
Having visited the festival for many years, this year we decided to get involved so we volunteered to help out a bit and see things from the others side. We had an absolutely brilliant time. Utterly exhausting but brilliant. At one point I was sat in a film session where there was a Q&A with the film-makers who had survived untold challenges canoeing along the Amazon in a dugout boat (which they'd dugout themselves and documented in a film called Dugout).
They talked about how they'd survived the extremes of tiredness and hunger. "That's nothing" I thought "I haven't had a hot dinner for 3 days and all that stands between me and the end of my shift in 8 hours are two Yorkie bars and a bag of mini Cheddars". I should have listened to Jean - a seasoned volunteer who had wisely packed a tuna sandwich and had a rucksack full of enticing snacks.

Between us our duties encompassed:
- Putting up bunting
- Taking bunting down when an angry lady told us off for putting it in the wrong place
- Giving out brochures
- Answering questings
- Acting as VIP drivers and ferry folks to the station and assorted hotels
- Selling festival merchandise
- Handing out passes and tickets to VIPs
- Not recognising some VIPS and feeling bad about it later*
- Picking up litter
- Fetching a burger for Tom and trying not to lick it as it smelled so good
- Giving out tickets at the opening ceremony
- Taking tickets in again at the opening ceremony
- Buying batteries
- Putting said batteries into tealights
- Putting up posters
- Helping to pack stuff away again when it all ended
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Another famous bloke |
* A young guy arrived at the Summit Desk (VIP spot) when I was there alone. I looked at him. "I know I know you" I said "and I know you're a climber, but I'm so sorry, your name completely escapes me just now". It was Pete Whittaker - one of the most talented climbers on the planet and thoroughly nice guy to boot. If you don't know him take a look at this. The man is a legend.
What I wanted to say was "This is a mountain festival so dig deep and brave the drizzle". What I actually said was "Would you like to take a seat and I'll see if I can find you a coffee while you wait?" Sometimes I hate myself.
The entire KMF team were hugely appreciative of our efforts throughout, though special mention should go to Tom for his unending cheerfulness and Festival Manager Paul Scully who stopped to say thank you every time he passed a volunteer. The KMF team were easy to spot as they were all sporting eco-friendly white down jackets from festival sponsors Columbia. The jackets may have many fantastic features including being warm, waterproof and made from 21 recycled water bottles, but every time I saw 4 of them gathered together I started humming E17's Stay Another Day - all they needed were fur trimmed hoods. (The whiteness is another eco-feature which avoids the use of coloured dyes)
Will we be back next year? Absolutely - if they haven't been put off by me insulting world famous climbers and surreptitiously Googling other vaguely familiar faces and names. It is one of the most exhausting, brilliantly fun weekends I've had in a long time. I think I might even film our experience and enter it into the following year's event. You want endurance mate? I'll give you endurance...
(And if you want to buy tickets, see what's on or volunteer next year just click here for more info)
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The brilliant Dan Keeley |
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I'm calling this one "Psychohorizontal" |
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Absolutely no idea what Tom had just sat on... |
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