Working at the festival?

[Gaz_EBbeer]

I've decided the only way im going to attend reading next year is i I work it as i'm planning a big holiday later in the year.

How soon can you apply to work? I'd prefer barwork but am really not picky

[Redcanadahat]

usually it's just after the new year :-) depends what company really.

[jonnymcd]

The Company which does all of the Stewards in the Campsites on the Fire Towers and the CATS ( DC Site Services ) doesnt open its application until March.

[dakyras]

NEVER.

Or around Easter is usually a safe bet.

[Dexie]

if you get yourself on the mailing list of all the companies, they will mail you to tell you when the application forms are ready. if you want bar work you'll need to apply to the Worker beer company mailto:info@workersbeer.co.uk

[Phil-itfc]

those CAT people seemed really cool and nice. tho the majority of them had to sit opposite the toilets most the time!

[Mark E. Spliff]

if you get yourself on the mailing list of all the companies, they will mail you to tell you when the application forms are ready. if you want bar work you'll need to apply to the Worker beer company mailto:info@workersbeer.co.uk

[fowls]

those CAT people seemed really cool and nice. tho the majority of them had to sit opposite the toilets most the time!

Edited September 4, 2008 by fowls

[dakyras]

Nah, it's the DCs (red coats) that have to sit near the toilets. CATs (green coats) are meant* to walk around the campsite for their shift (unless it's raining heavily), with one or two at the base caravan to keep a log of what's happening in the campsite. The CATs role has got absolutely nothing to do with the toilets luckily. Being a CAT is pretty fun, only annoying thing is no drinking allowed on shift (it doesn't sound like a big annoyance, but after the umpteenth person offers you a beer for putting up their tent it grates a little ).

*But most don't. The role of CATs is vague at best, so it's easy just to jump from campcircle to campcircle chatting to people in the name of "building customer rapport"

If anyone wants to know more about CATs, feel free to message me. I don't mind answering any questions.

[TalkShow Bob]

I like watching CATs carrying people's bags.

[radish]

Or if you have any first aid/medical qualifications then this lot - http://www.festival-medical.co.uk/

[fowls]

They love it, carrying peoples bags, so much that sometimes they wanted to carry them all the way from brown to red!

Edited September 6, 2008 by fowls

[TalkShow Bob]

I was told I wasn't allowed to leave Green, so passed bags on to the next team of CATs in yellow/indigo/red. It's like a relay!

As for 'love' carrying bags. I did, until some 16 year old little brat totally took advantage and spent most the journey kicking my heels. Then I became a jaded bag carrier who only helped those who looked like they were about to keel over.

I'm more of a tent putter-upper than a bag carrier. People are much more grateful!

Edited September 7, 2008 by TalkShow Bob

[fowls]

Thats right you werent suposed to leave green. It was kinda what I was getting at. Authough I guess not meny people would understand that lol. Meny a time I had to shoo CATs back to their zone lol.

Edited September 7, 2008 by fowls

[Redcanadahat]

I was told that CATS could drink on the job just as long as they took off their bright jacket that had 'CAT' written all over it.

[TalkShow Bob]

I was told that CATS could drink on the job just as long as they took off their bright jacket that had 'CAT' written all over it.

[dakyras]

Off shift is an entirely different matter, as you have the whole day to catch up on.

Staff have the most fun.

[Redcanadahat]

I was told that CATS could drink on the job just as long as they took off their bright jacket that had 'CAT' written all over it.

[TalkShow Bob]

that's rubbish. i work the wristbands at festivals (for FR) and we were all drinking on the job. even the supervisor was.

my mate was a CAT supervisor (or team leader..whatever they are) and he told me they were allowed to have a drink as long as they took their jacket off. why would i make this shiit up?

Edited September 12, 2008 by TalkShow Bob

[Song Simon]

Oxfam stewarding isn't bad at Reading either. Most of the shifts are pretty easy, people are laid back, friendly and all that. It's mainly just festival types who couldn't afford the ticket.

No drink (or anything else) on shift though - if you drink on the job or even turn up drunk you can end up with your wristband being cut off. It's pretty easy to function properly after a few pints, mind.

[Reue]

that's rubbish. i work the wristbands at festivals (for FR) and we were all drinking on the job. even the supervisor was.

my mate was a CAT supervisor (or team leader..whatever they are) and he told me they were allowed to have a drink as long as they took their jacket off. why would i make this shiit up?

[TalkShow Bob]

None of the voulenteer or paid staff are allowed to drink whilst on shift, regardless of whether you have your tabards on. Fact is, if there was an emergency incident you would be required to put your tabard back on and be out there working.. something you may not be safely capable of if you'd been drinking.

Any staff spotted openly drinking on shift were reported to the FR site management and I'm told will not be invited back again next year.

[mary_poppins]

I did CAT work and hated it, it was dull.

As for drinking on shift, you do get offered many a drink and cheeky smoke and it is increbily easy to join a camping group and open a beer and indluge for a while. you only have to report to the caravan every few hours so drinking is possible as is ditching your vest to nip into the arena.

I know someone pointed out that should an incident happen you should be with it, but we were told not to try and deal with any incidents, all we had to do was inform security. CAT jobs (when i went) were lilmited to carrying bags and putting up tents, however being quite girly i was crap at both!

I can safely say i would never work as a CAT again, or at a festival at all. It was hard work, long hours and just dull when everyone was piling into the arena to see a decent act why your stuck smoking a joint with some idiots outside listening to something u cant get to.

on that note, does anyone know when this years tickets og on sale?

[dakyras]

I did CAT work and hated it, it was dull.

As for drinking on shift, you do get offered many a drink and cheeky smoke and it is increbily easy to join a camping group and open a beer and indluge for a while. you only have to report to the caravan every few hours so drinking is possible as is ditching your vest to nip into the arena.

I know someone pointed out that should an incident happen you should be with it, but we were told not to try and deal with any incidents, all we had to do was inform security. CAT jobs (when i went) were lilmited to carrying bags and putting up tents, however being quite girly i was crap at both!

I can safely say i would never work as a CAT again, or at a festival at all. It was hard work, long hours and just dull when everyone was piling into the arena to see a decent act why your stuck smoking a joint with some idiots outside listening to something u cant get to.

on that note, does anyone know when this years tickets og on sale?

[mary_poppins]

I applied for the free ticket and the year i worked as a CAT, it was the first year the concept was introduced so no i didnt know what i was applying for work wise. I'm not sure anyone there knew what our role was.