Volunteering Agreement

Hotbox Events encourages and welcomes volunteers. This agreement sets out the relationship between a volunteer and Hotbox Events.

This agreement is not intended to create an employment relationship between us and does not imply any contractual or mutual obligation of employment.

Employment rights are not conferred to anyone working under a Volunteering Agreement.

DEFINITIONS

Hotbox Events Ltd whose principal place of business is at River Barn, Unit 1, Middle Yard, Home Farm Road, Elvetham, Hampshire, RG27 8AW, United Kingdom. Registered Office: Hotbox Events Ltd, Devonshire House, Manor way, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, WD6 1QQ, United Kingdom. Registered in England & Wales on 14th November 2022. Company No. 14482616 (hereinafter referred to as "Hotbox Events Ltd", "Hotbox Events", "Hotbox", "the Company", or "we").

Applications are processed online via the Hotbox Events Ltd instance of the PAAM Event Software (hereinafter referred to as "HBE PAAM").

When working with HOTBOX all volunteers must sign-in at the HOTBOX onsite office by the Event Sign-in Date as specified by the festival and event specific 'about' pages on the Hotbox Events website e.g. www.hotboxevents.com/events/latitude-festival/.

Following application via HBE PAAM and after paying a deposit; if you are allocated a position via HBE PAAM you wish to cancel you must, cancel the position via the cancel function within your HBE PAAM account (hereinafter referred to as "Cancel", "Cancelled", "Cancellation", or "Cancelling").

VOLUNTEERING LOCATIONS

The locations for your volunteering are field based at the events you choose to join us at each year.

HOURS OF VOLUNTEERING

The Company does not guarantee the availability of volunteering.

We expect that once you have committed to volunteering you will, except in the case of sickness or emergency, give a minimum of 20 days to cancel. Hotbox reserves the right to request written evidence in such cases.

The Company will contact you when volunteering is available, and you may also contact the Company to enquire about volunteering availability.

You are expected to comply with the Company’s rules, policies and procedures regarding volunteering hours and practices.

YOUR ROLE AS A VOLUNTEER

Volunteering varies between events, for more information about the types of role you will perform please see our FAQs: https://www.hotboxevents.com/faq/working-at-festivals/

VOLUNTEERING SHIFTS

Volunteers will complete 3x 8-hour shifts during the course of each event.
Shifts are released 2-4 weeks prior to each event.
Shift patterns are confirmed prior to you arriving onsite and in-line with your shift preferences.
For more information about how shifts are allocated, please see our FAQs: https://www.hotboxevents.com/faq/working-at-festivals/

WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT FROM HOTBOX EVENTS

  • An introduction to the company and your volunteering role within it.
  • Pre-event training and regular communication prior to each volunteering role.
  • Thorough onsite training briefings prior to completing your first shift.
  • An experienced onsite management team available 24-7 onsite
  • A dedicated shift supervisor and ongoing support during your volunteering role with us.
  • Dedicated camping space and facilities (if applicable to the event i.e. field based)
  • A supportive environment

TERMINATION

Should you wish to terminate this agreement, you must do so by removing yourself from all events applied to within PAAM prior to the 20-day Event Sign-in Date cancellation deadline.

CONFIDENTIALITY, INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY AND DATA PROTECTION

You are required to observe the utmost confidentiality in your work and must not disclose any information obtained in the course of your work, unless authorised to do so, to any person either during or at any time after your volunteering with the Company.

All information, contained in any format, remains the property of the Company and volunteers are not entitled to retain this information on termination of this agreement, or use it for any purpose other than in performance of their duties at the Company.

All written material, whether held on paper, electronically or magnetically which was made or acquired by you during the course of your volunteering with us, is our property and our copyright. At the time of termination of your agreement with us, or at any other time upon demand, you shall return to us any such material in your possession. We will store and use your personal data for purposes appropriate to your volunteering; this includes sharing information with third parties as necessary and required for the management and administration of your volunteering.

We will adhere to the required data protection laws in force at any time and comply with the required principles; these are set out in our company data protection and data security policies and privacy notices in force at any time, which are available on the Hotbox Events website and in your PAAM application.

Your data is stored in a highly secure cloud-based hosting environment run entirely over SSL, which means that user connections are always safe, even via a public Wi-Fi spot.

GENERAL TERMS OF AGREEMENT

You are prohibited at any time from causing disruption to the business relationship between the Company and any of our clients or suppliers.

You should immediately inform the Company if any of your personal circumstances change, which includes but is not limited to your health, changing address, name change, change in personal circumstances and any change to your criminal record.

Should the volunteer work for an organisation similar to, or in competition with the present business of the company, the volunteer is strictly forbidden to share confidential information about the company or the company’s clients. All documentation used in relation to the volunteering, role and duties remains the property of the company and must be treated in confidence.

The volunteer is forbidden to use company resources and time for their personal external projects or to carry out these on company premises paid or unpaid.

With regard to our future needs, or in order to comply with statutory regulations, we reserve the right to amend this Volunteering Agreement at any time and without notice or consultation.

This Volunteering Agreement supersedes any previous agreements entered into between the Company and you as a volunteer.

APPLICATIONS

If you have any queries regarding the Hotbox Volunteering Agreement, you are advised to contact Hotbox in writing before submitting your application and paying your deposit.

By applying you are agreeing to abide by the Hotbox:

  1. Volunteering Agreement;
  2. Code of Practice;
  3. Policies and Procedures;
  4. Client Rules and Regulations.

By applying you are agreeing to the submission of your email address to the Hotbox newsletter and HBE PAAM account notifications database.

By applying you are agreeing that any photographs; video; sound recordings taken of you or by you may be used by Hotbox and the clients of Hotbox for any promotional purposes.

By applying you are agreeing that for the safety of the public prior to arrival onsite your personal details will be passed to the festival organiser and the police to allow for a Police National Computer (PNC) check to be performed.

By applying you are agreeing that if your performance is deemed less than satisfactory by Hotbox; you will be blocked from applying for further positions with Hotbox and that this information will be passed to the festival organiser.

When working as a volunteer of Hotbox you are working under a volunteer agreement. The specifics of positions with Hotbox vary dependent on the event and role.

The initial briefing and training sessions at each event form part of your volunteering agreement, as does your agreement to work with Hotbox for the duration of the event. Any failure on the volunteer’s part to meet with the volunteering agreement; the Hotbox Code of Practice; the Hotbox Policies and Procedures; Hotbox Client Rules and Regulations; will result in forfeit of the deposit paid; the requirement to pay any costs to Hotbox that may have been incurred; the volunteer being blocked from volunteering at future events.

Volunteers are liable for their own travel, accommodation, and sustenance expenses.

BORDERS AND IMMIGRATION - PROVING YOUR RIGHT TO WORK AND VOLUNTEER IN THE UK

To work and volunteer at a festival or event with Hotbox Events you must have the right to work and volunteer in the UK. Under the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act of 2006 Hotbox Events is required by law to check your right to work and volunteer in the UK.

For further information please read the Borders and Immigration entries in the Hotbox Events FAQ:

DEPOSITS

Paying a deposit does not guarantee your position at an event; applications are assessed, and positions allocated after a deposit has been paid.

Your deposit will be withheld, and you will be blocked from volunteering at future events if you:

  1. Do not complete all your allocated shifts;
  2. Lose any uniform and/or equipment allocated to you*;
  3. Miss your onsite briefing/s;
  4. Do not sign in onsite by the Event Sign-in Date and do not CANCEL at least 20 calendar days** prior to the Event Sign-in Date.
  5. Do not produce documents to prove your right to work and/or volunteer in the UK as detailed within the Borders and Immigration section of the Volunteering Agreement;
  6. Breach the Hotbox Volunteering Agreement;
  7. Breach the Hotbox Policies & Procedures;
  8. Breach the Hotbox Code of Practice;
  9. Breach any Hotbox Client Rules and Regulations.

*For uniform and equipment losses and/or damage Hotbox may only withhold part of your deposit; dependant on the value of the uniform/equipment lost/damaged.

**For example, 20 calendar days prior to 16:00 on the 23rd August would be 16:00 on the 3rd August.

If you are blocked from volunteering at future events by Hotbox you have the right to appeal; any appeal should be made in writing to Hotbox.

Deposit returns for eligible volunteers with no future events applied to are processed following each event; within 30-days of the last day of an event. Deposit returns are sent as a cheque in the post made payable to the account holder from which the deposit was originally received and posted to the address we hold for you in your HBE PAAM account.

If you apply to an event within the 20-day CANCELLATION period where the Event Sign-in Date for the event is less than 20-days away then either CANCEL or do not CANCEL and do not sign in onsite by the Event Sign-in Date; your deposit will be returned within 30-days of the last day of the next event in HBE PAAM following your CANCELLATION date.

If you pay a deposit and CANCEL all applications and positions 20 or more days prior to the Event Sign-in Date of the first event applied to; your deposit will be returned within 30-days of the last day of the next event in HBE PAAM following your CANCELLATION date.

If you pay a deposit and CANCEL all applications and positions 20 or more days prior to the Event Sign-in Date of the first event applied to; you will be eligible for an early deposit return. Early deposit returns are processed monthly up until our last event of the season. Early deposit returns need to be requested in writing.

If you apply to work at more than one event; complete your shifts at one or more events; then CANCEL your position/s at all future events at least 20-days prior to the Event Sign-in Date of each event applied to; your deposit will be returned within 30-days of the last day of the next event in HBE PAAM following your CANCELLATION date.

If you apply to work at more than one event; complete your shifts at one or more events; then CANCEL your position/s at one or more future events less than 20-days prior to the Event Sign-in Date of each event applied to; your deposit will be withheld, and you will be blocked from volunteering at future events. E.g. if you apply to work at two events, complete your shifts at the first event, then CANCEL the second event less than 20-days prior to the event's Event Sign-in Date, your deposit will be withheld, and you will be blocked from volunteering at future events.

If you apply to work at more than one event and do not sign in onsite for the first event by the Event Sign-in Date and do not CANCEL at least 20 calendar days prior to the first event's Event Sign-in Date; your deposit will be withheld, and you will be blocked from joining us at future events.

If you require a duplicate cheque to be sent due to not keeping your postal address up-to-date in HBE PAAM; losing a cheque; not cashing a cheque; allowing a cheque to expire; a replacement needs to be requested in writing. Deposit return cheque replacements are processed monthly.

You cannot move an application or position between events.

Hotbox takes no responsibility for any delay in returning deposits caused by postal services or an incorrect address in HBE PAAM.

When returning a deposit paid to Hotbox Events in any currency other than GBP the return will be less any international transaction and currency conversion fees.

If you do not gain a position due to failing a PNC or DBS check your deposit will be returned; usually within 30 days of the last day of an event.

If for any reason a festival does not go ahead, your security deposit will be returned to you in full. This includes a festival being cancelled due to COVID (COVID-19).

If you are suffering from a serious illness, disease, or virus, your security deposit will be returned to you in full. This includes contracting COVID (COVID-19) and being required to self-isolate. Where appropriate and possible we will require to see a doctor's note.

HOURS OF VOLUNTEERING

Volunteer shifts are 8 hours long (including breaks); the time it takes you to sign-in to each shift and travel to and from your place of work is additional to your shift hours.

DISCIPLINARY AND GRIEVANCE

If you are dissatisfied with any disciplinary decision you should apply in the first instance to an Event Manager. You should make your application by speaking to the Event Manager who will document your conversation.

If you have a grievance about your volunteering, you should apply in the first instance to a Site Manager. You should make your application in writing to the Hotbox principal place of business.

VOLUNTEERING AT AND ACCESS TO FESTIVAL SITES

All Hotbox volunteers must camp within the volunteer area provided.

To get involved with the running of an event, a volunteer requires site access. Access is provided by way of a crew pass, not a festival ticket. The crew pass is a functional tool required to undertake the volunteering opportunity. The crew pass will remain the property of the Event License Holder at all times.

CONDUCT

Any of the following including the aiding and abetting of others constitutes a breach of the Hotbox Volunteering Agreement of your voluntary position.

  1. Failure to comply with the Hotbox Volunteer Agreement; Code of Practice; Instructions; Policies and Procedures and instructions of Hotbox clients.
  2. Neglecting to complete a required task promptly and diligently, without sufficient cause.
  3. Leaving a position without permission or without sufficient cause.
  4. Making or signing any false statements, of any description.
  5. Destroying, altering or erasing documents, records or electronic data without permission or through negligence.
  6. Divulging matters confidential to Hotbox and/or its clients, either past or present, without permission.
  7. Soliciting or receipt of gratuities or other consideration from any person, or failure to account for keys, money or property received in connection with the business of Hotbox or Hotbox clients.
  8. Incivility to persons encountered in the course of duties or misuse of authority in connection with the business of Hotbox or Hotbox clients.
  9. Conduct in a manner likely to bring discredit to Hotbox, a fellow volunteer, member of staff, Hotbox clients, or Hotbox client's customers.
  10. Use of uniform, equipment or identification without permission.
  11. Reporting for volunteering under the influence of alcohol or restricted drugs or use of these whilst on duty.
  12. Failure to notify Hotbox immediately of any: 12i. Conviction for a criminal and/or motoring offence; 12ii. Indictment for any offence that may affect your work with Hotbox; 12iii. Police caution or legal summons that may affect your work with Hotbox.
  13. Permitting unauthorised access to premises; event site; place of work.
  14. Carrying of equipment not issued as essential to an individual's role or duties or use of a Hotbox client's and/or Hotbox client's customer's equipment or facilities without permission.
  15. Not maintaining agreed standards of appearance; identification; and deportment whilst volunteering.

AMENDMENTS

As is the nature of live events, we may be required to make changes to our volunteer’s schedule which result in the need to amend your shift or position. We will always do all we can to avoid this but should there be a need to amend your role, we will contact you to discuss your options.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AND CONFIRMATION

I acknowledge receipt, have read and understood, and agree to abide by this Volunteering Agreement.

I confirm that I am eligible to live and work in the UK and am able to provide original documented proof of this eligibility to the Company on arrival at the event.

Festival Volunteer Newsletter


YouTube Twitter facebook Instagram LinkedIn