EA Lock Volunteers

captain tomas said:
Can't think why anyone would want to voulunteer.
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Well I'll tell you why I chose to. I work in an office all week so to spend one day by the river, outside in the fresh air, having great conversations with the boaters most of which are in holiday mode and so enjoying their day, as well as having great conversations with the resident - it just makes my week.

Coupled with giving something back to the river community, I think it's worth-while.
 
_inverse_ said:
Well I'll tell you why I chose to. I work in an office all week so to spend one day by the river, outside in the fresh air, having great conversations with the boaters most of which are in holiday mode and so enjoying their day, as well as having great conversations with the resident - it just makes my week.

Coupled with giving something back to the river community, I think it's worth-while.
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...nicely put and thanks for helping :D
 
Seen on my current trip towards the top of the River and back down again I've seen:-

Rather smart light blue T-shirts with "Volunteer" in white on the arm
A gentleman wearing an even smarter engraved (EA type official name badge) just labeled as aforesaid.

Like the new pedestal how-to-work-it labels they are in short supply.
 
"Coupled with giving something back to the river community, I think it's worth-while."

Well done .
 
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_inverse_ said:
I'm keeping that to myself for the time being. I may want to express my views here that I would not want to adversely affect the resident.
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.....and you seem to be building a team of supporters here from your dedication to the river and its users, so welcome again (I'm a newbie too:D)
 
_inverse_ said:
I'm keeping that to myself for the time being. I may want to express my views here that I would not want to adversely affect the resident.
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Are you the pretty one with the Ray Ban Aviators? last seen at Old Windsor (female obviously) and I dont mean Howard....

To add my wife came out with that...
 
I have now confirmed that volunteers do, indeed, volunteer to work hours of their choosing and are not required to work strictly to the hours in the Customer Charter. Whilst some do choose to work the full scheduled day others work lesser hours and I understand the EA do not discourage this, being appreciative of the additional assistance that this still brings to lock manning.
I also understand that volunteers can frequently move between locks, depending on day to day requirements, although they are still required to go through the sign-off procedure for each lock they work at before being allowed to work the lock themselves during statutory breaks.

I think we should respect _inverse_'s wish to remain incognito and not press him/her too hard to reveal their identity (after all, there are many forumites that closely guard their identity as well). I too am pleased to see them here, as, indeed, I am pleased to see some of the regular lockies as well. The dialogue between us can only bode well for harmonious relations on the river.
 
I am led to believe that using volunteer labour is all in aid of cost reduction.
There have been two incidents recently with this casual force which I understand have cost the E.A dearly.
It would appear that two locks have been damaged, one very badly so.
Has enyone any further information?
 
There was an incident (problem really) - some two weeks ago - concerning a lock upstream very late at night, so had NOTHING to do with volunteers - but it's amazing how rumours can muddle things.

No damage though, only "some inconvenience"
 
captain tomas said:
I am led to believe that using volunteer labour is all in aid of cost reduction.
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I think it might be more accurate to say that using unpaid volunteers is enabling a level of service that otherwise could not be afforded.

Whilst I was sceptical at first, my experience thus far has been that the volunteers generally are as effective as many summer assistants have been in recent years. All those I have met have been pleasant and helpful - maybe not as efficient in all aspects of the work as we might like but I think we should be grateful that they are willing to make a contribution.

With regard to the 'incidents' you allude to, you seem to know more than we do so why not be more specific?
 
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teddington_lock said:
Sometimes people can't comment directly because of their position ?
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It works the other way as well; apart from your goodself whose "interest" is clearly defined by the nature of your ID, there are some newer members who may / may not be intimately connected to the workings of EA.

OTOH they may be agent provocateurs looking to stir up dissent. in which case their posts should be treated with caution...

You may recall voluble posts from a person with tirades against an earlier licencing liability. It was widely conjectured later that he had no interest in the River.

Balanced and reasoned comment is OK, but I for one have no truck with folks who just want to stir things up. In the long term it's counter productive.

I "a person" wants to make a forthright statement about an incident, then he should, perhaps, declare on whose fence he sits??

It's beastly difficult being a lockie in today's climate (both economic and weather)

To some extent it's difficult being responsible for getting best value out of a limited pot of funds - if you get my drift.

Better communications at all levels would be a good starting point.

(I'm not having a go a front line staff, but would like to divert attention from stirrers who inhabit any internet forum).


OK what incidents,
Where
and what are the issues.

"Speak now or else hereafter hold your peace"


ooooh, that's better, contentious rant over.
 
That's the reason i used the ID when i joined , so that you would know who i was and who i worked for , and hence if i gave some information you would know it was 'above board' as it were. :)

There are many discussions on this forum that i cannot comment on directly because of my position , and i am very happy with that because i have no desire to play 'office politics'.

Appreciate where you are coming from though.
 
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