Organising a River Cam Event​

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If you wish to hold an event on the river or towpath - such as a race, festival, charity event or so on - you will need permission from us to do this. Please contact the Officers for an Event Application Form which includes the Event Fee Structure. It is essential that the application is completed as fully as possible as this provides us with essential information and must be completed no later than 6 weeks prior to the event taking place. There will remain no charge for first aid vehicles. For larger events the more notice you can provide, the better.

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Event Management Plans
Most events will have an ‘Event Management Plan’. (EMP). Please could these be shared with the River patrol Officer at: rpo@camconservators.org.uk Tel: 07706 262457. For the largest events ,and/ or those presenting complex or higher risks, organisers may wish to consult with their local ‘Safety Advisory Group.’ (SAG). This provides a source of useful advice and guidance from various agencies to help you plan a safe event.
For Cambridge City 'SAG' please contact: sag@cambridge.gov.uk
For such events organisers should be cognisant of the national ‘Purple Guide’ around event planning. This offers pragmatic guidance about organising successful and safe events. Organisers whilst often focussed on activity on the river itself should consider the impacts on the wider footprint of their event, which may include the towpath.
Please follow this link to the Purple Guide lite. For the full Purple Guide a subscription has to be paid via the www.purpleguide.co.uk website

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Communications
It is expected that event organisers ensure that adequate communication takes place with other river users/user groups, to foster a cooperative environment for the event to take place. There is a potential for any disruption to users’ experience of the river to cause a negative response, and to create frustration and anger when no attempt at communication has been made. Communication before and during an event with the wider river community should also be considered as a way of both positively promoting events, whilst fostering harmonious relationships with the wider river community: boat river dwellers, boaters, sailors, walkers, anglers, cyclists, businesses and dwellings abutting events etc.

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Health & Safety

It is essential that all events however large or small have a robust risk assessment which we may request. Please ensure that when planning the event you request permission for any vehicular access for toilets, equipment and other items. Whilst there is a nominal charge for equipment vehicles using Conservancy land including the towpath there is NO CHARGE FOR FIRST AID VEHICLES  You will need adequate insurance and Risk Assessments with regards to the use of a vehicle on the towpath. This is a pedestrian and cycle way and we are conscious of the Health and Safety risks there are when using vehicles on it. Should any damage occur to the land due to the use of vehicles the cost will be passed on to the organiser.

When organising an event you may wish to consider contacting your local Safety Advisory Group, 'SAG' .  This provides a source of useful advice and guidance from various agencies to help you plan a safe event. For Cambridge City  'SAG' please contact:  sag@cambridge.gov.uk

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Wildlife:

We have an increasing population of the endangered Water Vole, which is regularly monitored by an ecologist. We also have a population of swans which at certain times of the year nest along the Cam and are often seen with cygnets. It is prohibited to disturb their habitat and cause any harm to come to birds and wildlife and we would ask event organisers to take this into consideration when using the river, accessing the banks and using the towpath. 

Please remember - all wild birds and animals are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. We expect there to be adequate provision in all risk assessments for wildlife/bird protection.

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As long as it doesn't clash with any other pre-booked events already on our diary and meets our requirements we will book you in! 

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Fees should be paid no later than 6 weeks in advance.

 

 Please refer to our Event Terms and Conditions & Events Policy

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