Knockholt 2011

Subject: RE: Knockholt 2011
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 28 Jun 11 - 04:52 PM

Presumably (and I think I am a Folkmob member from decades back) the committe could be recalled by a vote of no confidence at an EGM - but it may depend on the constitution. I can see me needing to hunt for a copy of Daly's "Club Law".

Sue seemed fine if a bit hobbled at Knockholt.

I hate the expression "going forward" but I am sure (which means "I don't know") that the costings are open (I don't like the word "transparent" in this context either).

If I go for say 3 nights, it will cost me £30. Bargain of the century. I'd have gone to double that. And if I get my trailer rebuild so the skip cost vanishes, and if we get more people than the historically low June turnout, the cost per head/unit per night WILL drop. No-one wanted to land anyone with having to fund a shortfall in revenue, and I'm sure (and this time I mean I DO know) that that is right.

Play the game chaps.

But yes, I'm up for a fundraiser. Have PA rig too if FM are not going to lend theirs.

Subject: RE: Knockholt 2011
From: Pierre Le Chapeau
Date: 29 Jun 11 - 03:02 PM

LETS FUND IT OURSELVES IT MAY START SLOW BUT I BELEIVE IT WILL CATCH ON RE STARTING SLOW lets have 2 bogs. will folkmob let us have the Marquee that is my main concern?

Subject: RE: Knockholt 2011
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 29 Jun 11 - 03:08 PM

Good question. I had assumed so. It is amortised so FM have no marginal cost, and Sue has budgeted for it to be fetched and carried.

I await more boginformation.

I must get on with the trailer repairs: I have wasted a fair bit of time today repairing PA gear.

Subject: RE: Knockholt 2011
From: VirginiaTam
Date: 29 Jun 11 - 04:09 PM

I know I am not a member of Folkmob, but I would like to be a card carrying member of the Flockmob at Knockholt.

1. TheSilentOne and I think the proposed charge is very reasonable.

2. Two portaloos is two too few. I had to do some cleaning in 2 of them several times to get them useable this last camp.
Tip for number 2 users, lay some loo roll down in the bowl before you go and then all slips down quite easily when you flush.

3. Fundraiser - I am all for raising some fun(ds).

4. I will pm Sue on FB re guest Sal's inquiry. BTW the guests mentioned were our guests at Piggies.

Subject: RE: Knockholt 2011
From: Pierre Le Chapeau
Date: 29 Jun 11 - 05:29 PM

back in June.Re toilets due to cock up? not folkmobs fault.

I had to crap in flint pit on wednesday not sommit i like ? 3 bogs would do and no skip?
take rubbish home and burn planet friendly stuff?

if folk arrive for one night charge em a fiver a head and if they dont like it send em packing? when I was a kid I was told to chuck a tanner on a farmers land to be on it for passage.
then you must move on? £5 .00 seems great for noon campers.

day/night visitors welcome but must pay?

I have been paying subs for years down folk mob too keep this thing alive because it wonderful?
regards Pierre Le Chapeau>

Subject: RE: Knockholt 2011
From: GUEST,Woodsie
Date: 30 Jun 11 - 06:49 AM

That's exactly my point Peter. I paid my subs for years at FM as I said earlier - If not funding Knockholt - as set out in the constitution - where is the money going? If it is to fund guests that cannot draw enough supporters to cover their fee then the argument that it's not fair to subsidise a bit of firewoods and 3 or 4 potrtaloos for the campers doesn't hold water. Yes I would pay £50+ for the few days at KH. But in principle To be expected to pay up to £130 a year to subsidise minority appeal guests, Bring your own food to Xmas party and pay for Knockholt is too much to askof loyal folkmob attendees (sadly no me these days) Why not call the new set-up The Knockholt Club with Mick F as honarary chairman and have an elected committee of 4 or 5 people who must have something to contribute.

Subject: RE: Knockholt 2011
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 30 Jun 11 - 08:06 AM

It's all a bit ad hoc at the moment, but there is an ad hoc committee and I suppose Sue is ad hoc chair. Elections are something to think about, but I'm not immediately clear how to organise them if wanted.

Personally (this is not a committee opinion) I'd be tempted to suggest, if there was to be a voting system, a weighted voting system with voter registration slips posted out after each Knockholt to paying attendees on the basis of their payments - valid I imagine for a year so that people who went to both events in the year would have more votes than those who went to one. BUT that would introduce considerable administration work and postage cost. AND...

I also suppose that a constitution would be needed (formally to create the committee) and then an elected committee, which would then adopt or amend the constitution, and there's need to be rights to call committee or general meetings.

It's all getting to sound a bit like hard work.

Maybe since Mick and Sue have the in with the farmer it is more sense to stay a benevolent dictatorship...



I haven't seen the FM constitution recently although I vaguely remember it used to be on the or an old website. Does it call for Knockholt? It would be an interesting issue as I don't suppose there is a mechanism set out to change the constitution...

Subject: RE: Knockholt 2011
From: GUEST,woodsie
Date: 30 Jun 11 - 09:13 AM

The folkmob constitution was written by myself back in 2002 and presented to the then committee for amendmenrs/alteration - none were made. This was a reaction to pressure from thr council, who had written to the management of the Tudor Barn stating in effect that if we were running as a private club to be exempt fron the then "Two In A Bar" rule - we needed a constitution. None of the committee ever made ANY amendments - these were usually made by myself to reflect changes such as the move to the rugby club etc. I left the meeting a couple of years ago because I considered it to be unconstitutional - no votes taken just a free for all anybody could be on the committee even a bloke that only came to the club a few times and couldn't be bothered to come to the meeting was put on the committe!

Subject: RE: Knockholt 2011
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 30 Jun 11 - 10:38 AM

Have you still got it?

And was there not a hiatus at the time of the move from the barn, so that arguably the old Folkmob ceased to exist and a new one came into being?

I wonder where I can get a copy of Daly's club law!

Subject: RE: Knockholt 2011
From: Girl Friday
Date: 30 Jun 11 - 10:51 AM

Not Daly's, but club law from Amazon

Club Law

Subject: RE: Knockholt 2011
From: Girl Friday
Date: 30 Jun 11 - 11:03 AM

How on earth, and who can police day visitors in order to charge them ?

Everyone camps too far away from the gate. However many advance tickets are sold, there are always the last minute people who turn up.

As for cutting the number of bogs.... it was me who suggested we need 4 in the summer... three is the absolute minimum. We should not have to be cleaning them all the time if people were more considerate. V.T. has a good point about paper usage. On past camps I've noticed that the washing (hands) water has often run out because people wash and brush up, and blokes shave in them. What's wrong with a washing up bowl in front of your uinit chaps? It's all cold anyway, but you could boil a kettle for washing.

Always bring spare loo rolls too, then there'd be enough to go round.

Subject: RE: Knockholt 2011
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 30 Jun 11 - 12:46 PM

Shave? What's that?

In theory paper-lining ought not to be necessary if you follow the instructions and flush before as well as after.

Bog-rolls are in the budget.

The consensus on day-trippers is that it is indeed too much hassle to try to ticket them but that an honesty bucket should go round in the hope that conscience strikes.

Subject: RE: Knockholt 2011
From: Pierre Le Chapeau
Date: 30 Jun 11 - 03:53 PM

I have never heard such a fiasco about toilets??
How many people poo and pee at the same time?
I have never waited at a loo at knockholt even back in the days when I first went when the event on a friday and sat evening was busier then it is these days? two Loos in September would be ample? forest gods we are a foilk gathering not a herd of Braciasaurus?

also I hate to change thing but weather wise?
considering the way the weather has been in June for the last two years it may be worth while considering a movement of the event too a fortnight later in June when it appears the weather is glorious? or if thats too much maybe the wed immediately after the longest day rather then before? The weather is changing maybe we should change the event dates> Has we are not apart of folkmob anymore I can foresee this being a bonus weather wise?

Before anyone leaps down my throat in regards to changing things sometimes one has too consider do you want nice weather or a wash out? Remember folk are put off by weather has was clearly apparent this June?

Subject: RE: Knockholt 2011
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 30 Jun 11 - 04:17 PM

I can't really see celebrating the Summer solstice a fortnight later, somehow. And I think the weather in England is a lottery anyway.

Subject: RE: Knockholt 2011
From: Pierre Le Chapeau
Date: 30 Jun 11 - 08:32 PM

A simple answer is wonderful, Lets keep it has it is ,Only suggesting?
regards Pierre.

Subject: RE: Knockholt 2011
From: Mick Woods
Date: 01 Jul 11 - 03:39 AM

As Peter said it has to be as it always has!

Subject: RE: Knockholt 2011
From: Mick Woods
Date: 01 Jul 11 - 03:46 AM

I have never known anybody to shave in the portaloo. The water is usually pretty dodgey and there would be a risk of infection. I always wash my hands in my own water bowl. As far as the weather goes, in the last 12 years there has only been one washout in the June event - there have certainly been scorchers in june and washouts tend to occur more often in the September camp.

Subject: RE: Knockholt 2011
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 01 Jul 11 - 04:27 AM

Most blokes don't shave at Knockers - or if they do use battery electric shavers, so although no doubt if the phenomenon has been observed it is real I don't see it as being likely to be a major contributor to water use. But maybe if the water in the basins in the grottibottis is that bad we should run the hose through them on arrival.

September 2008 - the weekend of my 60th birthday - was unremittingly dire, wevvawise.

This June was pretty iffy until Saturday.

Subject: RE: Knockholt 2011
From: melodeonboy
Date: 01 Jul 11 - 04:44 AM

Ah! If it's a washout, then those that want to shave can shave in the rain and thereby avoid infection!

Simples! :)

Subject: RE: Knockholt 2011
From: Mick Woods
Date: 01 Jul 11 - 04:48 AM

But as Richard says = it's a lottery whatever date is chosen - but on average the June weather has been good.

Subject: RE: Knockholt 2011
From: Girl Friday
Date: 01 Jul 11 - 08:44 AM

Richard's 60th was I believe the one attended by Norcsalordie, it being Martin's birthday too. Think we only came up for the one evening then... probably due to the wevva. One of the bogs had worse than stale... fetid water as reported by Paul, and confirmed by me. That's part of why the supplier was changed. Is there still trouble in that direction?
I can assure you, that on the occasion I was referring to in my previous post... there were whiskers in the sink, and the water had run out by the weekend.

Subject: RE: Knockholt 2011
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 01 Jul 11 - 02:43 PM

But what if it had been say a person of gender shaving her - legs?

Subject: RE: Knockholt 2011
From: Don(Wyziwyg)T
Date: 01 Jul 11 - 03:07 PM

""Pete - I have a plan - become Pierre le chateau and let out spare rooms...""

Alternatively he could become Pierre le Crapeau, and sleep for free in the nearest pond, stream or ditch.



Don T.

Subject: RE: Knockholt 2011
From: Pierre Le Chapeau
Date: 01 Jul 11 - 04:07 PM

How about Pierre Le Rigmarole,
in regards to folk keep harping on about bogs? I use a Philips
electric saver which I fully charge b4 I attend and it lasts the whole 4 days? Hairs in the sink think your self lucky you should see what I have seen in a Portaloo sink. Your eyes would clearly pop out your back side? The toilets at Piggies this year were very good. with only 1 being useable? Knockholt bogs were ok too apart from not arriving on the wednesday and had to crap in flint piy and then bury it? Palaver

Subject: RE: Knockholt 2011
From: Pierre Le Chapeau
Date: 01 Jul 11 - 04:10 PM

Re above.
Only one loo useable at Piggies come sunday

Subject: RE: Knockholt 2011
From: Pierre Le Chapeau
Date: 01 Jul 11 - 04:14 PM

Thats Luxury believe me?

Subject: RE: Knockholt 2011
From: melodeonboy
Date: 01 Jul 11 - 05:05 PM

What if the whiskers in the sink had come from a stray cat?

Subject: RE: Knockholt 2011
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 01 Jul 11 - 05:21 PM

What, not pussy?

Subject: RE: Knockholt 2011
From: Pierre Le Chapeau
Date: 01 Jul 11 - 05:52 PM

In days of old,
when knights were bold ?
An Toilets were not invented.

They dug a hole ,Beside the road and shat their quite contented?
They wiped there Arse upon the Grass,
Once again they adorned there armor ,
All that me Lord for a simple shit?

Good God man ' Whata Palaver

Subject: RE: Knockholt 2011
From: Girl Friday
Date: 07 Jul 11 - 06:05 PM

Very good Pierre.... you are truly , one of "the Great Romantics"