Call For Volunteers: Radical Book Fair 2023

Are YOU excited about the Radical Book Fair? Do you want get involved behind the scenes?

The Radical Book Fair (9-12th November) is just a few weeks away and we could use a few extra hands to help our team make it extra special!

Radical Book Fair volunteering is not terribly glamorous, and the Roxy is pretty drafty, but there will be ample opportunities to talk about books and politics, see and speak to visiting authors, and ultimately be an integral part of a community event for like-minded folk!

We'd also love a hand ahead of the fair with distributing flyers & sharing events on socials and beyond, so if that's you please do let us know!

First things first - what's involved?

The main jobs at the fair are:

• door welcome, keeping track of attendees & checking tickets for events
• welcoming speakers and showing them around the venue
• prepping the stage & signing tables for events
• sanitising seating areas between events
• running the odd errand to the bookshop (round the corner from the Roxy)
• being on hand to answer questions from visitors about books, toilets etc
• Thursday morning is unpacking and Sunday is packing (so some heavy lifting!)
• Taking pictures for social media posts
• encouraging people to take part in events/zine/stalls
• Stall maintenance -Tidying up/ reorganizing stacks of books as they get moved & browsed! Making sure publisher books stay grouped together/ finding event stock when needed.

Shifts!

Ideally we’d have you along for 3-4hours on *at least* a couple days of the fair so that we can get you properly trained up and you can feel comfortable and useful in the space. Help is most needed at these times:

Thur 9th:

- 8.00am-12 Set up (this is quite labour intensive as it involves quite a few boxes! And if you can only help out on one shift then this would be super)

- 4.30- 8.00 Events

Friday 10th:

- 11.00 -3.00

-4.30- 8.00 Events

Saturday 11th:

-1pm-8.00 Events & stall maintenance (any few hours in that window is grand)

Sunday 12th

-11.30am- 6 Events & stall maintenance (any few hours in that window is grand)

-6pm-9 Taking down the festival (this is quite labour intensive too and could also be a solo shift if you can only do one!)

(but we welcome help at other times too, it just tends to be a little quieter :D)

What we're offering:

The Radical Book Fair is entirely bookshop run without any outside funding which is why we operate on a shoestring and need a little extra help for our big book fair.

We offer volunteers 35% discount on all books through to the end of the year, as many ‘proof’ books as you like/can carry and a Lighthouse tote bag of your choice! For those who can do at least three shifts we also offer a £25 stipend to cover travel costs & food. It’s not much, but it comes with a side of our eternal gratitude!!

Please note: masks are required at all times inside the venue, and all team members should take lateral flow tests before coming in (we can get you some if need be). The venue is big and drafty, so dress warm & move lots!

Last, but definitely not least (!!) we ask all our volunteers to read our Safe Spaces policy and commit to its standards of behaviour : https://lighthousebookshop.com/contact-faq#6 If you have any questions about it - just shout.

Does this sound like something you'd like to do?

If you’re tempted to volunteer, please send your details and the specifics of your availability (what shifts you can/cant do) to JJ at rbf@lighthousebookshop.com by November 1st.

Please include a phone number and availability in the first week of November for a wee 5 minute phone chat. Something super informal, just to hear a little more about what kind of books you like, if any events or authors at the fair are of particular interest to you, if you have any special/unusual skills we can tap into.

If there are any access arrangements that will help you navigate the fair in comfort please don't hesitate to let us know! We’ll never expect you to do a task you aren’t comfortable with/feel capable of so please do be open with us and we can plan accordingly :D

Thanks in advance!