Near and Far Festival 2025: Information for volunteers

Thinking of taking part in this year's Near and Far Festival? Please take the time to read our requirements and expectations for participation. Read this page after you have read the registration of interest email or webpage.

As an activity organiser you will be required to: 

• Complete a risk assessment for each different activity you are delivering. 

• Take a leading role in the delivery and planning of the activity. 

• Confirm who is delivering the activity. 

• Create an event plan including a running order.  

• Create a written description about what your activity is and why you are doing it (for example, what is the cultural significance). 

• Share promotional materials that we provide for you.  

• Source any unique equipment required for your activity. 

• Source any music required for your activity. 

All activities delivered by student groups and individuals must adhere to the following guidelines: 

• Must be related to at least one of the event’s aims. 

• Should be uniquely relevant to the culture you are representing.  

• Be accessible to all members of the student body. 

• Be able to be delivered on campus. 

• Be delivered in English to ensure it is accessible for all students. For example, words and phrases can be used in a different language where appropriate to your activity, but the main bulk of what is spoken is to be delivered in English.  

The parade should: 

• Have representatives from groups who are willing and able to walk the length of the dockside from the library to Sports Dock and along the road to the square at Docklands campus. 

• We will use wheelchair accessible routes to do this. 

• Have cultural and national home-made placards, banners and flags in English. Words and phrases can be used in a different language where appropriate. 

• Avoid political statements or things that could be considered controversial or offensive. This is a celebratory event, not a protest. 

• Participants are encouraged to wear traditional clothing, patterns or colours tied with their culture. 

• Keep the order that groups have been put in. 

Performances should: 

• Be no more than 30 minutes in length inclusive of all performances delivered by your group. This includes individual performances from group members. 

• An example could be a traditional style of dance, local to the region of your home country. 

Workshops should: 

• Be a practical activity or have practical elements to it. 

• Help students learn a new skill. For example, learning a new language or traditional art style. 

• Be no more than an hour long unless there are cultural reasons specific to the activity why it needs to be a certain length of time. 

• An example could be teaching students simple words and phrases in your home country’s language.  

Stalls can include any of the following elements: 

• Food (Note that there are rules around providing food items which we will explain in a detailed brief that is to be sent to all stallholders once you have attended an event briefing. Details of the briefing have been explained in the email. )

• Clothing and fabrics 

• Music and instruments 

• TV / Film 

• Books 

• Flags and items of cultural significance (for example, a British stall might have a traditional teacup and teapot for attendees to handle) 

• Decorations (for example, a British stall might have a fake crown as decoration on the table to represent the monarchy)  

• Anything else relevant to showcasing your culture! 

Be aware that whist we will endeavour to support all activity submissions, there may be times when logistically an activity is not feasible. We will be in contact to let you know if we are able to go ahead with your idea or not.