Get Involved! – How You Can Help

Redemption, like many conventions, is run entirely by volunteers, so the more volunteers we have, the more smoothly the convention runs. We have some great programme items planned, but some things we can only do if we get enough people willing to help out. Plus, you can earn groats that are redeemable for food and drink.

If you want to get involved, you can indicate your interest when you sign up via the online membership form, or if you’ve already signed up, contact people directly as shown below.

If you’d like to be involved in a programme item, or if you have ideas for the programme, please let us know!

Stewarding

Stewards are volunteers who help a convention run smoothly – checking badges at doors and in programme areas, and generally helping out where necessary. You need to be 16 or over and willing to give a few hours of your time over the weekend. No prior experience or qualifications are needed, and support will be given via Stewards meetings and the Chief Stewards. Contact the stewarding team if you’d like to get involved!

Technical Crew

The Tech Crew staff the sound and light desks in the main hall area, and ensure that the audience can see and hear what’s happening on the stage. All are welcome, whether you have previous experience or not. There’s more information available about the work, and you can let us know if you want to get involved.

Operations

Operations keep the convention ticking over. The Ops Crew make sure the programme’s running on time (ish), the function rooms are unlocked, that itinerant Committee members are hunted down, that there’s a set of pens for that flip-chart, and so on. At a convention, all roads lead to Ops. Operations would love to hear from you if you want to help in Ops, or be a reporter, editor or photographer for the con newsletter.

Registration Desk

The Registration Crew look after you when you first arrive, making sure you get your badge and conpack vitally important, since it contains the Programme Booklet. Read more about volunteering behind the desk, then contact the membership team to volunteer and make Ambassador Mollari very happy.

First Aid

First-aid support is always welcome. If you would like to help, you must be a qualified first-aider, with an up-to-date qualification at the time of the con, and you must be covered by your own insurance for first-aiding.

Cabaret and Fancy Dress

As usual, we will have a Fancy Dress and a Cabaret at Redemption ’22. The Fancy Dress is a chance for fans to show off their costuming skills. The Cabaret will be a showcase for other fannish skills such as belly dancing, comedy sketches, filk songs, musicians, etc. The wider the range, the better (Acts should be no more than three minutes without prior agreement from Programme staff).

We’re looking for people to take part in the Fancy Dress and Cabaret. You can read more about it, and if you’re planning to join in, please let us know, so that we can talk to you in advance about any technical requirements.

Dealers

As usual, we will be having a Dealers Room at the next Redemption convention, where members can spend their hard-earned cash. In the past, we’ve had dealers selling books, zines, clothes, jewellery, memberships for other conventions (including other Redemptions…) and memorabilia. If you’d like to attend as a Dealer, there’s more information available.

Filking

Filk songs are songs set in and around fandom. They often use borrowed tunes and parodied words, but some are done to original music with totally original lyrics. There are filk songs about the space programme, TV shows and the many weird things that fans get up to. They range from the serious to the extremely silly. Filk singers sing in many keys, but perhaps the most common is the fannish key of ‘off’. Filkers may often be found congregating in the bar at conventions, but for those who want somewhere with less background noise, there may be a room reserved for use by filkers in the evening. If this tickles your fancy, you can read more about it.