1. travel
2. tourist destinations
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Plan it!
How to plan a community
event in your park
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Hello and welcome, to this GreenSpace guide developed to help you host a community event, in a park near you! Greenspace is a charity funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund to work with community groups on a project called Park it! Park It! is a series of regional events in parks across the UK aiming to inspire communities to discover the rich heritage of their park and to celebrate their significance. Park It! completed its first year at the end of summer 2005 with 40,000 people attending the 12 nationwide events. As well as culminating in a great summer event, working on a Park it! project helps community groups develop their skills and confidence, ranging from accessing funding to building good working relations with their local authority. This document aims to provide community groups with a useful guide to the different aspects of hosting a park event. It would be impossible to cover every scenario in a document of this size, but will provide a structure to base your planning around. Through it, we hope to share with you some of the good practice GreenSpace has learnt from community groups over the past two years. Remember – hosting an event is not rocket science – don’t be put off by the thought of months of planning and worry. The key is good planning and timing. The process is logical and can be shared out between members of your group. One of the key features of groups that have hosted really good events were clear roles and responsibilities. An active event committee chair is vital to co­ordinate the overall structure of the day, however other people taking responsibility for key aspects of the day, will help share the load and keep the group motivated over the planning phase.
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Activities One of the first things to establish is what kind of event you are putting on – will it be a garden fete, a dog show, an historical fair or a music festival and funday? This will help determine a theme for your event and an activity focus. It will also require you to look at whether the space you have available will suit what you have in mind. You will also need to establish a date and time for your event. Ideally for a large event, you should give yourself six months to plan. This may seem excessive, but will only constitute six meetings if your group meets monthly. Ensure the date you choose does not clash with any other local festivities, such as major football fixtures, school fetes etc. History and heritage Activity name Activity description The Living Each park is turned into a living exhibition by having Museum historical elements highlighted. Use plaques or signs to demonstrate the historic importance of even seemingly everyday objects that park users would usually take for granted. E.g. the bandstand could have photos of past concerts and would demonstrate its historical and cultural significance. Photo Get local people to send through photos of their Exhibition local park or to provide memories of what that place means or has meant, to them or their families. History tour Tour around historic house/features within the park, informing visitors of the historic importance and relevance that the park has to the local community. Historic village Invite an historical re­enactment group along for the day to set up camp and live life in the past, e.g. medieval battle, archery display, Victorian wash day, Tudor music performance etc.
5 Archaeology digs Re­ enactments Wandering actors Storytelling Specialist groups Guided walks Farmers Markets Past , present and future Park treasure hunt Dog show These can either be for young people or adults. Mock archaeology digs in sand pits, where treasures and remains are hidden to be found, are fun for kids and lower risk to the park. True archaeology digs in sectioned areas of the park are also fun yet educational, and cater for all ages. Invite a local drama group to perform playlets that incorporate the history of the park/area. You can also ask some actors to wander round in period dress, informing park users about the history of the area. Invite children to listen to stories about local history. Invite your local history society or museum to take part in the event. Perhaps they could arrange a display. Take people around the park, highlighting the changes/improvements/features etc of the park. You could do these a number of times throughout the day. Hold a Farmer’s Market and maybe an arts and crafts market to highlight the local produce and skills in the area. Divide the park into three areas, each representing a slice of time within the same community. The past could have costumed actors, workshops and stalls on traditional methods, crafts and food. Know your park – part of an event could be an ‘informative’ treasure hunt that kids would get a form on entry and would have to get the answers about the park, or from activities/stalls on site. The completed form would enter a prize draw at end of the day. Invite local people to compete in a fun dog show. Categories could include waggiest tail, most appealing eyes, wettest nose Horticulture, nature & biodiversity Activity name ‘Landscape Detective’ or ‘Nooks & Crannies Tour’ Activity description Have a horticulturalist take tours of the park, teaching people about the different flora and fauna. This could have an environmental slant with information on why it is important to plant trees and preserve certain species of plant and animals/birds.
6 Four Seasons Re­use, Recycle, Regenerate Flower arranging show Sensory Corner Eco fest Nature trail Plantlife and garden A workshop for children focusing on the changes through the four seasons in the park to get them interested in going there all year round. The art element would get them painting using leaf skeletons, twigs etc. hence learning about nature in the park through painting. A talk about the importance of recycling and composting in your home to help the environment around you. Contact an organisation like WRAP ( www.wrap.org.uk ) or WEN (Women’s Environmental Network www.wen.org.uk ) who run recycling and composting schemes and provide information on how to go about it. Either dried or fresh ­ again using ideas from nature and getting people to be creative. Or focus on topiary and dried flower decorations for tables for every day or special occasions. Turn one part of the park into a sensory corner which tests visitor’s senses. For example, using their sense of smell to identify certain plants within the park. This could be carried out with the help of the Sensory Trust (www.sensorytrust.org.uk ). To create a totally green/eco/environmental funfair day for all the family. From the big top to crafts with recyclable materials, sustainable living exhibitions, interactive green workshops, road shows, solar powered roundabouts, scavenger/treasure hunts, saving the planet and local wildlife with flower, fruit and vegetable shows. Again, you could incorporate organic food, alternative healthy exercise, alternative medicine etc (see the links page of www.organicfood.co.uk for suitable partners). A nature trail for young and old, taking place around the park, pointing out key natural features within the park. Will encourage visitors to venture into all areas of the park. With the advent of home & garden improvement programmes, an event which would capitalise on this would be a day of stalls on planting, horticulture, homeopathic medicine, produce, garden materials, kids outdoor play equipment (including disabled) outdoor places of local interest, societies and clubs. There could also be workshops on garden design and a larger stage of Q&A’s with a ‘Gardeners Question Time’ team.
7 Planting Kits Wildlife talks and tours Petting animals To provide various groups within the local community with their own personal planting kit (bulb, trowel etc.) and designate an area of the park for the community to plant their own flower bed. Invite local Wildlife Trust (www.wildlifetrusts.org ) to give a tour of the park and deliver a talk about wildlife to be found. Invite a local city farm (www.farmgarden.org.uk ) to bring along petting animals such as rabbits, guinea pigs, lambs etc. for children to pet and observe or perform a sheep shearing demonstration. Children & young people Activity name Activity description Future Visions A competition based around artistic impressions of the park in the future. This could be run for different age groups from 6 to 16. The aim would be to design the best futuristic park , incorporating all the important elements needed to make a good park ­ activities, community interaction, aesthetic plant displays, art (sculptures, mosaics), play areas for children, quiet reflective areas for adults, sports etc. Wild flower Set up workshops to allow children to learn about work and become aware of the variety of species of plants/flowers grown within the park. Increase respect for the area and encourage participation – planting on the day and competition (best flower arrangement). Games from Organise games for children that were commonly the past played in the past. For example, Medieval or Victorian games. This may require some research. Fancy dress Organise a themed fancy dress competition for competition children.
8 Culture Activity name Activity description Live Art in the Have a display of the paintings and sculptures from Park local artists, and have them working live so people can walk around and see what they’re doing ie. clay sculpture workshop for people who want to have a go or a demonstration by a chainsaw wood sculptor. Watercolour A workshop where people are taught the basics of Challenge watercolour using a specific part of the park to view and paint from. There would then be a prize for the best at the end of the day. Perhaps have a local artist attend to judge the final entries. Dance Day An all inclusive day of dance where all ages from all backgrounds showcase, teach and learn particular forms of dance ­ from salsa workshops to break­ dancing displays, tango to Bollywood workouts. Music Mix An all inclusive event which promotes a full range of musical events, from school concerts, bands, workshops, shows, local groups, more established groups, musical instrument making from recycled waste Multicultural Could be tied in with a farmers market or organic food fair food fair or be seen as a separate entity; representatives of community showcase their traditional methods of food making with stalls and workshops. Park Screen A film/projection screen could be set up to showcase local films that have been produced by media students at local universities, disability or history groups. Check copyright restrictions. Light festival The day spent around the theme of ‘light’ from solar energy, to crops and food, to religious light, theatre, dance and art. Park Start/end the day with a procession through the procession park where participants can display their artwork. The parade can also be led by some musicians. Arts and craft Invite local arts and crafts specialists to run workshops demonstrations and workshops.
9 Sports, healthy living and alternative therapies Activity name Activity description Climbing Wall Each event could have a climbing wall positioned within the park to encourage alternative ways of participating in active living and exercise. This would also be a good focal point for the event. Extreme A series of demonstrations by local young people Sports Demo showcasing a range of extreme sports that can be done in parks. This could include skateboarding and BMX. This could be coupled with a celebration of music, art and fashion. Sports for All Invite local sports clubs to run taster sessions. You could run a variety of sports, including sports for the disabled. Sports day Like a proper ‘old school’ sports day! Could also include disability events, and alternative relaxation ‘sports’ such as tai chi or yoga. Disability Sports tournaments and taster sessions for people sports with varying disabilities, such as wheelchair basketball and handbikes. Alternative Providing visitors with a chance to try out activities therapies tent such as yoga, martial arts and tai chi, as well as massage, aromatherapy treatments, Reiki, acupuncture and reflexology.
10 Applying for funding can seem very complicated if you have never tried it before. However, while some of the funding application forms can seem daunting, in the majority of cases the funders do want to give their money to exciting projects and events. You just need to persuade them it’s ok to say ‘yes’! Many funders will help you through their application process directly – just give them a call or visit their website. However, get in touch with your local Voluntary Action Council, as they will have access to FundFinder, a database of funding opportunities, and knowledge of local pots of money you may be able to access. Some points to consider when applying to funders:
· Understand their criteria for allocating funding and ensure that you meet them and show this within your application.
· Find out from the funder how you can apply to them – it might be an application form or maybe a letter with a project outline.
· Complete all of the application and enclose any additional evidence that they request. Make sure your budgets are realistic.
· If you’re required to give details of ‘match­funding’ remember to add in an approximate financial value of volunteer time and any partners involved in the process.
· Always keep a copy of your application form and any additional documents for reference. When writing a funding application there are eight basic things that all funders want to know.
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What do you want to do?
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reasons
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How will you do it?
Who will you work with?
What will be the result?
How much will it cost?
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objectives
target group
outcomes
budget
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What will happen when the grant ends?
How will you keep track of your progress?
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exit strategy
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monitoring & evaluation You may find it useful to put aside the application form and answer each one of these questions on a separate piece of paper. This will form a good basis for your application. Some potential sources of information/funding: Big Lottery Fund www.biglotteryfund.org.uk Comic Relief www.comicrelief.com Voluntary and Community Funding www.volcomgrants.gov.uk Government Funding www.governmentfunding.org.uk Arts Council England www.artscouncil.org.uk Grants Online www.grantsonline.org.uk Association of Charitable Funds www.acf.org.uk Heritage Lottery Fund www.hlf.org.uk Awards for All www.awardsforall.org.uk Lloyds TSB Foundation www.lloydstsbfoundations.org.uk Bridge House Trust www.bridgehousegrants.org.uk Tudor Trust www.tudortrust.org.uk Congratulations! If you are lucky enough to be allocated some funding, make sure that you keep your funder up to date with how the project is going. Even if things aren’t going as planned, they may be able to help or offer advice. Ensure that you invite them to any events, launches or openings. In most cases you’ll be required to do a project report for the funder. This is where your evaluation can help. Keep accurate records of when and how you spend your grant money, as you will need to provide an audit trail for funders and your own group accountant. If you are unlucky and don’t receive funding, make sure you ask the funder for feedback. This will help with future applications. Some funders allow you to re­apply to them, so do check.
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Self Funding Community events are also a great way for your group to generate some funds of its own. Here are a few examples: Stalls – most events will have stalls of some kind. A good mixture of information stalls, demonstrations, refreshments and sale stalls are always welcomed by the public. As a group you should consider a price structure for stalls. You could:
· Charge a flat rate for stalls.
· Offer discounts or free stalls for charity/not for profit organisations.
· Offer reductions for stalls that offer demos/workshops as well as sales.
· Offer reductions on stalls that have an interactive game.
· Ask for a % of takings from stall holders that sell items or food.
· You can ask for a deposit in advance, to be certain suppliers will show up, although you may need to be able to provide this money back on the day. Tea and coffee ­ Provide refreshments and cakes at your event. These are relatively cheap to provide and are always popular. Recruitment ­ If you charge for Friend’s membership, have a volunteer recruiter at your Friends Stall on the day. You could even offer a Membership Discount for the day to entice more people. Hold a raffle ­ Prizes can be sourced from local shops and companies. Try visiting high street shop managers, with event publicity material or ‘Friends of Park’ letter. Many shops will give donations on the spot for local events, i.e. old stock, CDs, DVDs, vouchers. Be confident and friendly – and endeavour to speak to the shop manager. Sponsorship opportunities – local small business will often provide payment for an aspect of the event, if you advertise their involvement prominently in return. Think laterally – local electrical companies/building contractors/garages, not just shops, may support you, keeping your costs down. Some big high street names also like to be seen to support local projects, so tap into this. Good examples are all the supermarkets and well known DIY stores. Paid parking ­ Charge a nominal sum for parking, some of which could go towards a raffle ticket prize draw.
13 Try not to pay for things! ­ Sounds strange, but offering local bands or performers space on a stage and an audience, is often enough for them to come along for free and if they are local, they could well have a following. This won’t directly raise funds, but once a crowd is there – you can sell your raffle tickets!
14 Infrastructure Decide if you will need a marquee, a stage, fencing or extra toilets at your event and research local suppliers, comparing costs. Some suppliers may be able to do better deals if you hire add­ons from them as well, such as a marquee plus tables and chairs. Shop around, your local business telephone directory is a good place to start. You should liaise with local emergency services throughout your event development process. They will be able to advise you on safety aspects associated with co­ordinating activities on the day. Site Plan Ask your local authority for a map of the park. You can use the map to plan where you’ll put the stalls, displays, entertainment, parking, toilets and refreshments. Avoid overcrowding activities, as this may cause problems for people moving around the site. However, on large sites, avoid spreading activities too far apart as this can mean ‘atmosphere’ gets lost. Stage Most events will benefit from a Public Address system (PA) to announce information through the day. Events with stages may require a backstage area for the bands to get ready, including a changing and refreshment tent. You will probably also need an area for equipment, such as generators and amplifiers. This area will need to be fenced off from the public. If you plan to have a series of acts performing, a stage manager is a useful role to fill from your volunteers. They can co­ordinate the stage line­up prior to the event, make sure everyone knows where they need to be and oversee setting up and sound checks for performers. On the day, a compere to announce acts on stage or timed activities around the site is also a good plan. When booking acts, it’s a good idea to ask them to provide you with a short introduction to the act, for your compere to use on the day.
15 You may need to plan out a programme of activities on the day for the public. See the section on Promotion (pg 23) for more on this. Risk Assessment and Event Insurance Organisers must undertake risk assessments and manage risks. Risk assessments describe potential risks, how risky they are and what action you will take to reduce/eliminate the risk. Most are relatively straightforward, such as making sure areas of potential hazard are fenced off from the public or making sure traffic moves safely around the site. There is a good example of a community event risk assessment in the Appendix of this guide (pg 37). This will also be required as part of your insurance paperwork. If you are working in partnership with your local authority, their insurance may cover your event. This should be confirmed by them to you. If you are working independently you will need to ensure your insurance covers a public event of the kind you intend to host. Either way, suppliers will also need to provide you with individual risk assessments for their services. Collect them prior to the event and send them to your insurer and the local authority. This may all seem bureaucratic, but in the event of an accident occurring, it will be time well spent. Good basic insurance cover for events by community groups is available. Contact your local authority for suggestions. This documentation will also be required to apply for any event licenses you may need from your local authority or magistrates court (see below). Children The protection of children at events is paramount; you have a ‘statutory duty of care’ as an event organiser. Whether they are performing or audience members it is important that children are looked after and protected. Suppliers aiming services at children, such as face­painters should be CRB checked (Criminal Records Bureau). You should ensure intended suppliers have gone through this process with their staff. Children may get lost from parents and guardians. The organisers should have in place a ‘lost child’ procedure that identifies arrangements for the safe care of children until they are reunited with their parents or guardian. Ensure volunteer stewards on site are aware of this procedure.
16 Evacuation Plan In the unlikely event of there being an emergency, make sure that all stewards/volunteers are fully briefed about evacuating people. People need to be directed in a safe and calm manner to the nearest park exits. Event Licences Depending on the type of event you are planning, you may need to apply for one or more event licence, from your local authority. You may need a Temporary Event Licence; certain music events may also require a music licence. Contact your local authority for details as the law has recently changed and you don’t want to be caught out. As there is a cost involved, you will need to look at this in the early days of planning. You may also need to cover Food Hygiene Regulations if you are planning on preparing food on site. Check with your local authority Environmental Health Team. All good caterers will be able to provide you with the relevant food hygiene certification. If you are planning to sell alcohol, even via a raffle, you will need to complete an application at your local magistrate’s court. Lotteries also need to be registered with your local authority. First Aid Cover For an event of any size you should arrange first aid cover. There are no absolute guidelines on how many first aiders you should have at an event, as different activities planned will have different levels of risk. Your risk assessment should give you an idea of this and your insurer may require an ambulance be present for some activities. If in doubt, contact your local Red Cross branch who can offer advice ( www.redcross.org.uk). On small events a couple of qualified first aiders amongst your group or local authority staff could be approached. For larger events you should arrange for designated first aiders to attend. These can be arranged through your local Red Cross or St Johns (St Andrews) Ambulance (www.sja.org.uk) or local first aid training companies often offer the service. Costs do vary, but most charge around £5.00 an hour per person, with an ambulance and crew costing about £200/250 for the day. Individual first aiders will attend with a basic medical bag of supplies. You may need to provide a stall, preferably not too close to loud noise levels.
17 You will need to ensure throughout the event that key vehicle access points are kept clear in case emergency vehicles need to access the site at any time. Toilets You will need to ensure there are adequate toilet facilities for the duration of the event. This includes adequate provision for disabled users. This can mean installing temporary toilets for the event, which will need to be clean and fully serviced. This will normally be included in the cost of hire. Most parks will have limited access to mains water – so you may need to hire self contained/chemical toilets. Suppliers Depending upon your event, you will have a range of people attending on the day, either to deliver equipment, oversee an activity or set up a stall. These are your suppliers. Good suppliers will get booked up for events over the summer well in advance, so you’ll need to confirm them early as early as possible to avoid disappointment. Once you have a theme for your day, an idea of activities you’d like to see there and hopefully some funding secured, you will need to build up a list of contacts to approach and get some quotes. Some suppliers will attend for free, as they may be members of other local community groups or services. Others may be free because they plan to charge the public to take part in an activity or are selling something. Others you may need pay for, such as medieval entertainers or marquee suppliers. If you are planning on having stalls you could invite local organisations to attend, raising their profile and filling out your event with interesting bits and pieces. You will find an example of a Stall Booking Form in the Appendix (pg 41). Use contacts within your group or local community to get in touch with potential groups to invite and if possible, advertise in newsletters or flyers that are distributed locally. Once you have decided on and booked a supplier or stall holder, you should send them a confirmation letter. They will need clear information ahead of the event, to minimise questions and confusion on the day. You will find an example of a supplier’s confirmation letter in the Appendix (pg 43).
18 They will need to know details such as:
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Location of event.
Their allocated position on the day.
What time they can access the site to set up.
What time they need to clear their vehicles from the site before the event starts.
What time their activity/performance is scheduled.
Where they can park, close to the site.
Access to water/electrical supplies if applicable.
What time they can dismantle their stalls and bring vehicles back on site.
Mobile contact details for the main coordinator/s on the day.
Parking permit – if you are producing them. Suppliers may also require you to provide some equipment for them, such as a stall, table or chairs. You will be responsible for any equipment you hire or borrow on their behalf, so make sure you keep track of it and store it somewhere safe and dry. Parking This can be a problem for some event sites. Ideally you should encourage people to walk or use public transport to attend by putting these details on publicity information. If parking is available you will need to make sure vehicles travel safely around the site during the event. You may require parking stewards, either volunteers or paid. There are usually local groups that offer the service at low cost, so contact your local authority events team for suggestions. In situations of limited parking, priority needs to go to disabled people and suppliers. If people are setting up a stall before the event begins, they will not want to drive around for 20 minutes trying to find a parking space. Make sure parking information is included in the information you send to suppliers ahead of the event. You may decide to produce parking permits for the day, to distribute to suppliers and VIPs. Ensure parking stewards know what they look like and that permits are posted to suppliers with their confirmation letter.
19 Refreshments If your park is lucky enough to have a café, will they be able to cope with the extra numbers? If not, you will need to get some external refreshment suppliers in. You’ll need to consider the following:
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Check that the café is happy with you bringing in extra caterers for the day.
How much will the caterers be charging for food? If your event is supposed to attract a range of people, you don’t want them to be over­charged.
As caterers will be planning on making a profit, you could charge either a flat rate for a pitch or ask for a % of their takings. This will raise some funds for your group. You could also ask refreshment suppliers to pay a deposit in advance. This will ensure they show up on the day.
Always have somewhere people can get tea and coffee. This is a great way to raise some funds for your group, especially if you serve cakes too.
What food will the caterers serve? If your event is about how healthy parks can be, a burger van may be out of place!
If your park doesn’t have a café and you’re reluctant to invite external caterers for the day, encourage people to bring a picnic when you promote the event.
Ask refreshment suppliers to supply you with their Food Hygiene Regulations Certificate when you book them. Litter and refuse Organisers are responsible for keeping the event area clean and tidy (free of litter and refuse) while the event is taking place. The organisers are also responsible for ensuring that the area is left free of rubbish after the event. You should ensure litter pickers are on duty throughout the day and adequate support is allocated for a full clean up once the event has finished. Many hands make light work. Your local authority may supply you with litter picking equipment for the day (pickers, gloves and bags). Organisers should endeavour to have provisions in place to recycle as much of the rubbish as possible. You will need to check with the refuse collection service that they will be able to collect recycling from you.
20 Remember, organisers are responsible for the collection, storage, removal, transportation and disposal costs of all litter and refuse generated by the event. Talking to your local authority about this in advance can reduce this cost. Volunteers Ensure that you have enough people who can help on the day. You will need to help direct suppliers to their allocated pitch when they arrive, help set up, steward the event, hand out programmes, stage manage, put up signs, provide information and help clear up.
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Ensure that you hold a briefing for all volunteers the day before the event, so everybody is clear as to what they’ll be doing on the day.
Make sure they are all aware of key points – First aid, lost child, park exits.
Make sure they have mobile contact details for the event coordinator/s.
Let everybody know what time they should arrive/finish.
Make sure everybody has the chance to take a break, see some of the event and get some free refreshments.
If possible, ask volunteers to wear an identifiable item of clothing, such as a t­shirt or tabard. This will make them more visible to you and the public. A Friends Group Stall Use the day to promote the successes of your community group. Set up a stall highlighting the work you do and encouraging people to join your Friends group. Make sure you present the stall colourfully and prominently. Your stall can also double up as an Information Point about the event in general. Hold a list of contact details for suppliers there, in case someone doesn’t show up. Signs Put some laminated signs up around the park, to direct visitors to key facilities. Toilet signs being vital! If possible use recognisable symbols rather than words and leave space for directional arrows to be added using permanent markers, on site. This way you avoid ending up with useless signs with arrows pointing the wrong way. You may also wish to put some signs up from bus/train stops to direct people to the park. Remember to collect them up after the event.
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The fundamentals You can promote your event in a number of ways, but it needs to be considered in the early planning stages and not left until the end. Think about who your target audience is and what will draw them to your event. Put together a local media contact list. This is essential when tapping into the various media channels.
· Make sure you get emails, phone numbers and addresses for each contact.
· Always try to get a contact name so that your news gets straight to the relevant person. There are various sources that you can tap into to obtain these contacts.
· The local authority Press/Communications team often have a list of local media contacts that you could use.
· Your local telephone directory should have a section listing all the local media.
· Visit your local radio broadcasting house and local newspaper offices in person to find out who best to contact about your news.
· Your local Voluntary Action Council sometimes has media contact lists that you could use.
· Visit the websites of local papers, regional TV channels, radio stations etc. to find out contact details. Most websites have a ‘Contact us’ section. Press releases A press release is an article sent to different media contacts outlining the news story. It can be used to highlight an upcoming event, or describe an event that has taken place. It is normally fairly concise but with a creative style. Please see template press release in the Appendix (pg 45).
23 Email press releases are a very economical and effective way of getting your news direct to local media channels. They are free to send and more environmentally friendly than sending via the post. Remember to follow up all your press releases with a telephone call. This reminds news editors about your story, making it more likely that they’ll feature a piece on it. Local newspapers and radio stations like stories about people in the community, so it is good if you can offer photographs or an interview. Word of mouth Spread the word through friends, relatives and work colleagues. Perhaps then build up an email list so that you can update them regularly, reminding them about the event. Also, kindly ask them to pass this information to their friends and family. This is a very good way of getting the word out to the local public for free and relatively little work. Various media channels to tap into Once you have obtained a decent media contact list, make sure it reflects all the various media channels in your area. Radio and TV Local radio stations are a good way of getting free publicity to the local community. Often they will do a recorded interview/advert that can be played regularly up until the event. The radio station may also like to do a live interview broadcast the day before or on the morning of the event with you. If your local radio station has a vehicle which they can broadcast live from, this is a real opportunity to get media attention throughout the day’s event. Often radio stations and TV channels will have ‘notice board’ style programmes which advertise upcoming events and activities in the local area. Sometimes, even the weather forecaster might mention it. TV channels are often keen to feature local community activity in their regional news bulletins. For example, BBC South Today or the Community Channel. Written and online media Local free newspapers feature community news and events and are often happy to include an editorial for free. You can also pay for an advert to be included in newspapers/newsletters.
24 Put information about your event onto your website (if you have one) and any other relevant websites, such as your local authority and Park Events Online (www.parkevents.co.uk). National awareness campaigns, such as ‘Love Parks Week’ will help to promote your event online and in published materials. For more information, visit www.loveparks.org.uk. Printed marketing materials One of the most effective ways to catch the public’s attention is through the production and distribution of marketing materials. In terms of creating printed materials you need to be aware of:
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What you want to say.
What formats you want to say it in.
Where you want it to be seen.
What your budget is.
How it will be distributed. But remember, there is no point in printing 25,000 flyers for an event that can only accommodate 300 visitors and where you only have 2 volunteers to hand them out. Flyers Keep the information to a minimum. Make the design bold and inspiring. Best size is either A6, A5 or DL (1/3 of A4). It doesn’t take up much room on shop counters or in a handbag, but gives you enough space to have one side for the logo and main information, and the other for the more detailed copy. Flyers come in all shapes and sizes and you should investigate which is most cost effective for you. There is no need to use colour on the back as this area is reserved for information only, it is only the front that needs to be colourful. Posters As with the design of the flyers, keep the rule of simplicity in mind when drawing up ideas for posters. The most unobtrusive size is undoubtedly A4, which you will be allowed to put up in the majority of public areas. However, for impact, consider the next sizes up which are A3, A2, A1, AO. Each of these have the benefit of being large enough to attract real attention, however not everywhere will have the space for them and they can prove costly.
25 Banners A well designed banner, strategically placed can be a really strong promotional tactic. Bright colours and a few key words can entice bored motorists or passers by. Approach your local authority to find out where you would be allowed to place some short term banners. Sizing will be determined by location; however a good size is 3m width by 1.5m height. Programmes on the day A simple programme, listing the event activities, with times and locations, is a must for all park events! An effective layout is an A4 piece of paper, folded in two to make an A5 leaflet. The front page needs to have the event title, location, date, time and organiser’s logos. The centrefold should list all activities on the day, as well as where to find the first aid point, lost children point, toilets, parking etc. On the back of the flyer it is often useful to have a map of the park, with relevant features and activities marked clearly. A really effective way to draw people into the event on the day, is to have volunteers handing out programmes at the park entrances and in the surrounding area to passers by. This informs those that didn’t know previously that an event is taking place and what they could expect to find. Distribution tips Once all the marketing materials have been printed, the next thing to think about is distribution. There are several effective ways to do this:
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Local shops, businesses, leisure centres and entertainment venues are often happy to have a bundle of flyers on their counters, or feature an A4 poster in their window.
Local museums, libraries and tourist information offices regularly have leaflet racks and notice boards advertising local events and activities.
Local newspapers are often willing to insert flyers when doing letterbox drops in the local community for a minimal cost.
Posters located in and around the park and bundles of flyers in park cafés, shops and information centres draw public attention.
Find out if you can display an outdoor banner at the venue where you are holding the event. If this is possible then display it at least a week before the event.
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Advertising with billboards on roundabouts/main roads in the local area surrounding the park are very eye­catching to those passersby stuck in rush­hour traffic. However, you will need to get permission from the local authority/private landowners beforehand in order to do this.
Despite being a slow and tedious process, handing out flyers in the town centre leading up to and on the day of your event is often a good way to let the public know the event is taking place.
Letterbox drops to residents surrounding the park is again a mundane job, but somebody has to do it! You can either employ a company that can do this for you for a fee, or if the area is covered by a local authority caretaking service, you may be able to pay them to deliver. Otherwise, you may need to enrol extra volunteers to do the job for you. Promoting your event is most effective when a variety of different approaches are taken. Ensure you allocate some of your budget to this aspect of event planning as it will be a shame to have an event that no one turns up to!
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Box of Tricks! Every event organiser has a personalised box of tricks, full of random and useful bits and pieces that can help out in a crisis on the day of an event. Don’t leave it at home! Store it at the Friends or Information stall. Include things like: Sticky tack Scissors pens Notebook and pen Sticky notes Glue Contact details for volunteers Masking / duct tape Black and coloured marker String Sticky tape Crocodile clips Contact details for suppliers Get up nice and early Suppliers should begin appearing on site in plenty of time, according to instructions you gave them previously. Ensure your event co­ ordinators have contact details from all essential suppliers on the day, so you will be able to track them down if necessary. Suppliers should follow the instructions you gave them and be parking and clearing the site appropriately, using approved parking permits if required. Before the event begins, but once suppliers have set up, you should do a final walkabout of the site, checking for potential health and safety risks, such as uncontained power cables or trip hazards. Make sure adequate signing highlights any features you are not able to mitigate against. Set up your signage for the day. Ensure toilets, First Aid Point and Information Points are easily located. You may need to put signs up around the parameter of your park, or along major pedestrian routes in the local area, to ensure people are aware the event is nearby.
29 Check the weather conditions for the day, and ensure adequate weighting or staking is available to secure fixtures and fittings in the event of inclement weather! Ensure volunteers are aware of where/how they are able to obtain refreshments at no cost. If you are planning an event with entertainment and staging, you will need to do an equipment check in advance of the start. Ensure PA systems, microphones, speakers and generators are working well and are audible where you need them to be. Ensure your Friends group has a prominent stall on the day. This will be a prime opportunity for you to recruit new members, promote your success, raise your profile and hopefully generate some money. Enjoy yourself! At the end of your event You’ll need to ensure traffic moves safely through the site, so allocate some volunteers to traffic duties if necessary. Suppliers should remove all their own gear. However you need to keep track of any equipment you have borrowed or hired for the event, so ensure people know where to take it to be stored in the short term. You should have litter pickers about all day. However at the end of the event everyone should pitch in and help clear up the site. It’s no­ one’s favourite job, but will have a positive impact with the local community and the local authority if you do a good job at the end of the day. It makes sense, as you wander around, to clear away any signage you’ve put up. Make sure you have also cleared away any advertising signage in the local area by the next day. Thank your Volunteers!!! They have given up a good deal of their weekend to help you, so make sure they know they were appreciated. Invite them to the post event evaluation meeting for their contribution. This also makes it easier to call upon them if you need volunteers again in the future.
30 Evaluating your event Evaluating your event offers a number of opportunities to:
· Reflect on what has happened.
· Hear ideas and thoughts for the future.
· Share with others anything you learnt along the way.
· Learn from your mistakes. The evaluation should include:
· Quantitative evidence (factual e.g. numbers of people attending).
· Qualitative evidence (experiences e.g. quality, feelings and opinions). When planning an event or project it is important to consider what the main reasons are for doing the event (aims) and what you’re trying to achieve (objectives). This will help you to focus your project so that you and other partners are clear about the aims, as well as helping to see whether your aims meet potential funders’ criteria. Planning this early gives you the option to evaluate throughout the project, collecting evidence when the experience is still fresh. If you evaluate throughout the project, problems arising will be sorted more quickly. Funders may require reports of how your project went. You can tell them:
· What the participants thought of it.
· What participants gained from taking part.
· Whether you met your objectives.
· How you would do things different. Once you’ve decided what you’re trying to achieve you’ll need to think about how you will measure success. Ensure you have organised this at the beginning of you project so that you can plan how you will collect evidence to prove your success.
31 Collecting data Qualitative and quantitative evidence can be collected in a variety of ways. Methods include:
· Questionnaires.
· Interviews.
· Small group discussions.
· Documentation.
· Video interviews.
· Comments boxes. It’s a good idea to take into account who you are trying to engage with and then finding a method that will appeal to those participants. You need to ensure that any method chosen is accessible and ‘user friendly’. Here are some examples of people you might like to include in your evaluation process:
· Fellow organisers.
· Event attendees.
· Partners.
· Local residents. Feedback Once the evidence has been collected you should be able to look at the data and see whether you have met your objectives. You may also discover unexpected positive and negative outcomes. This information can be shared with participants, partners and funders in a variety of ways such as a project review meeting or written report. If the project is repeated or developed in future years the evidence should be looked at again. Any actions that can enhance or improve the event should be taken. Documentation Documentation is a descriptive record of your project or event. You can record details using filming, photography, tape recordings and press cuttings. This evidence can be used to support the evaluation report process. It can also be distributed to those who took part – celebrating their contribution to the project or event.
32 The Audience To understand your audience or participants better, it is a good idea to monitor equal opportunities information about them, which could include:
· Sex
· Age
· Race
· Disability This information may help you to plan a future project or event that is more relevant to the type of audience you attracted. Data Protection If you use questionnaires and you ask for contact details then you need to think about the Data Protection Act 1998. Personal information cannot be shared with any third party unless you have permission from the people who have completed the questionnaire. They should also be informed of how this information will be used and who it will be shared with. For more information about the Data Protection Act 1998, visit www.direct.gov.uk.
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Risk Assessment Template
GREEN PARK FAYRE 2006 The City Celebrates with Park It! RISK ASSESSMENT Description of premises: Licensee Details: Joe Bloggs, The Queens Head Marquee & Public Park Person undertaking Risk Assessment: Mr A.N. Other Position: Chairperson, Friends of Green Park Premises Address/Venue Location: Date of Risk Assessment: 27 th March 2005 Green Park, Norwich, Norfolk Hazard Fire in the marquee Persons who may be harmed & How Any person in the marquee – volunteers, the public and performers. Burns, smoke inhalation & asphyxiation Identify existing Precautions Evaluate the Risks One long side of the marquee will be down – minimising likelihood of material Low to medium catching light & asphyxiation. No incendiary devices will be used in the marquee. Electricity supply to be installed by qualified electrician. Lighting suitable for the marquee supplied by the provider. Provision of two fire extinguishers – one by the performance area & one with the Friends Welfare Stall. Brief all volunteers on emergency procedures. Action Required Procure the use of two fire extinguishers. Ensure all volunteers are briefed in the use of extinguishers. Brief all volunteers on emergency evacuation procedure. 37 Hazard Slips, Trips and Falls Persons who may be harmed & How Volunteers, stallholders, visiting public, performers, passers­by. Cuts, bruises, sprains, broken bones, bumped heads. Electricity Volunteers, stallholders, visiting public, performers. Electrocution Natural Hazards Volunteers, (e.g. Water stallholders, feature/escarpme visiting public. nts/ditches) Drowning in river Wye, serious injury, broken bones. Identify existing Precautions Evaluate the Risks All temporary cabling to be at head height or covered with suitable matting provided Medium to high by qualified electricians. Marquee sited on most even section of green. All market stalls to be positioned on the green with sufficient circulation space. No access to the canoe steps leading to river. Electrical supply being provided from new outdoor consumer board on the canoe Medium centre installed by council contractors. All electrical extension leads to be made up and installed by qualified electrician to safety regulation standards. Minimal electrical equipment – PA system, fridge, water boiler, lights. All electrical equipment supplied by reputable sources or organisations. All electrical equipment to be used by trained staff. Sound engineer on duty all day to supervise use of the PA system . Green Park has some very steep escarpments leading up to Hoggs Mount Low to medium – the whole event has been staged away from this area. The rest of the escarpment leading down to the river has an impenetrable hedge to prevent accident. Action Required St John’s Ambulance with two qualified first aid practitioners on site throughout event with necessary first aid equipment. Mobile phone available for emergency calls at all times on Friends Welfare stall Safety check with electrician on morning of event. Ensure all electrical equipment is in good working order. Brief all stallholders of out of bounds area.
38 Hazard Lighting (poor visibility in dark areas, lighting to toilets areas, lighting failure etc) Persons who may be harmed & How Volunteers, stallholders, visiting public, performers. Identify existing Precautions Evaluate the Risks Event is being staged at lightest time of year with longest days and will close Low before it gets dark. Lighting is being supplied with the marquee, with extra lights for the bar gazebo. The long side Trips & slips of the marquee will be up, maximising light levels. Public toilets on the green will be open and have their own lights. Vehicular and Volunteers, One way system around the lower path of stallholders, green to ensure vehicles are not trying to Medium to high Pedestrian movements visiting public, pass each other in restricted space. All performers. vehicles to enter & exit via Castle Hill entrance – the least busy area for Serious injury, pedestrians. Mill St entrance to be open broken bones, to emergency vehicles only as this is death. deemed to be the busiest access point to the green. Stall holders instructed not to move vehicles around the green once they have set up and event is in progress with a strict 5mph speed limit. Only vehicles with permits issued by the Friends of Green Park will be allowed access. Stewards on duty at each entry point to green to monitor pedestrian & vehicular access at all times. Equipment: Users of Bouncy Please see forwarded risk assessment & Bouncy Castle Castle Public Liability from Bouncy Business. This is being run by trained staff, not by the Friends of Green Park. Structural Failure Volunteers, Marquee hired and installed by reputable ­ collapse of stallholders, public, contractor. Low marquee performers. Action Required Check all lighting before event starts. Ensure lights in toilet block are taken off time switch so they will stay on. Make temporary speed limit signs. On arrival instruct drivers of all vehicles to use their hazard lights when moving around the green. Brief stallholders to ferry their stock back to their vehicles on foot to minimise vehicle movement once music festival is underway. Ensure safety check is done by contractors before leaving site once up.
39 Hazard Persons who may be harmed & How Crowd Control Volunteers, (Crushing, affray, stallholders, access to stage visiting public, area) performers. Sewage Noise (from patrons and music entertainment) Food Contamination (including water) Identify existing Precautions Lots of space on the Green Park to allow for people to spread out. The long side of the marquee will be up allowing for freedom of movement. Gaps between café, Friends welfare and bar gazebos. Crushed, cuts, Bar will close 30mins before the event bruises, fights. finishes. Police have agreed to place the event on the beat officers’ rounds. Volunteers, Very adequate public toilet facilities – four stallholders, female toilets, one male toilet and three visiting public, urinals. As this is an outdoor event this is performers. sufficient for 500 males & 400 females. Falling in? wetting We do not anticipate having more than themselves? 900 people on site at any one time. Local residents & Event staged up on the green away from neighbours most of the residential properties. I have personally visited all of the neighbours to brief them on what is happening. The event closes at 10pm – quite early for a city centre event! Volunteers, All food being prepared off site in stallholders, premises that have been inspected to visiting public, health & safety regulations. Limited performers. range of food to be available with cool storage being provided at Castle Cliffe. Water taken from mains supply in local residents house. All food providers covered by their own insurance with their own risk assessments. Evaluate the Risks Low to medium Low Low Low Action Required Ensure police have placed the event on the beat officers’ rounds. Brief volunteer stewards to keep setting up area (backstage) clear. Roaming stewards to be briefed on keeping passage ways clear. Contact Council to ensure toilets are cleaned at the usual time and then left open with the lights on for the rest of the day. Re­visit local residents to ensure there are no concerns. Brief sound engineer to keep sound levels within acceptable range. Ask for copies of risk assessments & confirmation of public liability insurance from the caterers that will be on site. ALL OTHER ORGANISATIONS ATTENDING EVENT WILL HAVE TO PROVIDE NECESSARY RISK ASSESSMENT FOR THEIR ACITIVITY & PROOF OF PUBLIC LIABILITY INSURANCE BEFORE BEING ALLOWED TO ATTEND.
40 Friends Office Stall Booking Form Template (front)
Station Road Tonbridge Kent T6 1WS Tel XXX XXXXXXX Email ­ friends@yahoo.com Party in the Park Booking Form 1 th July 2006 Funday run by Gaywood Park Action Group backed by GreenSpace and Borough Council of Tonbridge and Kent Please tick facilities required Charity stand outside, 3m x 3m • £10 Charity stand inside, 2m x 3m (limited places) • £15 Business stand, 3m x 3m (larger negotiable)
• £25 All fees payable on booking, cheques payable to Gaywood Park Action Group. Advance booking only. Hirer Details Name of Hirer _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Address _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Telephone number _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Name of Organisation_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Type of stand (business details) _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Amount enclosed _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Signature _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Please read declaration overleaf. 41 Stall Booking Form Template (reverse)
1. Stallholders are to provide their own stall and insurance. They will be responsible for the erection and removal of their own stalls and refuse. 2. Tombola stalls must have the necessary licence to include alcohol in their prizes. 3. Applications will only be accepted on receipt of a booking form complete with site fee. 4. Gaywood Park Action Group committee and the Borough Council of Tonbridge and Kent reserve the right to refuse applications. 5. Party in The Park starts at 1 pm. Please ensure that all vehicles are removed from the site by 12 noon. Alcohol and Lotteries Guidance notes The view of the XXXXX Constabulary is that where intoxicating liquor is offered as a prize in a lottery or raffle and money is charged for a chance to participate in the lottery, the transaction constitutes a sale. Under s160 Licensing Act 1964 (as amended), it is an offence to sell liquor without holding a justices’ licence, a canteen licence or an occasional permission. Promoters of tombolas and raffles are advised to consider carefully whether the proposed tombola or raffle requires the authority of a licence or an occasional permission. In the event of doubt or concern about the legality of the tombola or raffle it is advised that promoters seek appropriate advice. Were the Police to receive a complaint about the conduct of a tombola or raffle, enquiries will be made with the promoter and action would be considered where necessary. Occasional permissions can be applied for from the licensing Justices based at the Magistrates court which covers the area in which the event is to be held. Full details about making an application for an occasional permission can be sought from the local Magistrates’ court. For this event this is:­ XXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXX Tel XXXXX If you have any further enquiries relating to lotteries for the sale of intoxicating liquor, lease contact the Police Licensing Officer on the following telephone number: Tel XXXXXXXXXXX 42 Suppliers Confirmation Letter Template
Name Organisation Address Address Town/City Postcode Friends of Castle Green Park Mill Street Hereford dd/mm/yy Dear name, Thank you for agreeing to participate at the Castle Green Midsummer Fayre event for Park It! As you probably already know the event will take place on Saturday 24 th June 2006 from 10am – 10pm at Castle Green Park, Mill Road, Hereford. Please ensure that you arrive from 8am to 9.15am. The event will start at 10am, by which time there will be no vehicle access on the site until the event is over. Your pitch has been provisionally allocated and is marked on the site map enclosed. Just a reminder, your vehicle will need to be off the site by 9.30am. We recommend you arrive via park entrance/car park, road, Hereford, postcode. You will be directed to your pitch upon arrival. You will be able to park your vehicle at Mill Street Car Park during the event. A parking permit is enclosed If you are able to distribute any flyers promoting this event, please contact me. If you need to contact the event co­ordinator on the day, please call 07123 123456. Yours sincerely, A. N. Other Event Committee Member 43 44
Press Release template
PRESS RELEASE 06.03.2006 For immediate release Snappy title First paragraph: Facts. What’s happening, where it’s happening, when it’s happening. Highlight three or four main activities that will be happening on the day that you feel will have the most media pull. Second paragraph: Context. For example: The park was chosen to represent the region to host this event as part of Park It! 2006. Third paragraph: Brief background about the event and organisers. For example: The event will be organised by Gaywood Park Action Group and the Borough Council of Tonbridge.. It is funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund as part of the national Park It! programme which is organised by GreenSpace. Fourth paragraph: Further information. For example: More details about the event and Park It! can be found at www.park­it.org.uk. ­Ends­ ­Notes to Editors­
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In this section you should include more detailed information on aspects of your event that will be of interest, but you don’t want to be in the body of your press release. For example, contact details for you or your funders, background research, facts and figures. See next point for an example –
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Park It! is a series of events taking place regionally in parks throughout the UK. Held over three years, this project is funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund (www.hlf.org.uk) and organised by GreenSpace in partnership with local community groups and local authorities. These events will inspire communities to discover the history of their parks and celebrate their significance to the local people that use them. 45 46
GreenSpace would like to thank all those who contributed towards the production of this guide. Published in 2006 by GreenSpace, Caversham Court, Church Road, Reading, RG4 7AD. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without prior permission of GreenSpace Forum Ltd. Written by Holly Rosenegk, Steven Beauchamp and Amanda Outen. Design by Finbar Mulholland. www.green­space.org.uk www.park­it.org.uk
47 ‘This document was produced by Greenspace as part
of the Park it! Programme, funded by the Heritage
Lottery Fund. It aims to provide community groups
with an effective toolkit to plan, deliver and evaluate a
community park event of their own.’
T: 0118 946 9060
E: info@green-space.org.uk