Its Only Rock and Royal : The Greater London Council festivals

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scans courtesy Tony Farrell

Festival Welfare Services

Field Workers report
Estimates of attendance 20- 25,000

FWS was involved in the planning stages of this free concert to be held at Crystal Palace on Royal Wedding Day. The concert was being co promoted by the GLC, and as they had produced their own guidelines on festivals, it was to be expected that good facilities would be provided.

Crystal Palace has been the venue of many open air rock concerts and the staff there are experienced in dealing with these events, although this was slightly different in being a free event. FWS agreed to provide a mixed welfare team to run an information service, with representatives from Release. The Samaritans were invited to provide a "quiet" tent for counselling and St John Ambulance would set up a medical centre to deal with any first aid problems.

For the information service, FWS had details of local transport facilities from British Rail and London Transport; local facilities, such as telephones; the stage running order; details of events in the kids area; and other services on site. We had taken our own tent and the Park supplied tables and chairs for us. They also provided us with maps of the park and surrounding area, a large "INFO" sign and a noticeboard for people to put up messages for friends throughout the day. There were very few people who had "lost" their friends and lost children were looked after in the kids area. The Info point dealt with a flow of enquiries during the afternoon, but none of them were serious problems.

Apart from bands on the main stage, there were theatre groups performing around the site and fine children’s entertainment and inflatables in the kids area. Families obviously really enjoyed themselves as there was entertainment for everyone. It was a good day weather wise and the atmosphere in the park was very pleasant, No alcohol or bottles and cans were allowed onto the site, but as it was a free festival, people could drift in and out of the park during the day, and could get refreshments outside. There was a wide range of ages in the audience, including many families and local people. We received many comments at the Info point on what a good event it was and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves. There was only one slight incident when some young troublemakers were chased out of the site.

We received only one complaint from someone who thought there should have been more wholefood caterers on site. There was quite a good selection of food at reasonable prices. There was one stand serving hot vegetarian food and they were busy all day. Other facilities on site were good. There were plenty of toilets and drinking water supply. There were containers for rubbish around the site and at the end of the event we distributed plastic rubbish sacks from the Info point for volunteers to help clean up the site.

The Parks staff were very helpful and gave us lots of assistance. We had a very good working relationship also with.the GLC and the promoter's staff and it will be a pleasure to work with them again at any other festivals.

Penny Mellor . Field Worker.