The OPS team returned to the South Coast over last month for the build of the iconic Bournemouth 7s festival.
Given that it’s the biggest sports and music festival in the world, attracting 30,000 people each year, ensuring safety on site is quite the responsibility.
We sat down with We Are OPS’s Account Director Sarah to find out what she got up to there this year…
So Sarah, how was your time in Bournemouth?
It was very fun, thank you! So nice to see how a different kind of festival does things, especially one that’s so well established and has been running since 2008.
The B7s team have previously worked with other members of OPS, so it was great integrating into their lovely team and bringing a fresh perspective in terms of health and safety.
They’ve got quite a collaborative approach to health and safety with production, which is similar to how we work on site. And the weather was great, which also obviously helps!
It really does! And what was it that you were doing there this time?
This year, we were working on the installation of the festival – getting the site ready for the public’s arrival. So, I was there from the Tuesday to Friday evening making sure that the build had been completed successfully.
This included focusing on a variety of different structures, supporting the B7s team on site, working closely with suppliers, getting all the sign offs in, and completing the iAudit report each day for safety, in order to document compliance and flag points of improvement.
I was also there to support the B7s team in the just before doors open, which can often feel hectic, but ran safely and smoothly,
Camping is a popular option amongst many sports teams at the festival. So, we were checking the campsites, making sure the fire exits were all appropriately signed and in position, getting sign offs for essentials such as power and water, cladding for some of the stages, décor and draping, and many more services that we provide.
Have you had any feedback from the client?
Yes – they were really pleased with how everything went and welcomed the perspective that I brought to the team, which was great to hear!
Sounds great! So, which other festivals are you excited to work at this season?
I’m really excited to work with Houghton again – supporting organisers through the planning stages, and providing on-site Health & Safety during the build, break and 24-hour, four day live event.
It’s a really beautiful site with a wide spanning forest area, which was very much welcomed last year when we were working there in 35-degree heat!
I also can’t wait to return to Eastern Electrics and Maiden Voyage. I’ve worked with these organisers since I joined the company over five years ago, and they’re a long-standing client of OPS, as well as our sister agency, The Fair. It looks like it’s going to be another great year at Lee Valley Showground, with 20,000 capacity each day!
The OPS team have also been at Gottwood, NTS Radio Festival and Boiler Room already this season, ensuring safe build and delivery of these festivals. We’ve also been working on some amazing events with the We Are Placemaking team this year, including the Mayfair Coronation Garden Party, the Uzbek Culture Festival and so many more. As always, it’s fun to work on such a variety!
