HELP! East Anglia (Norfolk) people, please read!

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Lolo

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This is a bit of a long shot, but hopefully worth a punt.

Carousel Riding Club had to cancel their ODE at Burnham Market last year due to a lack of volunteers, and a lot of people were left disappointed. It's a brilliant event, run round the BE track a week after the BE event and we're always inundated with entries. We had lots of complaints and grumbles about this cancellation and lots of people said they'd definitely help if they'd known.

However, we're in the same situation again. If anyone can offer any time on the 23rd September, that would be brilliant. You get lots of cake (made by my mum, cake-maker extraordinaire) and coffee/ tea, a lovely lunch and ample opportunity for loo-breaks. Everyone is friendly and there to have a good day.

If you're competing, but can spare an hour or 2 after you're finished that would be good. Or if you just want to do half a day, that's good too. We need pole-picker-uppers, starters, fence judges, scorers, stewards... The day won't be long, as mum limits entries to about 100 people as we have horses we need to get home to as well!

PLEASE comment here if you can offer any time at all.

Thank you ever so much,
Lottie
 
Bump... I know there were enough Norfolk people on here to make an 83-post thread so I'd like you all to see it :)
 
I would help but I think I will be working that day. Just wanted to keep this bumped up for you. I saw it posted on one of the facebook groups too, good luck finding people!
 
The trouble we've found is that we need 60 helpers for an ODE, so that's virtually all our entries. Most BE events don't offer anything round here, and yet get plenty of offers.

In my own view (away from the club, I'm only posting this as my mum is secretary and organising this ODE) I feel that this club does enough for it's members. It offers the cheapest entries at shows run every 3-4 weeks with registered course builders, listed judges (both showing at dressage) and at a very good venue. There's always a good photographer present. There used to be discounted training with well-known trainers in the area. Anyone can do teams of they want to, and there's something for everyone. Yet no one can be arsed to help out. Ever. Not putting up jumps/ away arenas or fence judging. It stinks, quite frankly, and I'm sick of the attitude you need to get something for free for doing what should be something you're happy to do as thanks.

Rant over!
 
YP might be heading that way to compete....

If we do go and I have a bit of spare time after I can do some pole picking if your still desperate, would offer a parent but they would need far to much supervision for it to be worth while :cool:
 
dafthoss, give us ideal times for you on FB and we'll see what we can do with that and may just see if we can use you as arena party whilst you're waiting to pick up your red rosette :D
 
I would offer but I have people coming over to the Newmarket open day that we have tickets for. I know how hard it is to find people as for 10 years I used to organise all the cross country volunteers, make pack lunches etc. for Isleham Horse Trials, do the accounts and sort out the overnight stabling. Most of these people were booked before Xmas for the early March event, it's a nightmare and I don't envy your Mum and as Burnham Market is a fair way up country in Norfolk it's not easy to find local help. Good Luck
 
Thank you! It's such hard work (and her last year, after a very long 'sentence'- I think 8 years, on top of nearly full time hours and 3 children and 2 horses to look after!) and an uphill struggle.
 
Will do, need to check with the taxi service that they dont mind taking us that far but will happily do some pole picking whilst waiting for scores. I think it was one of the pencilled in ones to really try crack the xc befrore the end of this year, but if tonight was any thing to go by we might need breaks not go...
 
mister-merlin said:
I may be available, am just registering interest right now but if I'm free I will let you know ASAP :)
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That would be brilliant if you could let us know, thank you so much for even considering it :)

kerilli said:
really sorry, already spoken for that weekend, but will tweet it if you like?
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Please may you? Would be very helpful- I'm not a twitterer, and get so confused by it! Would it be possible not to use this thread though- think me ranting about how blooming annoying members can be wouldn't do me any favours locally...
 
Diary says yes. If you PM me i'll send some real world contact details.

I'll also repost in my Uni riding club and see if I can fill any more of the seats in my car with vaguely competant people (no promises made).
 
Having sat in a car all day for fence judgeing,dressage wrote etc for RC/PC I think asking for general help is a bit off putting. I would sit down and write how many people you need and how you can divide the jobs and how long they need to do them as not everyone wants to commit for a whole day but may do a morning or afternoon or a couple of hours collecting ring, dressage writing. Then do the equivalaint of a event wedding list and post it on facebook.
I once turned up at RC to help having been told they needed helpers , arrived early in the morning and was not allocted a role, waste of my time and my families weekend.
 
AnneCam said:
Diary says yes. If you PM me i'll send some real world contact details.

I'll also repost in my Uni riding club and see if I can fill any more of the seats in my car with vaguely competant people (no promises made).
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Burnttoast said:
I'm free :) Could even remember how to fence judge if pushed :D Let me know if I'm needed.
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Have messaged you both, thank you!

honetpot said:
Having sat in a car all day for fence judgeing,dressage wrote etc for RC/PC I think asking for general help is a bit off putting. I would sit down and write how many people you need and how you can divide the jobs and how long they need to do them as not everyone wants to commit for a whole day but may do a morning or afternoon or a couple of hours collecting ring, dressage writing. Then do the equivalaint of a event wedding list and post it on facebook.
I once turned up at RC to help having been told they needed helpers , arrived early in the morning and was not allocted a role, waste of my time and my families weekend.
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We tend to ask for general volunteers and then contact them individually with a list of jobs with the times that they'll be needed for as we've found that giving specific jobs before they volunteer puts people off as they feel intimidated. Once someone's registered interest we do what you've recommended :)
 
Have read PM(s) :D Will tell mum tomorrow and message you more details then about what you'll be up to if that's ok :)
 
Yep, got a few off that and about to do another broadcast off the CRC FB page... Gah. Have to say, both Al and I make sure we thank organisers because we've seen first hand how stressful this is!!
 
Lolo said:
The trouble we've found is that we need 60 helpers for an ODE, so that's virtually all our entries. Most BE events don't offer anything round here, and yet get plenty of offers.

In my own view (away from the club, I'm only posting this as my mum is secretary and organising this ODE) I feel that this club does enough for it's members. It offers the cheapest entries at shows run every 3-4 weeks with registered course builders, listed judges (both showing at dressage) and at a very good venue. There's always a good photographer present. There used to be discounted training with well-known trainers in the area. Anyone can do teams of they want to, and there's something for everyone. Yet no one can be arsed to help out. Ever. Not putting up jumps/ away arenas or fence judging. It stinks, quite frankly, and I'm sick of the attitude you need to get something for free for doing what should be something you're happy to do as thanks.
Rant over!
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Wow - thats me told ! Only a suggestion ! going back to my box.....
 
I didn't mean that aimed at you, I'm so sorry! It's because recently there's been stuff going on with that attitude and it's really got to me.
 
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