Organiser

Overview

For Saturday Series, the Organiser does not have to worry about a budget, publicity, or BO submissions. Forest matters are the responsibility of the planner, and the SI team handles computing and the results. The task of the Organiser is mainly about managing helpers and equipment. Permissions will usually have been obtained in advance, but you may need to liaise with landowners / the local cafe / other users of the area.

2 months ahead

Make sure you have discussed with the Events Coordinator the general shape of the event - area to be used, status of permissions, potential parking / event centre, any constraints. We used to formally document all this, the headings on this example may help you ask the right questions.

To Organise a Level D/Local event, you *must* have completed the British Orienteering Event Safety eLearning course.  This is available at https://www.britishorienteering.org.uk/elearning.  You can get the small enrolment fee reimbursed by the Treasurer by providing to them proof of enrolment. British Orienteering now also offer an Introduction to Organising course, again reimbursable. Whether you've done that or not, if you're an inexperienced organiser, your Controller will help as much as you need.

Draft a risk assessment

The latest form is on the BO website, currently under Get Involved > Organising and Planning Events > Resource Library.

This exercise is much less daunting than the name implies. The key is to look through the table of possible risks at the end of the form. Here is an example which includes that table. Consult the planner if you are uncertain about the hazards in the area.

You will usually get last time's risk assessment from the Events Coordinator. It may also have been sent to the landowner if their procedures require it.  When updating, ensure the following are included:

• Location (and any access instructions) of nearest defibrillator, if available.

• If considered necessary, a plan for casualty evacuation from the terrain and access for emergency vehicles.

Send it to the Planner and Controller for their comments. The Controller needs to explicitly agree it. It is best if you keep the risk assessment updated as you go through, reflecting any decisions you and the team have made e.g. about road crossings.

Visit the site

ideally with the planner to plan layout and helper requirements:

• parking

• registration/download

• road signs, signs to registration, to toilets, to start, from finish, as needed

• road crossings

Consider everything from the point of view of a newcomer who has never been to an orienteering event before.

Make contact with the area ‘point of contact’ 

Each area has a member of the club assigned as the ‘point of contact’ with the landowner. If you do not know who the Point of Contact is, refer back to the Events Coordinator.

That Point of Contact should be able to confirm access on the day, to site and any buildings / toilets. If not they may have to contact the landowner.

Confirm any payments required with the area Point of Contact. This is one of the few points where you need to worry about budget - if in doubt check back with Treasurer that the costs are acceptable. For Saturday Series, entry prices are set for the season by the Committee. The current policy is to roughly break even over the year, but not necessarily for each event.

Check the club website

Throughout the leadup to the event, make sure that what the website says about the event is what you think will happen! If you have any updates send them to the webmaster.

1 month ahead

Check SportIdent arrangements

Check if the SportIdent Co-ordinator will be the SI team leader on the day. If not available, the SI Coordinator or the Events Coordinator will find a substitute for you.

Confirm with the entries coordinator when you would like the event to open on SI Entries (aim is for immediately after the previous Saturday event).

2 weeks ahead

Call for helpers

Use the shift plan to work out numbers.

Ask for volunteers using the Club's email distribution list at happyherts@groups.io, but note that you must send it from the email address you joined the group through. Here is a sample email.  Remind potential volunteers of the club's expenses policy as helpers are entitled to claim for out-of-pocket expenses.

Once you get replies put names to the plan and email it to everyone. Ask for confirmation of receipt . Be sure to assign people to a suitable role for them. Make sure there is a first aider within reasonable reach of the event centre at all times, although they may be doing another job. Finish is a good job, because that is where casualties most likely present.

You can direct the main helpers here for guidance on their roles.

Read the Club's data privacy statement, and don't retain personal data about helpers after the event.

Complete the risk assessment

Make final changes to Risk Assessment. Get agreement from the Planner and get it signed off by the Controller.  

Make at least two copies to be easily available on the day.  Make sure one is in an obvious place such as with download team, you can keep the other (on your phone?).

Arrange equipment transport

Equipment must be collected from the Equipment Officer. With tables, you will need at least a good-sized hatchback. If your car isn't big enough to take the kit home and then to the event on the day with your family, find a volunteer with a bigger car from your helper list.

Kites are now held with the NLSIC kit, so the organiser doesn't need to do anything with them.

1 week ahead

Main equipment

Ensure equipment is collected. The Equipment Officer will discuss with you what you want. One that varies a lot between events is signage.

• for Registration / Dibber collection : large table, loan compasses, hand sanitiser

• for Greeter: flyers, "join us" business cards

• for SI team : large table(s) plus tent if not based indoors, hand sanitiser

• signage: signs, mallets, supply of red/white tape

• for Start: feather, clock and stand, tapes/pegs for box, 5 map boxes (one per course), hand sanitiser

• for Finish: feather

• first aid kit, and on more remote areas a big rucksack with full sleeping bag etc.  PPE for first aiders should include gloves, mask and preferably aprons. Disposable gloves available for volunteers on request.

Be aware that equipment collection can be a time consuming job. It's best if it can be done close enough to the event that you can leave the kit in the car overnight, although you should move high value items such as the start clock indoors. Check with the Equipment Officer.

Prepare event consumables

Full pre-entry means we need almost no consumables. 

• download a blank of the Accident Report Form for first aiders. This is available from the BOF website, currently under Get Involved > Organising and Planning Events > Resource Library.  It may be easier to have it on your phone. 

• No membership forms are needed. It is simpler for all concerned to ask people to use the British Orienteering website and join HH as their club. 

Set up communications

Confirm that the planner will take the maps to Start and that at least 2 copies of the all controls map will be left with the SI team (a First Aider may need to take one to find a casualty).

Agree the start notices with planner and controller.

Prepare and distribute a list of mobile phone numbers. Minimum is Organiser, Planner, Controller, First Aiders and the SI team leader. It also works to do this through a WhatsApp group, which only requires a data connection.

Send a copy of the risk assessment to first aiders. They need to know postcode, nearest A&E, emergency access points and any particular hazards in the area.

On the day

See the shift plan for times.

Before

During set-up ensure equipment and helpers go where needed.

Ensure that sufficient people will arrive early in order to help with setup (needn't be many, the new tents can be easily erected by 1 skilled person or 2 less so).  Don't underestimate time for sgnage including tape to start if needed.

Ensure that the First Aider(s) receive the information you have prepared and are aware of the location and contents of the First Aid kits and any defibrillator nearby.

During

You should expect to be involved in set-up and take-down, but not the main shifts, when you should be watching, managing any handovers (don't forget First Aiders!) and prepared to move helpers between jobs.

Most Saturday events can be run as a single shift e.g. the last thing the start team do is start themselves. However, you should aim to have about 3 people around for last start time. They may be the take-down team.

You may be able to run yourself. If so, make sure someone is appointed as temporary organiser, to deal with any issues or defer them until you get back.

Ensure 4 - 5 people remain on site for a search until the SI team confirms all competitors are accounted for. Your control collectors can be the nucleus of this team.

Check with first aiders. If there have been any casualties make sure a BOF Incident Report is submitted.

Afterwards

Write a paragraph to go into the results page and send it to the webmaster, preferably before results are published in the evening. If there is any controversy at the event, whether there was a formal complaint or not, you may wish to check wording with the controller and planner. But generally, be upbeat.

You may be asked to provide a short piece for the newsletter - you can base it on what you put on the results page.

After the day

Thank yous

Send a thank you email to the helpers. If you have the time, it's good to personalise it, at least to team level "well done for coping with x" "From my point of view the Start went very smoothly"

Decide with the ‘point of contact’ who, if either of you, will write a thank-you to the Landowner.

Expenses

In your thank you email, ask for officials and other volunteers to claim expenses - the club does not expect helpers to be out of pocket when volunteering their time. Don't forget yourself! Our expenses policy is here. The Treasurer will pay expenses you agree, usually via bank transfer.  For volunteers who also participate, the club will refund excess expenses incurred as a result of volunteering.  For example, if car parking costs £3 for 2 hours (enough time for a run) and £5 for the 4 hours a helper is present for, the club will refund the difference of £2.

Records

Send a copy of the signed risk assessment (ideally a scanned PDF) to events@herts-orienteering.club. It is a condition of our insurance that we store risk assessments for 5 years. The Events Coordinator would also appreciate any documents worth passing on to the next Organiser on this area, such as forms for permissions. And anything you think the next organiser might need to know.

Send a copy of your rota to the Volunteer Coordinator so that we know who has experience of which roles.

If an Accident Report form was completed make sure that a copy is sent with the Risk Assessment form (see above).