Q&A

Here you'll find answers to commonly asked questions, these can also be found in #q-and-a on Discord. To submit a question go to our Google Form.

 

• When is WomBall?

  WomBall is Saturday the 11th of September 2021, 1pm - 6pm.

• You say freely flowing bar... does that mean free alcohol?

  Sadly we won’t be offering free alcohol. But we are working hard with campsite site staff to see if we can offer a bar!

• When will bookings open?  When can we pay for WomBall?

  We anticipate bookings opening at the start of August. As soon as we have a definite date this will be well publicised within SSAGO. When a booking is made you will have 1 week to complete payment, after that your booking will be deleted if not paid. This is because we have a cap on numbers. If there is still space after a member has a booking canceled for lack of payment they will be able to book on again.

• Is there parking?

  Yes! The site coordinator is also looking at the use of an adjoining field for parking.

• What's the most exciting thing you have planned for WomBall?

  We might be *responsible* for some exciting drinks 😉

• What can we wear?

  Whatever you like! As we’re on a campsite you probably want to be somewhat sensible, but think about what you’d want to wear for any festival. Dress it up or down to your style, maybe add some environmentally friendly glitter or face paint! But really wear whatever you like, we just want you there! (Hi-vis shorts allowed)

• Will there be a quiet area at WomBall?

  We will have a joint quiet and first aid area at WomBall to offer a dedicated calm and chilled space for the event.

• What arrangements are possible for those that don't drive?

  We anticipate most people will come to site by train. The closest station to site is Tile Hill. It’s a quick ride from Birmingham New Street and easily doable from London Euston. It’s then a 30 minute walk from Tile Hill site or will a speedy taxi if you don’t fancy the walk! Those with accessibility requirements who will be physically unable to walk for 30 minutes are encouraged to contact committee.

• I would be coming on my own and won't know many other people. Can I still have a good time?

  Absolutely! Many people in SSAGO will find themselves in the position at some point, there’ll be loads of people happy to chat to you and hang out. If people would like it’s easy to connect people with others who are going alone so you can meet people before you’re there.

• What's the most exciting thing you have planned for WomBall, for those that aren't drinking alcohol?

  Fair question! We have lots of other excitements planned; personally I'm looking forward to the food, currently intended to be a BBQ (with options for all diets), and the funfair games 🏏 

• As most people are coming by train would you consider a shuttle bus to help people to site as other events have done? (and other variations of this question)

  We are not intending to offer a shuttle bus to the site for the majority of members. Due to covid, we would likely only be able to have a few people in a minibus at one time. This would mean lots of trips back and forth to the campsite for us, a lot of waiting around for you, and would go against the sustainable ethos of WomBall. Also, we do not have enough minibus drivers on committee, so we’d have to get some drivers in, and this would further limit the number of attendees, due to the guidelines from Scouting. Unlike rallies, WomBall will be taking place during daylight hours (1-6pm) and most members will have less luggage, so the walk (30 mins) should be safe and achievable for most.

  For those who cannot do the walk for accessibility reasons (or if you break your leg the day before!) we will be providing an option, and encourage you to reach out to committee if you have any concerns.

• If you hit capacity, will there be a reserve list for in case people need to self-isolate, etc.?

  Our plan is to have a waiting list and get as close to our maximum capacity as we can by using it. The exact details have not been nailed down yet as lots of things feed into how this process might work.

• You're encouraging members to walk back to the train station after the event, however it appears a lot of route has no pavement. Since a lot of members will be intoxicated at this point, what safeguards will you have in place to prevent any serious incidents from occurring?

  We will be offering a walking bus at the end of the event so people have an opportunity to walk back to the station with others and some sober volunteers with hi-vis on! Where there are no pavements there are verges you can walk on instead and these are minor roads. Those who are deemed too intoxicated to get themselves back to where they need to go safely will be ordered a taxi at their own expense.

• Because train times don't necessarily nicely align with the event times, will people be allowed to arrive early?

  Our sign in area will be open from 1pm-2:30pm so you can arrive any time within those parameters! If you have any travel disasters that mean you will arrive outside of those times we of course won’t turn you away, that’s the time to contact SSAGO hotline and we’ll sort you out.

• Aside from the "sports day games" and the BBQ for food, are you planning on putting on music too so that it's more of a festival atmosphere?

  Yes! We will have some music. There’s another county scouting event on site at the weekend so volume levels will stay at a reasonable level for respect of their meetings. Sadly it won’t be live music as we think taking up spaces with non SSAGO members when we’re limited wouldn’t be worth it.

• What's the wet weather plan? Will there be a marquee or other shelters available, where the event can still take place?

  Yes there will be shelters! We’re hiring a main marquee and making use of the 2 new SSAGO event shelters. Some activities may also have their own little shelters. If the weather looks a bit drizzly do bring a raincoat though so you can still make the most of the day!

• Since you're doing a BBQ, would you say WomBall, as an event, is more of a burger or a sausage?

  WomBall is certainly a burger. We will be taking no further questions on this matter.

• What's been announced so far sounds significantly different to what was proposed to Reps in the re-bid back in Autumn 2020. Are you able to confirm if any of the activities proposed to Reps, such as the "outdoor cinema, music, welly wanging and crazy golf" will be happening? If not, would you agree that this should be being taken back to Reps for a further approval?

  Your plan for "sports day games" sounds quite different to what Reps approved last year. Are you planning to do some of the big ticket items you mentioned in the re-bid, like the outdoor cinema, crazy golf, etc.?

  Whilst some of the specific activity ideas have changed, our overall “festival-style” theme for WomBall remains the same. What we originally stated as activities in reps was intended as a guideline for what could be happening and the general idea of what WomBall might look like, not a commitment to what would definitely be there. Unfortunately, because we were planning for 100 people for so long and now have a cap of 120 + staff, our budget is particularly tight per person. This means some of our grander ideas, in particular outdoor cinema and crazy golf, are unlikely to be possible because they are simply too expensive. However, music, food, and fair-style games as originally bid will still be going ahead, and we thought sports day games would make a fun addition to this.

• Will mascots be included in the capacity limits? # MascotsAreMembersToo

  Fortunately, mascots all possess a gene that makes them entirely immune to covid-19 and as such, they do not count in Scouting's capacity limits. Of course this does not make them any less valued members of SSAGO and, since this event is named after some of their kind, we would not consider having WomBall without them. #WomBallTeamLoveMascots

• Since the site isn't exclusive, will there be any knock-on effects concerning safeguarding & alcohol, etc.?

  We hope that SSAGO members will remain sensible and respectful for the duration of WomBall and that this won’t be an issue. We were booked onto the site before the other event was so they have booked the same weekend with full knowledge of what SSAGO are hosting at the same time. We also have exclusive hire of 2 fields. 

  Given that the event is taking place in the day and as it stands members will have to leave site at 6pm, we don’t anticipate people getting drunk to the point that they begin to cause issues with the other event on site. These expectations will be conveyed through the behaviour policy that all attendees agree to whenever they go to a SSAGO event.

• If it's a festival style event, will the dress-code be more relaxed?

  Please see our previous repsonse! ‘Whatever you like! As we’re on a campsite you probably want to be somewhat sensible, but think about what you’d want to wear for any festival. Dress it up or down to your style, maybe add some environmentally friendly glitter or face paint! But really wear whatever you like, we just want you there! (Hi-vis shorts allowed)’

• If TSA restrictions ease on group numbers will this affect WomBalls capped numbers for the event?

  Yes! If Scouts rules allow we will increase the capacity of the event. This allows more of SSAGO to get involved, reduces the contribution of fixed costs to individual tickets and removes the extra stress caused by waiting lists and booking on before spaces run out.

• Will Samir get gunged?

  We’ll keep you posted…

• This isn't your typical ball so can we check if the mascot kidnapping policy will still apply as if it were a ball?

  Because the potential for spreading Coronavirus will still be present at WomBall we won’t be having mascot stealing. It many encourage close contact with members who aren’t comfortable with that yet and we don’t want anyone to be apprehensive of having their mascots out because of this.

• Will it be an appropriate event for those going to university next year to attend, as a taster to national SSAGO before getting involved with their club activities?

  Will under-18s be allowed to attend?

  Please see the following response from the Exec for these questions:

  ‘We're happy for any SSAGO members to attend however we'd encourage people to make contact with their clubs or other SSAGO members first. If there are under 18s they need to have two known responsible leaders from their club who've met them before (online) and are happy to supervise them at the event.’

  If you or your club have any questions or queries about an under 18 attending with you please contact them directly by emailing exec@ssago.org

 

• How much will bar prices increase by on the day?

  Drinks will be 50p more expensive on the day and we cannot guarantee the selection available (we might run out if not pre-ordered!). So, if you have your heart set on some drinks then please pre-order!

• If I'm coming from Wales can I book camping now and be refunded if the rules haven't changed by Womball?

  Yes! Hopefully things will continue to move in the right direction and everyone will be able to camp with us. If you can't, because of nation-specific restrictions, your camping cost can be refunded. 

• Due to a lack of in-person events last year, Adele missed getting gunged. If they attend, and Samir is getting gunged, can they be included in any gunging activities?

  We do have access to the on-site showers and the ability to make gunge...so maybe, if you ask the gunge-ees nicely!

•  

  Also what pub is planned for the Friday night? Or is it upto the people who are going?

  We currently have a shortlist of Friday night pubs but details can’t be finalised till we have a better idea of numbers. All options are easily accessible in the city centre. Once confirmed, final pub details will be shared on the ‘Activity Timings’ tab which is only visible to those who have a completed booking. You must only attend the pub night if you have booked on, anyone attending who hasn’t booked will be asked to leave.

•  

  How is the walk working? I booked on but will we go straight to Womball after it finishes?

  Yes, we are planning to go pretty much straight from walk to WomBall. This is not compulsory and you could get the next train, but just make sure to note when our front desk closes and know that the majority of people doing morning activities will be on the same train. Since you've booked onto activities you should be able to see the page "Activity timings" which lists train times (and any other info as it gets set in stone), https://ball.ssago.org/pages/activity-timings. I've copied and pasted the walk info here, so you don't need to hunt for it:

  • For those coming from central Birmingham: Meet at Birmingham New Street station at 9am. Take the train to Barnt Green (£4.10 for a return) departing 09:15.

  • For those coming from elsewhere: Head to Barnt Green station for 09:40 and meet the rest of the walking group there.

  • Return: Take the 11:13 from Barnt Green to Birmingham New Street. We recommend taking the train from New Street to Tile Hill departing 12:14pm, to arrive at 12:36pm. You will probably want to bring or get yourself lunch, as food won't be served at WomBall until later!

• Will it be a problem if I'm late for the movie? (So probably arriving at about 7:25?)

  It's hard to say for certain but I think this will be OK! You may miss out on the movie being chosen or come in after the first five minutes. Since you'd only be a little late, if you let whoever is running it know (you can do this closer to the time) they may be able to hold off pressing play until you're there.

• Is there parking onsite?

  Yes, please see the getting here page https://ball.ssago.org/pages/getting-here for more information.

• Can we bring our own drinks for the event or for after the event?

  Our bar will have to close at when the event ends at 6pm so if you would like drinks for afterwards or perhaps for Friday night then you can bring some with you!

• Just to clarify, are members from Wales now allowed to camp overnight, as the accommodation page still says that they can't?

  The current understanding of the rules within the SSAGO exec is that members travelling from Wales can currently attend the day event but cannot camp on site on Friday or Saturday night. We wish this wasn't the case but hope that anyone who will be joining us from Wales can still join us on Saturday during the day. If this situation does not change by the time of the event and anyone travelling from Wales has bought camping with their booking, their camping fee will be eligible for a refund.

• What will happen on Saturday between 6pm when the event ends and when people might want to go to bed?

  After the event ends you're responsible for yourselves, staff and committee will still be on site clearing up and packing away and those returning home or to other accommodation can leave with our walking bus to Tile Hill Station. Before you go to bed you might like to sort yourself out some dinner (remember you just get the 1 BBQ meal served as part of your ticket) so you could venture into Tile Hill and visit a restaurant or the pub or cook in one of the kitchen areas on a fire. You could also use the time to continue catching up with other SSAGO friends! We also have use of the campfire circle on Saturday night.

• I'm arriving by train alone late on the Friday. Is there any way to find out anyone else who is arriving at the same time so we can walk to site together? or get picked up if no one else is arriving near the same time?

  We plan to have a WhatsApp chat that those staying with us on Friday can choose to join to coordinate returning to site from the city centre with others who might have been on another Friday evening activity or arriving on site for the first time during the evening. We hope this will alleviate the stress for some and ensure the majority of people have the option of finding someone to come back with! All of committee will also be in the chat to oversee and make sure everything works out. We can't offer more insight about your specific situation without knowing some more information so please contact us (or me!) directly!

• What time will the Spoons breakfast finish on Sunday morning?

  The aim is to arrive at spoons for 10:30 am, the time it will take for everyone to order, get and eat food is hard to predict. If you're trying to book return travel home we suggest leaving 2 hours for everything to be done, you don't want to have you leave your food before you're done!

• I might now be able to camp on the Friday, when is the latest I can edit my booking?

  You can edit while bookings are still open and during out 48 hour editing phase. This means that for the 1st and 2nd of September anyone with an existing booking can continue to make edits, including adding camping, bar pre-orders or changing activities. Add your camping before midnight on Thursday 2nd of September!

• To clarify, are we allowed to bring our own drinks for the event itself?

  Our alcohol license does allow attendees to bring their own alcohol to drink. However, no alcohol can be consumed by anyone under 18 as this is prohibited by our license.

• When will the BBQ be served? Trying to figure out if we need to eat before or after the event

  The BBQ is planned for 15:30 - 17:00.

• What time are we allowed to arrive on Friday to set up our tents etc?

  You can arrive from 3pm on Friday. If you will be arriving after 10pm we ask that you let us know in advance so someone can be around to make sure you get registered.

• Where is the lower car park you talk about for parking?

  After a recent site visit we have been able to clarify this. The original site map has now been updated to better reflect what the site looks like and where parking is. Please visit the site map and getting here pages for the most recent information about parking! https://ball.ssago.org/pages/site-map https://ball.ssago.org/pages/getting-here

• Does WomBall have a physical mascot?

  We don't have a ball specific mascot but the star of our badges and cups is BUSAG's unstealable mascot Scarface the womble. You'll see lots of our wombles during the weekend, see how many you can spot!

• Do we need to bring cutlery and plates for the BBQ?

  No! This will be provided to you. If for whatever reason you would like to bring your own you are more than welcome to.

• Does the site allow gas stoves?

  Yes! If you bring one please use it in one of the kitchen areas marked on the map so that you don’t damage the grass on the field. If you need any help finding these spaces at the weekend then ask a member of committee!

• Should we be packing suncream, or do you not think the weather at the campsite today will last?

  We suggest you make this decision yourself with the help of whatever weather forecast you like. If you’d like to know what location to check, Tile Hill will be the closest. Sadly we cannot predict the weather so come prepared for all eventualities.

• Will we have to social distance while at Womball?

  You will have to social distance in any queues you find yourself in at WomBall. This ensures that anyone, regardless of how comfortable they are with close contact, can access the BBQ, drinks, activities etc without adding to any worry. 

  You don’t need to social distance throughout the whole site but we would like all attendees to be mindful that they might not know how close some people might will want you to get! Please err on the side of caution unless you know someone is comfortable with you being close.

• How can we pay for drinks at the bar on the day?

  The sure fire way is to have cash! We know it can be hard to come by at the moment but this will mean you can definitely buy from the bar and try to make it some coins too if you possible. We will have the SSAGO card reader too for card and contactless payments but in case of any technical problems we still recommend having some cash.

• Will there be any sort of formal opening and closing ceremony?

  We will have a closing ceremony! We’ll take some time before 6pm to thank everyone for coming and give the WomBall committee and exec a chance to talk to everyone who joined us for the weekend. After this, those who aren’t camping will have to make their way home as day entry to the campsite finishes at 6pm. Everyone who is camping with us can start to wind down for the evening, think about some extra food and the campfire before bed!

• Some previously cash-only bars have been accepting bank transfers as a payment option these days. Can you do the same (which would also be cheaper for you without card fees!)

  This isn’t feasible for our event. Making this an option would create a mountain of work for our treasurer after the event (there’s already a lot!) and we’d also have to have someone checking the funds are received with every transaction. We will have the SSAGO card reader so we aren’t cash only, we just suggested everyone bring some cash if there are any technical problems

• Do we need to bring our own chairs?

  Nope 🙂 if you fancy bringing a camping chair of your own to really cement the festival vibes then go for it but our attendee numbers mean that everyone will be able to find a seat

• Do we have to take an LFT before the activities on the Friday evening?

  Yes! Your WomBall LFT should be done no more than 24 hours before your first bit of WomBall. This could be your first activity or when you arrive on site for the first time if you’re not doing any activities.

• Is there anything happening after 6pm on the Saturday? Maybe a campfire in the evening?

  There is a campfire! The campfire circle is right next to the WomBall fields so you should easily be able to find it once it starts.

• Is there anywhere to get changed once we arrive onsite / before we leave?

  The toilet blocks on site have a good number of toilet cubicles and shower cubicles. We have access to the main ones and the toilets just off the top camping field. Look on the site map on the website to see where these are!

• Is there anywhere to charge phones and battery packs etc?

  As is usual with a SSAGO camping event we aren’t able to provide a place to plug in any devices. We suggest bringing a portable charger if you need/want your phone to be charged all weekend and try to use it sparingly!

• Do we need to do a lateral flow test if we've tested positive in the last 90 days?

  Those who have tested positive in the last 90 days do not have to do a LFT before arrival. Government guidelines state that those in this position should not do lateral flow tests until the 90 days have passed. Instead of having proof of a negative lateral flow test, please be prepared to show proof that you fit into this category. The Covid-19 guidelines on the WomBall website have now been updated to reflect this.

• Is there a way to spot staff if we have any queries or questions?

  Yes! Despite being let down by our necker supplier with considerable delays we have harnessed the Womble spirit and come up with a solution. Katey has carefully crafted us handmade neckers from recycled fabric. Staff will be in yellow neckers and committee will be in red ones.

• On the site map it say “drivable track” does this mean we can drive down and drop our stuff at the camp site before parking?

  Yes, site staff have said we can drive up to the top end of the camping field along the track to drop off. Remember the site will be very busy on Saturday and there’ll likely be a lot of cars in and out on both days. It can be narrow in places so be sensible!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you experience any issues in the booking process, please contact webmaster@ssago.org.