in?
« Reply #63 on: 25 January, 2017, 08:42:19 am »
<snip> Everything was sorted out quickly by sending an email to the controller.
Not knowing how these things work, and never having volunteered at LEL before - I don't know if there's a potential systemic 'problem' here.
I get the sense that volunteers are being recruited by going directly to the controller/ the controllers are directly recruiting volunteers. If this is the case then can the central administration be sure all controls are equitably staffed?
Is there an organisational risk associated with not having a central register of volunteers? (I assume LEL has a risk register, and volunteers feature in it)
These also seems to be a big difference in how controllers are communicating with their volunteers- after sending my form back, I got an email telling me I was allocated to Spalding, a volunteer newsletter, but I've heard nothing from the Spalding Supremo (which isn't a problem in itself, as for me, it's a very long time away, and life goes on) whereas as controllers appear to be making contact with their helpers.
It sounds like a moan - it's not - it's just confusion.
Too many angry people - breathe & relax.

Re: Volunteers: Who is in?
« Reply #64 on: 25 January, 2017, 08:55:51 am »
If this is the case then can the central administration be sure all controls are equitably staffed?

Volunteers have the opportunity to choose on which control they will be allocated, but hopefully, some volunteers will not use this opportunity and go where they are mostly needed. In 2013, we were on the rider side, but we saw some volunteers serving at more than one control, so I suppose that controls that were tight on volunteers later in the ride called for volunteers from controls that were about to close. 

Re: Volunteers: Who is in?
« Reply #65 on: 25 January, 2017, 09:30:41 am »
I had been hoping to ride LEL this year but after a lot of dithering I finally decided not to try for a place last Friday as my home circumstances would have made committing to the level of training I would want to do completely inappropriate and massively selfish.

I have filled in the volunteer form on the site with the hope that this will help me secure a place in the 2021 edition.  Happy tpo go anywhere and do anything

Phil W

Re: Volunteers: Who is in?
« Reply #66 on: 25 January, 2017, 10:11:01 am »
If that's a requirement they might not want me.

No, they certainly want you! I think there have been some problems with the volunteer's webpage. Sylvie and I filled the same form, Sylvie received an email with all the details, I didn't. Everything was sorted out quickly by sending an email to the controller.

Could be all sorts of reasons, mistyped email address, went in your spam folder, your email servers dumped it. If you can message me your real name I can take look to see if we have you. If you know roughly when you submitted it that can help. Can you also let me know which language version of the volunteer form you used - French, English etc. ?   We store all volunteer form submissions in the website database, so if we have you I'll be able find your entry.

There are controllers meetings but Danial also likes to have his central register of volunteers. Some volunteers are moved between controls as the bulge of the rider field moves. So it's not always a case of a control has all its volunteers for the entire period of the event.


Re: Volunteers: Who is in?
« Reply #67 on: 25 January, 2017, 11:20:29 am »
PM sent

Phil W

Re: Volunteers: Who is in?
« Reply #68 on: 25 January, 2017, 12:15:40 pm »
PM sent

PM sent back in response, I found your volunteer entry.

ElyDave

  • Royal and Ancient Polar Bear Society member 263583
Re: Volunteers: Who is in?
« Reply #69 on: 25 January, 2017, 01:58:15 pm »
Sent you a PM, filled the form in today
“Procrastination is the thief of time, collar him.” –Charles Dickens

Phil W

Re: Volunteers: Who is in?
« Reply #70 on: 25 January, 2017, 08:26:02 pm »
Sent you a PM, filled the form in today

 :thumbsup:

Re: Volunteers: Who is in?
« Reply #71 on: 28 January, 2017, 07:07:55 pm »
I have been allocated to Spalding, and I plan on being there for the duration.
Only those that dare to go too far, know how far they can go.   T S Elliot

Re: Volunteers: Who is in?
« Reply #72 on: 28 January, 2017, 07:13:52 pm »
I have been allocated to Spalding, and I plan on being there for the duration.
We will meet!


Sent from my brain to my iPad using my fingers and Tapatalk
Too many angry people - breathe & relax.

Gattopardo

  • Lord of the sith
  • Overseaing the building of the death star
Re: Volunteers: Who is in?
« Reply #73 on: 28 January, 2017, 07:15:19 pm »
No idea where I will be.

Phil W

Re: Volunteers: Who is in?
« Reply #74 on: 28 January, 2017, 09:18:03 pm »
No idea where I will be.

In the thick of it no doubt